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.
1986 Hall of Fame Bowl: Boston College 27, Georgia 24
Bowl game #3 in our Boston College top 10 bowl game countdown is the 1986 Hall of Fame Bowl vs. Georgia. I was 4 years old.
Things did not get off on the right foot for the Eagles under sixth year coach Jack Bicknell Jr. Coming off a 4-8 campaign in the first year A.F. (after Flutie), the Eagles started the 1986 campaign by losing three of their first four games, including an 11-9 loss to Rutgers in the season opener.
However, that would be all the losing Boston College would do in 1986 as the Eagles proceeded to rattle off eight-straight to end the year 9-3; capped by a 27-24 comeback victory over Georgia in the 1986 Hall of Fame Bowl.
Eagles quarterback Shawn Halloran proved to be the hero in this one; connecting with WR Kelvin Martin on a five-yard touchdown pass with just 32 seconds remaining to give BC a 27-24 victory over Georgia in the inaugural Hall of Fame Bowl in Tampa. The Martin TD capped a 76-yard drive that began with 2:38 left in the fourth and Georgia holding a 24-20 lead.
Boston College jumped on the Bulldogs in the first half, scoring 17 in the second quarter and 20 unanswered to take a 20-7 lead to the locker room. By halftime, the Halloran had completed 22-of-31 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown. Georgia came roaring back in the second half, scoring 17 unanswered including a 81-yard Gary Moss interception returned for a touchdown to cut the Eagles' lead to 20-17. Early in the fourth quarter, Georgia's James Jackson scored on a 5-yard run to give the Bulldogs' a 24-20 lead before Halloran-to-Martin won it for BC.
Fun facts about this game:
-- This was the inaugural bowl game for the Hall of Fame Bowl played at Tampa Stadium. In 1995, the game was renamed the Outback Bowl for its new title sponsor, Outback Steakhouse. This was also the only Hall of Fame / Outback Bowl played in December. Every game since has been played on either January 1 or January 2.
-- The National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame had previously hosted the Hall of Fame Classic at Legion Field in Birmingham (1977-1985) before moving this game to Tampa. A bowl game in Birmingham continued for five years under the All-American Bowl name before the city abandoned the bowl entirely in favor of hosting the first couple SEC Championship Games.
-- The 1986 season was the last time Boston College played cross-state Jesuit rival Holy Cross. The Eagles won in Worcester 56-26. Two months later, Holy Cross abruptly canceled the BC-HC rivalry that had begin in 1896.
-- Boston College is 2-0 in bowl games vs. Georgia (1986 Hall of Fame Bowl, 2001 Music City Bowl) but 0-2 in regular season meetings; dropping both games of a 1950-51 home-and-home series.
Video highlights? Video highlights.
SCORING SUMMARY
Georgia 7 0 10 7 - 24
Boston College 3 17 0 7 - 27
FIRST QUARTER
UGA - James JACKSON 7 run (Jonathan CRUMLEY kick), 5:24 left. Score: Georgia 7, Boston College 0.
BC - FG 23 Brian LOWE, 0:40 left. Score: Georgia 7, Boston College 3.
SECOND QUARTER
BC - Peter CASPARRIELLO 4 pass from Shawn HALLORAN (LOWE kick), 7:04 left. Score: Boston College 10, Georgia 7.
BC - Troy STRADFORD 1 run (LOWE kick), 5:05 left. Score: Boston College 17, Georgia 7.
BC - FG 37 LOWE, 0:04 left. Score: Boston College 20, Georgia 7.
THIRD QUARTER
UGA - FG 28 Davis JACOBS, 8:29 left. Score: Boston College 20, Georgia 10.
UGA - Gary MOSS 81 interception return (JACOBS kick), 4:25 left. Score: Boston College 20, Georgia 17.
FOURTH QUARTER
UGA - JAMES JACKSON 5 run (JACOBS kick), 11:51 left. Score: Georgia 24, Boston College 20.
BC - Kelvin MARTIN 5 pass from HALLORAN (LOWE kick), 0:32 left. Score: Boston College 27, Georgia 24.
STATS
Team Statistics UGA BC
First Downs 18 26
Total Net Yds 272 427
Net Yds Rushing 94 111
Net Yds Passing 178 316
Interceptions 0 2
Penalties 3-30 6-45
Fumbles-Lost 4-2 3-0