October 12, 2006

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Virginia Tech turned the ball over four times and it proved to be the Hokies' undoing as they fell to Boston College 22-3 in an ACC game Thursday night at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

The win dropped the Hokies to 4-2 overall on the season, 2-2 in the ACC. Tech saw its five-game winning streak at BC come to an end, and the Hokies also saw their ACC road winning streak snapped at nine. BC, meanwhile, improved to 5-1 overall, 2-1 in the league.

"I'd say we need to evaluate our football team and how we're doing what we're doing," Tech head coach Frank Beamer said after the game. "For two weeks in a row, turnovers in the third quarter have got us. I know it's hard to win football games when you turn the ball over and it's happened two weeks in a row. So I think it's time for a little evaluation."

Turnovers certainly were the story of the game as BC scored three times off Tech's turnovers. The Eagles got on the board midway through the second quarter by taking advantage of a Ryan Glaspar interception of a Sean Glennon pass. BC quarterback Matt Ryan threaded the needle between Tech defensive backs Aaron Rouse and Victor Harris, hitting receiver Kevin Challenger for a 15-yard touchdown strike, and Steve Aponavicius drilled the extra point, giving BC a 7-0 lead with 5:15 left in the first half.

Leading 7-3 in the third quarter, BC added to its lead, again taking advantage of a Tech turnover. BC linebacker Jolonn Dunbar intercepted a Glennon pass and returned it 35 yards to the Tech 26. Tech's defense held, and the Eagles settled for a 36-yard by Aponavicius to take a 10-3 lead with 9:11 left in the third.

Another Glennon turnover on Tech's next possession helped BC added even more to its lead. Glennon got drilled by BC defensive end Austin Giles from the backside and fumbled, and BC's Alex Bright recovered at the Tech 30. The Eagles got inside the Tech 10, but Tech's defense stiffened again and BC settled for a 20-yard field goal by Aponavicius that gave the Eagles a 13-3 lead with 4:50 left in the third quarter.

"It's frustrating when you think you've played alright, and then I look at the stat sheet and I see that I had two interceptions and a fumble," said Glennon, who completed 23-of-34 for 148 yards on the night. "Obviously, I could have played better. If we're losing, then there's certainly something I could have done better.

"It wasn't like I was throwing right to the guy. But an interception is an interception, and that's my fault when it happens. It was just a frustrating night."

BC put the game away midway through the fourth quarter when the Eagles marched 83 yards in 11 plays, chewing more than six minutes off the clock. The drive ended when Ryan found Challenger for an 18-yard touchdown pass that made the score 20-3. BC's final two points came on a safety when Tech snapper Nick Leeson snapped the ball over the head of punter Nic Schmitt into the end zone.

The Hokies' lone score came on a 36-yard field goal by Brandon Pace in the second quarter. The three points marked the fewest by Tech since scoring just three in the 1998 Gator Bowl against North Carolina.

Tech finished with just 181 yards of total offense, including only 33 on the ground. BC didn't fare much better, amassing just 264 and 90 on the ground. But the Eagles won the turnover war.

"When you're turning the ball over in the passing game, whether it's the quarterback holding the ball too long or there are breakdowns in protection, I think that's what we need to evaluate," Beamer said. "We're getting hit too many times. I think that's where we've got to evaluate our football team."

Tech tries to right itself next Saturday when Southern Miss comes to Blacksburg for Homecoming. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m., with the game being televised by ESPNU.