First quarter competitiveness disappeared and Boston College (6-4, 3-3) never got back on track in a 48-22 loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Positive aspects in this loss for the Eagles is hard to come by. Boston College battled but at every turn, the Hokies awaited with a nearly flawless game. An early lead was achieved by the Eagles. A second interception by Thomas Castellanos, plus a recovered onside kick by the Hokies, really took the wind out from under Boston College.
The defense couldn't find a stop and the offense, with its top two running backs on the shelf, never found a rhythm. Toss in Virginia Tech (5-5, 4-2) excelling in every aspect and it was perfect storm of the Eagles falling in a rout.
Boston College Eagles offense
Alex Broome appeared like he was going to fit right in, busting out a 36-yard run in the first quarter, followed by a four-yard touchdown run.
Unfortunately, that would be the brightest spot of the day for Broome. Falling behind 31-7 by the end of the second quarter did the Eagles and Broome no favors. And while Boston College tried to get the running game going in the third quarter, it was far too late to make a real impact.
Broome finished with nine carries for 56 yards. He did run hard but opportunities were limited.
Hopefully Robichaux is back next week while, if believing the words of today's broadcasters, Garwo's leg injury may sideline him for the remainder of the season.
The Eagles had only 29 carries totaling 124 yards and added another touchdown on the ground late, with a 1-yard scamper by Xavier Coleman.
Castellanos didn't get much of a chance to showcase his skills in the ground game but had a couple of nice flourishes. He finished with 11 carries for 46 yards.
It was in the passing game where the young quarterback struggled. Right off the bat with the two picks in his first four attempts, Castellanos looked off. There were overthrows and underthrows, with a drop or two mixed in, as Castellanos finished 10-20 for 110 yards.
There was a nice drive in the third quarter, where Castellanos found Jaedn Skeete for an eight-yard touchdown pass.
Skeete finished with two receptions for 20 yards and the score, with Jeremiah Franklin having a solid game. The tight end led the Eagles with three receptions for 52 yards, with Dino Tomlin also hauling in three receptions.
Penalties in the second quarter also helped spin the game out of control. Still in striking distance, Castellanos converted on a third down run, only to have it negated by a holding penalty. This was immediately followed by a delay of game and the drive basically over.
Putting this game behind them is a must for the offense and top priority for a defense that lost its way for most of four quarters.
Defense an open book
Defensive back Elijah Jones, he of five interceptions this season, missed Saturday's game.
Not that his contributions might have helped a whole lot.
The Boston College defense gave up 600 yards of total offense to Virginia Tech. Big play after big play was executed by the Hokies, via both the passing and running game. Five of the six Virginia Tech receivers who had receptions finished with at least one catch of 15 or more yards. This included a 70-yard catch-and-run, where the Eagles displayed a knack for missed tackles (a game-long theme).
Run defense was no better, where Boston College allowed 363 yards and 7.1 yards per carry. Runs of 60, 59, and 35 were among the highlights for the Hokies, who scored four times on the ground.
The final score might have seen a larger deficit if not for a punt return for a touchdown called back. And Victor Nelson prevented a late score by forcing a fumble that bounced out of the end zone.
John Pupel was busy, collecting nine tackles (seven solo). Linebacker Vinny DePalma notched eight as the defense was on the field for nearly 36 minutes of game time.
The rearview mirror is the best place to retire this game. One would like to forget about it completely, but lessons can be learned. Chances remain to fly high again, starting this upcoming Thursday against a struggling Pittsburgh team.
Boston College Eagles: 4-game report
Boston College Eagles: 8-game report
photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
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