Can’t compare

Louisville continued to add to BC’s undistinguished record against better teams in the ACC this season, beating the Eagles 52-7 Saturday in Alumni Stadium. Against teams in the ACC with winning records, BC’s football team is now 0-3, giving up 157 points and scoring 17 in those games.

Carlsbad's own Ray Smith (96) takes aim at Louisville QB Lamar Jackson

Carlsbad’s own Ray Smith (96) takes aim at Louisville QB Lamar Jackson

Indeed, Saturday’s loss was the Eagles’ 7th straight to a ranked team, and 19th out of 20, since 2009. The sole win in this run was against USC in 2014.

Saturday’s game was a résumé-builder for Louisville’s freshman quarterback Lamar Jackson in his bid for the Heisman Trophy. He accounted for 7 touchdowns, 4 passing and 3 rushing, covering 416 total yards. Personally, he had 15 carries for 185 yards. The Cardinals gained 515 yards in total offense.

On the game’s 3rd play, Jackson ran up the middle and past BC defenders for 69 yards and a touchdown. He looked back a couple of times in the last 20 yards or so to find himself alone. “I was surprised when I looked back,” he said in the Boston Globe.

Louisville led 38-0 at halftime. BC scored early in the 3rd period on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Towles to Tyler Rouse. BC overall gained 207 yards, 150 on the ground, and had 9 first downs. Towles was 13-of-21 for 147 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

The Eagles have 3 games left — Florida State, UConn, and Wake Forest — needing to win 2 to reach the 6-win criterion for bowl eligibility.

A small, but hardy, crew at Saturday's gamewatch. Front, l-r: Pat Ahern '11, Chris Lamb MS'08, and Julia Leone '11. Rear, l-r: Adrienne Lamb, Meryl Evangelista, Lissa Tsu '00, Bill McDonald '68, and Brian Tsu '00.

A small, but hardy, crew at Saturday’s gamewatch. Front, l-r: Pat Ahern ’11, Chris Lamb MS’08, and Julia Leone ’11. Rear, l-r: Adrienne Lamb, Meryl Evangelista, Lissa Tsu ’00, Bill McDonald ’68, and Brian Tsu ’00.

Game video

 

One was enough for another Beanpot!

San Diego's Thatcher Demko holds aloft his second Beanpot in three years.

San Diego’s Thatcher Demko holds aloft his second Beanpot in three years.

BC men’s hockey team, ranked #3 nationally, won its sixth Beanpot title in the last seven years, and 20th title overall, with a 1-0 overtime win over #7 Boston University last night. Sophomore Alex Tuch scored the game’s only goal 1:57 into overtime.

It seems unlikely, considering the number of games (256) played in the 64-year history of the Beanpot, but the 2016 championship was the first Beanpot game ever to go 1-0. Perhaps even more unlikely, it was also only the second game ever between BC and BU to finish 1-0, the other being another Eagles win in 2006 at BU.

The Eagles outshot the Terriers 42-30 for the game, including a dominant 23-12 edge in the first period. BU goalie Sean Maguire had 41 saves and won the tournament awards for best goalie and most outstanding player overall. Arguably, since he had the shutout, BC’s goalie Thatcher Demko deserved at least a share of the award. It was, indeed, Demko’s 9th shutout of the season, setting a new single-season standard for BC.

BC won the Beanpot each year 2010-2014, including a 3-2 overtime win against BU in 2012.

A winter storm in Boston yesterday put some doubt into whether the game would take place. The storm may have played a role in the loss of some lighting at the TD Garden during the first period, which caused a 29-minute suspension of the game.

BC’s record goes to 20-4-4 (11-1-4).

A Boston sports classic

Red Sox-Yankees. Celtics-Lakers. Bruins-Canadiens. BC-BU.

San Diego's own Thatcher Demko has been stellar in the net for the Eagles.

San Diego’s own Thatcher Demko has been stellar in the net for the Eagles.

For the 22d time, the Eagles and Terriers will meet for the Beanpot Championship, Monday, February 8, 4:30 pm PT. Join San Diego Eagles for a game watch at The Beer Co., 602 Broadway, San Diego.

BC, #1 in Hockey East and ranked #4 nationally, reached this year’s final with a 3-2 win yesterday over #7 Harvard. The Eagles fell behind 2-1 in the first period, but scored 2 power play goals in the second for the win.

The victory put BC in the finals for the 35th time in 64 Beanpots. And it was win number 1,001 for Coach Jerry York.

Since 1993, either Boston College or BU has won the Beanpot crown. BC took 9 of those titles, including 5 straight, 2010-14. BU is ranked #9 nationally this year.

The #1 BC women’s hockey team is also in the Beanpot final, which will be played Tuesday, February 9. The Eagles beat Harvard in today’s opening round, 8-0. Harvard had been BC’s nemesis last season, beating the Eagles in the Beanpot final and in the Frozen Four. Sweet revenge. BC will play the winner of BU-Northeastern.