BLACKSBURG, Va. - Paul Peterson threw a 64-yard touchdown to Grant Adams with 4:40 to play and Boston College ruined Virginia Tech's Big East farewell party, beating the Hokies 34-27 Saturday.
In its final regular-season game, Boston College boosted its bowl stock considerably, showing off a star running back in Derrick Knight, an emerging quarterback and a punishing defense.
Virginia Tech, heading to the Atlantic Coast Conference next season, may have squandered its chance at a Gator Bowl bid by losing for the first time in seven home games this season.
Knight, who ran for 197 yards, clinched the victory by breaking loose for a 60-yard run in the closing minutes. He also scored two touchdowns and broke Mike Cloud's school record of 3,597 yards. Knight has 3,603.
The Hokies had one last chance after Sandro Sciortino's 29-yard field goal with 1:45 left, but Cedric Humes fumbled the ensuing kickoff and BC recovered.
The Eagles scored 14 within 1:52 late in the first half to take a 24-17 lead, then kept the Hokies from regaining any offensive rhythm until midway through the fourth quarter.
Bryan Randall's 52-yard pass to Ernest Wilford changed that, accounting for more yards than the 47 the Hokies had in the second and third quarters combined. It set up Kevin Jones' 13-yard touchdown run.
That gave the Hokies a 27-24 lead with 6:36 left, but it lasted less than two minutes. On third and 10, Peterson found Adams behind Vincent Fuller down the middle and hit him.
PITTSBURGH 30, TEMPLE 16: Brandon Miree ran for a career-high 188 yards and two touchdowns in his first game in two months, leading the visiting Panthers
Pittsburgh stayed in contention to win at least a share of the Big East title and play in a BCS bowl. Pitt faces Miami next weekend in a game that could decide the Big East's BCS bowl representative.
Temple, coming off a one-point overtime loss to Virginia Tech, trailed 21-3 at halftime before Walter Washington nearly rallied the Owls.
W.VA. 34, SYRACUSE 23: Rasheed Marshall hit Chris Henry with touchdown passes of 24 and 67 yards in the fourth quarter, and the visiting Mountaineers survived a late scare.
West Virginia won its sixth in a row to keep alive its chance of winning the conference title and securing a BCS bid. The Orangemen need one victory to qualify for the postseason with two games left.
With running back Quincy Wilson hobbled by what appeared to be an ankle injury, sustained when he was gang-tackled late in the second quarter, Marshall and Henry worked their magic twice in a span of just over four minutes to give West Virginia its first victory in the Carrier Dome in a decade.
