Eagles picked off by W.Va.
They don't give out style points for close finishes. Or for gallant efforts in a losing cause.
Sometimes the most you get is a hearty pat on the back.
But not even that could console Boston College's beleaguered football team after it came up short in yesterday's 35-28 Big East loss to West Virginia. In search of their elusive sixth win of the season in their sixth and final home appearance before a crowd of 39,723, the Eagles suffered a devastating Senior Day setback. West Virginia linebacker Scott Gyorko knocked down a Paul Peterson pass intended for Sean Ryan on third and goal from the Mountaineer 7 with five seconds remaining, ruining BC's bid to send the game into overtime and become bowl-eligible.
"There were double-covering me," said Ryan, who had a career day (8 catches, 90 yards, 2 TDs) against the Mountaineers (5-4, 3-1). "I saw Paul start to scramble and I tried to get his attention. Paul threw the ball and it was right on target, but the guy made a good play. I should've had the ball before that. I should've caught that ball." Peterson, who entered the game when junior quarterback Quinton Porter suffered a nasty nine-stitch cut to his throwing hand on the first play, then played the final 8:42 after Porter got his bell rung on a 4-yard sack, felt responsible for not converting that last play.
"When I stepped up into the pocket, I caught a glimpse of [Ryan] waving his hand trying to get my attention, but I was a little too short. I should've thrown it a little higher," said the junior college transfer from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, who also had a career day (22 of 41, 231 yards, 3 TDs), though one marred by three interceptions. Porter's hand was cut when it hit the helmet of Leandre Washington, who was tackling the quarterback.
Eagles coach Tom O'Brien, whose team (5-5, 1-4) lost its fourth home game of the season to match its total from the previous four seasons combined, summed up BC's season in describing yesterday's game:
"It was a strange game. We got up and then got down and then got back up in it and got back out of it and got back in it again and had an opportunity to throw the ball and catch it in the end zone and put it in overtime. But we didn't do it, so give West Virginia credit. They hung in there and we ended up losing a tough one."
BC took a 14-0 lead -- on Ryan's 9-yard TD catch from Peterson with 10:25 left in the first quarter and Horace Dodd's 1-yard run with 12:35 left in the second -- but the Mountaineers tied it by halftime.
Despite not having to face West Virginia starting QB Rasheed Marshall (concussion), BC's secondary made sophomore wideout Chris Henry (5 catches, 132 yards) look like the second coming of Larry Fitzgerald on his touchdown catches of 37 and 32 yards from backup quarterback Charles Hales (11 of 16, 167 yards, 3 TDs). Henry's first TD grab, which was set up by the first of four interceptions by West Virginia, cut BC's lead to 14-7.
Adam Jones, West Virginia's flamboyant sophomore cornerback, intercepted Peterson and scored on a 49-yard return to tie it, 14-14, with 4:47 left before intermission. The Mountaineers made it 28-14 in the third -- when Hales connected with Henry on the 32-yard TD and with tight end Tory Johnson on a 14-yard toss -- but BC answered when Peterson entered for the woozy Porter and converted a fourth and 14 from the West Virginia 16 with a 16-yard strike to Ryan that made it 28-21.
But Jones came up with another big play, returning the kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown that made it 35-21.
"Adam Jones obviously may have been the difference in the game with the two big plays he had," said West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez.
Peterson hit Grant Adams (7 catches, 89 yards) on an 8-yard pass to cap a nine-play, 69-yard march that pulled BC within a touchdown, 35-28.
Peterson then overcame his third INT (the second by Brian King) to rally the Eagles 72 yards -- connecting with Adams on a 38-yard pass on a fourth-and-14 from the BC 21 -- but the drive came up short at the Mountaineer 7.
Asked about BC's bowl possibilities, senior linebacker Josh Ott said, "I'm not sure. I wouldn't say that we've earned that yet. We've got two games left, but I would say right now -- with the record we have -- I would say no. But we do have two games left and I'm going to keep playing until the last whistle blows."
