San Diego’s own Ray Smith lifts the championship trophy in the post-game celebration.

The 4th quarter of yesterday’s Quick Lane Bowl game likely engendered among Eagles fans unpleasant memories of the season opener — when BC allowed Georgia Tech to score and win in the final quarter. Unlike that first game, however, when BC’s defense allowed a 59-yard drive in the last three minutes, the Eagles’ defense — particularly the defensive line — was stout at the end. BC held on to win its first bowl game since 2007, beating Maryland, 36-30.

The win was BC’s third in a row, to end the season 7-6. It was also the first bowl win under Coach Steve Addazio, as the Eagles had lost bowl games in 2013 and 2014. They did not qualify for a bowl last season.

The game took an unusual turn in the first half, especially the 2nd quarter, as BC’s offense was both exciting and prolific. With a relatively prosaic 6-0 lead at the end of the 1st quarter, the Eagles scored 4 times in the next quarter to take a 29-13 halftime lead. Patrick Towles threw 2 touchdown passes, for 2 yards to TE Tommy Sweeney and for 49 yards to WR Michael Walker. In between, he received a 20-yard touchdown pass from WR Jeff Smith, a former QB, who had gotten the ball on a trick reverse. Many BC fans likely asked, “Where’s this team been?” K Mike Knoll also had a 22-yard field goal in the quarter.

It needs to be noted, also, that, in that same quarter, BC gave up two long touchdown runs, of 62 and 30 yards, to Maryland running back Ty Johnson.

BC’s halftime point total was the most it had scored in any half all year. The second half offense, especially in the 4th quarter, however, nowhere close to being as effective as that of the first half.

The Eagles’ only score in the second half was the recovery of a Maryland fumble, essentially on the goal line, to make the score 36-13. The Terrapins, on the other hand, continued to score on long plays. Two touchdown passes, of 63 and 52 yards, brought Maryland to within 9 points, 36-27.

It may have seemed that the 4th quarter was played entirely on BC’s side of the field, even in the red zone, but it was only about 9 minutes . . . 9 really long minutes.

With 10:39 remaining in the game, BC started on its 41-yard line. A rush for 2 yards was followed by a sack for a loss of 3 yards and then a Maryland pass interception. For the next 5 minutes of clock time, the Terrapins had 9 plays, all within the BC 17-yard line, 3 within the 2-yard line, and failed to score. BC’s defense pressured the Maryland QB often and sacked him twice, pushing Maryland back to BC’s 36. A facemask penalty on that 2nd sack, however, gave the ball to Maryland on BC’s 13. Maryland ran to the 1-yard line, but BC recovered a fumble on the BC 2.

So that should put an end to it, right? Nah. Give Maryland the ball again! BC ran the ball up the middle 3 times for a total of 3 yards, with the Terrapins recovering a Jon Hilliman fumble on the BC 5. Maryland then threw 3 consecutive incomplete passes and kicked a field goal.

Give Maryland still another chance? Sure! Returning the kickoff to its 21, BC reverted to its usual offense this season, running up the middle for a total of 5 yards and then punting. Starting on its 35, Maryland threw 3 incomplete passes and DE Harold Landry sacked the Terrapin QB on 4th down to get BC the ball with 1:25 remaining. That actually secured the win for BC.

BC’s entire defensive line was deservedly named the game’s most valuable “player.” BC sacked the Maryland QB 8 times for 57 yards, and pushed the Terrapins back a total of 80 yards. Sophomore DT Ray Smith, from Carlsbad and a grad of Cathedral Catholic, made only 1 tackle in the game, but it was a 10-yard sack. He also had a video highlight moment, returning a possible fumble for a touchdown, but the Maryland runner was ruled down before the fumble.

Maryland outgained the Eagles, 357 yards to 348, and had 17 first downs to BC’s 15. BC’s Towles was 10-22 for 151 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Hilliman gained 79 yards for BC in 29 carries. Myles Willis rushed twice for 74 yards.

Through the regular season this year, BC’s total offense ranked 127th out of 128 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Yesterday’s bowl game, at least most of it, was a good time to try something different.

BC’s 2017 season opens at Northern Illinois on September 1, a Friday. Two Saturdays later, the Eagles host Notre Dame. In addition to the ACC conference schedule, still to be announced, BC is to play UConn and Central Michigan.

