Following big hit, Ryan tries to deflect tough talk

Matt Ryan deflected all praise for the way he got back on his feet -- after getting decked by Clemson linebacker David Dunham -- to lead Boston College to its first ACC triumph in Saturday's 16-13 overtime victory over the Tigers.

''It's a BC victory, not a Matt Ryan victory," insisted the sophomore backup quarterback. ''The team went out there and took care of business and did a good job."

Making the second start of his career in place of injured fifth-year senior Quinton Porter (sprained ankle), Ryan gave BC fans a glimpse of the team's future at quarterback and impressed the Death Valley crowd of 79,000 when he missed only one play after Dunham's jarring hit.

''Unbelievable," was how sophomore linebacker Brian Toal described Ryan's play (24 of 42 passes, 221 yards, 2 interceptions, 1 sack). Ryan also scored on a 1-yard sneak that gave the Eagles a 10-0 lead.

''He's such a confident kid," Toal said. ''The way he played was amazing. He stepped in and we didn't miss a beat. He's an awesome player, a tough kid. He took a couple of shots, too. But he was able to hang in there, keep moving the ball, and keep us in the ballgame.

''When it was time for him to make a play, he drove us down the field and got us to the 1-inch line," where Toal took over by crashing in for the game-winning score in OT. ''He's a tough kid. I'm sure it's not easy getting hit like that."

Ryan was uneasy being the center of attention in terms of his toughness. ''I don't want to be a symbol of toughness, trust me," he said. ''Those guys up front [on BC's offensive line] are tough. You go talk to them and they'll tell what toughness is."

BC coach Tom O'Brien did not express any qualms about starting his backup again if Porter is unable to go in Saturday's nonconference home game against Ball State.

''I think he did an excellent job," O'Brien said. ''We've very proud of the effort he gave us. He gave us an opportunity to win and I think [offensive coordinator] Dana [Bible] did a great job putting him in plays that he likes and passes he's comfortable with."

Happy travelers

BC's victory at Clemson marked the Eagles' sixth consecutive road win -- a streak that includes last year's Continental Tire Bowl triumph over North Carolina -- and 15th in their last 18 games away from Alumni Stadium. What was just as impressive to O'Brien, though, was the large turnout of BC fans at Death Valley. ''It's another barometer where the program has come from and where it's going because we haven't traveled like this ever in the past," O'Brien said, talking about fans who traveled to Provo, Utah, for the Sept. 3 season opener at Brigham Young and last week to Clemson, S.C. Paul Criscione, president of BC's 1,200-member Gridiron Club, indicated about 1,100 BC fans made the Clemson trip, including 225 Gridiron Club members. ''Everything's been ratcheted up with the move to the ACC," Criscione said. ''I think the program recognizes the fact that we need everybody to travel well, so that we can continue to go to bowl games." . . . Former Xaverian standout Zack Asack, a freshman from Newton, could be pushing for the starting quarterback job at Duke. Coach Ted Roof indicated a change could be in the offing for this week's game against Navy after junior Mike Schneider proved ineffective in last week's 38-7 loss at Virginia. Schneider completed 2 of 5 attempts for 21 yards, was intercepted once and lost a fumble. He gave way to Asack, who completed 7 of 13 attempts for 87 yards and 1 touchdown, and threw two interceptions. His TD pass helped Duke avoid being shut out in consecutive ACC games for the first time in school history. ''Zack Asack made some plays, but there's some growing up to do when you get thrown in there as a true freshman," Roof said. ''I thought he did some good things, but it's a growing process for a true freshman."

Zeroing in

When Georgia Tech QB Reggie Ball hit wideout Calvin Johnson with an 11-yard scoring pass with 5:38 left in the third quarter of Virginia Tech's 51-7 romp over the Yellow Jackets, it snapped an impressive scoreless stretch for the Hokies' defense. Virginia Tech, which had not given up a TD since North Carolina State's opening drive in the first game of the season, had held its opposition scoreless for 211 minutes 12 seconds, the longest such stretch under 19th-year coach Frank Beamer. It also ruined Virginia Tech's bid to record its third consecutive shutout, a feat an ACC team hasn't accomplished in 29 years. The Hokies last did it in 1935 with blankings of William & Mary (0-0 tie), Washington & Lee (15-0), and South Carolina (27-0) . . . Virginia Tech's impressive win over the Yellow Jackets bumped the Hokies (4-0) to No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25. The last time the Hokies were ranked this high was two years ago when they vaulted to No. 3 following a 51-7 romp over Syracuse. However, Virginia Tech wound up getting spanked in its next game at West Virginia, 28-7, triggering a 2-4 tailspin in the Hokies' last six games. Next up for the third-ranked Hokies? Another trip to Morgantown, W.Va., to face the Mountaineers (4-0). ''I think the last time I came out [to Morgantown] after beating Syracuse two years ago, I was feeling pretty good about myself, about our football team," Beamer recalled. ''We went to West Virginia and got hit right in the mouth."