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.