Go Eagles!

Video highlights

This time, it was the other team that failed at the end of the game.

Running back Myles Willis scored BC’s first touchdown.

Despite gaining only 167 yards in total offense, Boston College, led by its defense, held on yesterday to win the regular season’s last football game, beating Wake Forest 17-14, in Winston-Salem, N.C. The win gives the Eagles a 6-6 record, and qualifies them for a post-season bowl game.

BC took the lead with 8 minutes left in the game. Wake Forest had to punt on their next possession, after two BC sacks made it 3rd-and-33 and then 4th-and-20. After going -14 yards on their next three plays, the Eagles gave the ball back with a 34-yard punt to Wake Forest on the BC 42 with 3:25 remaining. The Demon Deacons drove to the BC 22, but missed a 40-yard field goal that would have tied the game.

After three rushing plays that gained 4 yards and took 18 seconds off the clock, BC punted the ball back to Wake Forest. On 3rd-and-1, defensive end Harold Landry had his third sack of the game to push the ball back 6 yards. (Landry’s sacks gave him 15 for the season, setting the BC season record.) On 4th-and-7, defensive Lukas Denis intercepted the pass and secured the win for BC.

BC quarterback Patrick Towles was 10-23 passing for 74 yards and 1 touchdown, no interceptions. The Eagles, who gave up 5 sacks, gained a net 93 yards rushing, highlighted by Tyler Rouse’s 1 carry for 27 yards.

In coach Steve Addazio’s four seasons at BC, the Eagles have compiled a 23-27 record overall, 10-22 in ACC play (2-14 in the last two seasons). BC has lost the two previous bowl games, to Arizona State in 2013 and Penn State in 2014.

Game highlights

On senior day, on a day when BC honored football icon Matt Ryan, the Eagles performed in a manner reminiscent of seasons gone by — they dominated an FBS foe, shutting out UConn 30-0 yesterday in Alumni Stadium.

Smiles for Alma Mater

UConn this season is a borderline competent team, with a 3-8 record, 1-6 in the American Athletic Conference. But the Huskies were the perfect foil for a BC team suffering its own bouts with competence in recent years.

The Eagles dominated the game in all respects. BC doubled UConn in first downs, 16-8, gaining 337 yards to 121 yards for the Huskies. On the ground, BC held UConn to -6 yards overall and gained 157 yards. QB Patrick Towles was 14-19 passing, for 183 yards and a touchdown. In terms of ball possession, BC doubled UConn again, holding the field for just over 40 minutes.

The pattern this season is that BC has dominated lesser opponents — their out-of-conference schedule — while being dominated by all ACC opponents but one. The Eagles are 4-0 against teams from minor conferences or the FCS division, outscoring them by 113 points (28 points per game). In 7 ACC games, the Eagles are 1-6 and have been outscored by a total of 182 points (26 points per game).

The Eagles finish the regular season Saturday against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C. Kickoff is noon PT. If BC wins, they will be bowl-eligible. If they finish 5-7, they may still qualify for a bowl. How? There may not be a sufficient number of teams reaching the criterion of 6 wins to fill the _40_ bowl and championship games. Teams with 5 wins and a high Academic Performance Rating, which BC would be, may then be considered.

At halftime, BC honored Matt Ryan ’07 by retiring his jersey. Ryan led the Eagles to one of their most successful seasons in 2007. BC won its first 8 games that season, achieving a #2 national rank. They finished 11-3, losing to Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship and defeating Michigan State in the Champs Sports Bowl. Ryan threw for 4,500 yards and 31 touchdowns, was named ACC Player of the Year and first-team All-America. In his three years as a starter for BC, the Eagles won bowl games each season.

Ryan has been the Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback for the past nine seasons. He is considered a candidate this season for most valuable player in the NFL. Ironically perhaps, commentator for the telecast of yesterday’s game was the man who recruited Ryan and coached him until 2007 — Tom O’Brien. BC fans gave the former coach a standing ovation when he joined Ryan for the ceremonies.

Highlights

Other sports update

BC men’s soccer finished its run in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Sunday, losing to Albany, 3-0. The Eagles had beaten the Great Danes early in the season, 5-3, but since that game Albany allowed only 7 goals through the remainder of their season.