Between Dec. 16 and Dec. 31, BC Interruption will be taking a look back at the top 10 bowl games Boston College has appeared in, leading up to the Eagles matchup with Arizona in the AdvoCare V100 'Independence' Bowl.
1994 Aloha Bowl: Boston College 12, Kansas State 7
Mele Kalikimaka, Eagles!
We've reached #4 in our Boston College top 10 bowl game countdown when, on this date 19 years ago, the Boston College Eagles defeated eighth-ranked Kansas State 12-7 in the 1994 Aloha Bowl. The Eagles turned in an impressive defensive performance, completely neutralizing the Wildcats ground game (-61 yards on the day) and sacking K-State QB Chad May eight times. Boston College's D limited K-State to just seven first downs and kept the Wildcats out of the end zone completely -- the Wildcats' only points came on a blocked punt recovered in the end zone.
The Eagles jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a 2-yard Justice Smith run early in the first quarter. K-State's only score of the game would come with eight seconds left in the first quarter. Joe Gordon crashed the middle of BC's line and blocked a punt by Jeff Beckley. Chris Sublette recovered the ball on the first hop in the end zone for a touchdown.
Boston College defensive end Mike Mamula made it 9-2 late in the second quarter after sacking QB Chad May in the end zone for a safety. During the 1994 season, the Eagles switched from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3 defense, moving Mamula from a rush-backer to defensive end. He responded with 73 tackles and 17 sacks on the year; four coming in this game en route to being named the bowl game MVP.
The second half featured more of a defensive battle, until the Eagles were able to engineer a long drive late in the fourth culminating in a 35-yard field goal from David Gordon. The drive was set up by a 46-yard pass from QB Mark Hartsell to WR Kenyatta Watson.
The Eagles outgained K-State 317-124 on the day, including a 13-7 edge in first downs.
With the victory, first-year coach Dan Henning finished the year 7-4-1, a season after former coach Tom Coughlin left the Heights to coach the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars. The win also gave the program back-to-back wins in consecutive bowl games for the first time in school history. Boston College would deny K-State a 10-win season which at the time, had only been done one other time in school history in 1910.
BC would finish the year ranked 23rd in the final AP poll; 22nd in the Coaches Poll. The Aloha Bowl's hero, Mamula, would go on to get drafted with the seventh overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1995 NFL Draft.
Warning: K-State-specific highlights of the game below, but you can get some feel for this game starting at the 4 minute mark. Nevermind the "Golden Eagles" reference.
SCORING SUMMARY
Boston College 7 2 0 3 - 12
Kansas State 7 0 0 0 - 7
FIRST QUARTER
BC - Justice SMITH 2 run (David GORDON kick), 10:35 left. Score: Boston College 7, Kansas State 0.
KSU - Chris SUBLETTE recovered blocked punt in end zone (Martin GRAMATICA kick), 0:08 left. Score: Boston College 7, Kansas State 7.
SECOND QUARTER
BC - Safety Chad MAY tackled in end zone by Mike MAMULA, 2:37 left. Score: Boston College 9, Kansas State 7.
FOURTH QUARTER
BC - FG 35 GORDON, 1:18 left. Score: Boston College 12, Kansas State 7.
STATS
Team Statistics KSU BC
First Downs 7 13
Total Net Yds 124 317
Net Yds Rushing -61 149
Net Yds Passing 185 168
Interceptions 2 1
Penalties 9-56 7-84
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 0-0