The Ultimate Boston College Football Game Series: Pool E

Sorry for the delay, but after a week off, here is Pool E which includes a Bowl Game against a Service Academy, another great win against the Irish, a defeat of the Hokies, and the return of Mark Herzlich.

2006: #23 Boston College 25 Navy 24 (Meineke Car Care Bowl)

It was a weird month for Boston College football, as coach Tom O'Brien had decided to leave the Eagles to go play for a program where football mattered (his words not mine). BC had a coach hired in Jeff Jagodzinski but he wouldn't be joining the team until the end of the Green Bay Packers season, so it was up to interim coach Frank Spaziani to lead the Eagles.

Andre Callender gave BC the early lead on a 66 yard scamper, easing worries due to the injury of starting HB L.V Whitworth. BC's defense struggled all day against Paul Johnson's triple option offense allowing big gains on the ground. Matt Ryan struggled throwing 20-29 but two big picks kept BC's offense off the field. A field goal from Matthew Harmon gave Navy an 8 point lead going into the fourth quarter, but BC came back when Matty Ice hit Ryan Purvis for a touchdown. Eagles fans heart sank as Tony Gonzalez dropped the two point conversion leaving the Eagles down by 2. Navy continued to drive, and just needed to run out the clock with under 2 minutes left, but Reggie Campbell fumbled the ball giving the Eagles one last chance. Superfan kicker Steve Aponacivious came in and hit the game winning 34 yard field goal to seal the win.

2003: Boston College 27 Notre Dame 25

Boston College jumped out to an early 14-6 lead over the visiting Irish, on a touchdown pass from Quinton Porter to David Kashetta and a run from Horace Dodd. The Eagles came back after the half and continued to add to their lead with a field goal from Sandro Sciortino and a QB sneak from Porter. But then everything fell apart for the Eagles.

Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn hit Omar Jenkins with a ten yard touchdown pass (2 pt conversion missed), and Maurice Stovall ran in a twenty three yard touchdown run. BC fans hearts everywhere sank when Carlos Rogers blocked Jeff Gomulinski's punt and scampered for a touchdown to give the Irish their first lead of the game. BC had blown an 18 point lead in a little over a quarter.

But a new hero emerged in Will Blackmon, who returned the ensuing kickoff to mid field. Quinton Porter then marched down the field and set up a game winning field goal Sandro Sciortino. Game over, Eagles win.

2008: Boston College 28 #17 Virginia Tech 23

In their third match up in a just over a year, the Eagles came out looking flat. Chris Crane threw an interception for a touchdown to Brett Warren, that completely gassed the crowd at Alumni Stadium. Dustin Keys added on a field goal, but the Eagles returned fire with a touchdown by Montel Harris.

BC started the 2nd quarter with some fireworks of their own, after a 65 yard punt return for a touchdown by Richie Gunnell. The Eagles continued to add onto their lead with a touchdown catch by Ifeanyi Momah, but another interception for a touchdown by Crane allowed the Hokies to stick around, closing the gap to 21-17. The Eagles offense finished off the half with yet another touchdown 28-17, this time on a rush by James McCluskey.

The second half was the story of the BC defense, who completely shut down the Hokies offense holding VT to two field goals, two turnovers and sealing the win with a 4 and out by VT with under five minutes to go.

2010: Boston College 38 Weber St. 20

It was a fluff out of conference game that BC set up after Northeastern's team dissolved. Why did this make the list? Because after two years of chemo and treatment, Mark Herzlich finally returned to the field leading the Eagles onto the field in one of the coolest moments in recent memories (I was in tears, no lie).

BC beat Weber St. in a not so convincing fashion. Dave Shinksie started the game off looking very shaky, and the Eagles let up 20 points to a team that had no business scoring against them. But in the end none of that mattered. Herzlich was back, he had beaten cancer.