Associated Press
BOSTON ó Virginia Tech learned from its loss to Boston College last season when the Eagles overcame a 10-point deficit in the final 3 minutes: Never let up.
“It’s something that we’ve taken more pride in this year, making sure we finish games out,” offensive guard Nick Marshman said, “that we don’t leave a whole lot of time on the clock. Make sure we take care of the ball and get the first downs that we need.”
The 17th-ranked Hokies get another chance to do that against Boston College tonight with one major advantage. Quarterback Matt Ryan, who led the comeback, is in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and Chris Crane took his place.
“This is what you sign up for when you sign up to play college football,” Crane said. “It’s a night game, the place is going to be rocking and I get to talk to old friend Matt Ryan again.”
Maybe Ryan can provide some tips on how he spearheaded the comeback by the Eagles, ranked second at the time, against the Hokies, then ranked eighth.
Virginia Tech led 10-0 at home last October before Ryan threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Rich Gunnell with 2:11 left in the game. Then BC recovered an onside kick and Ryan directed another scoring drive, capped by his 24-yard touchdown pass to Andre Callender with 11 seconds remaining.
“I bet I’ve seen that play several times,” Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said. “You’d better play every play.”