By Carlos Pineda
SouthernPigskin.com

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Boston College’s defense was smothering, holding the Trojans to 20 total rushing yards.

East Carolina 28, Virginia Tech 21
It was the definition of a trap game. And it lived to its billing. The upset bug victimized the 17th-ranked Hokies. Despite scoring 21 unanswered points to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. Virginia Tech couldn’t make one last defensive stand.

The problem for the Hokies stemmed from giving up too much, too early. East Carolina did most its damage in the first quarter, scoring three touchdowns and gaining 205 yards of total offense. Pirates’ quarterback Shane Carden completed 11 of 19 attempts for 174 yards and three scores in the first quarter. Virginia Tech on the other hand, gained 14 yards on 14 plays and was 0 for 4 on third down attempts. Michael Brewer was sacked twice and passed for 10 yards.

In all, the Hokies defense allowed 502 yards of total offense x94 including 427 passing yards. The 370 yards of total offense East Carolina racked up in the first half was the most allowed by Virginia Tech in one half since 2004.

The defense settled down in the third quarter, and the offense mounted a fourth quarter comeback after being bottled up for much of the game. But it didn’t matter.

The Pirates saw the opportunity, the target in from of them and seized it. History repeated itself for the Hokies. Virginia Tech was susceptible to losses after wins over ranked teams. Saturday’s loss became another footnote.

Quote: I am more convinced than ever that we can really be a good football team. I do give East Carolina a lot of credit, but I give our guys credit as well. There wasnt one point where I thought we panicked. We hung in there and gave ourselves a chance to win. x94 Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech head coach

Boston College 37, Southern Cal 31
Both the Eagles and Trojans entered this game on opposite ends of the spectrum. No. 9 USC was coming off an emotional win over Stanford last week, while Pitt overmatched Boston College. While honoring Welles Crowther, a BC graduate and a Sept. 11 victim, the Eagles overwhelmed the Trojans with a 452-yard rushing onslaught. Boston College scored five rushing touchdowns.

It was the first time since 2002 that an unranked Eagles team defeated a top 10 squad. It gave the Chestnut Hill faithful a chance to stretch its legs and celebrate on the Alumni Stadium turf.

Despite trailing 17-6 early in the second quarter, Boston College pounded the ball. Quarterback Tyler Murphy racked up a career-high 191 rushing yards and a touchdown. The touchdown x94 a career-best 66-yard gain x94 proved to be the dagger late in the fourth quarter. It gave the Eagles a 38-24 lead with just over three minutes to go.

Boston College’s defense was smothering. It held the Trojans to 20 total rushing yards after giving up 303 rushing yards to Pitt last week, and sacked USC quarterback Cody Kessler five times. Linebacker Keyes had five-and-a-half tackles for loss.

“We had a great game plan to run the ball, but Boston College did a great job of loading the box,” Kessler said.

The Trojans had 29 carries.

After the game, coach Steve Addazio gave the game ball to the Crowther family to cap off the emotional week.

Quote: Coach really challenged us as a team this week. It’s a big win for our program and we’re taking things in the right direction. x94 Tyler Murphy, Boston College quarterback

Virginia 23, Louisville 21
The Cardinals looked poised to be a challenger in the ACC in its first year. And they still can be. But The Cavaliers’ victory introduced Louisville to the unpredictability that occurs week in and week out in this league. In doing so, Virginia ended an 11-game conference-losing streak while
snapping the Cardinals’ eight-game winning streak.

The Cavaliers led 20-7 as turnovers proved to be a large part of the narrative on a soggy day in Charlottesville. Louisville mounted a comeback and even took the lead (21-20) midway through the fourth. But a fumble on a punt return by the Cardinals gave Virginia one last shot as kicker Ian Frye’s 42-yard field goal was good. It was the Cavaliers first win over a ranked team since beating Florida State 14-13 on the road in 2011.

Quote: This is one of the most emotional games I’ve ever had. I’m in the locker room crying after the gamexa6 I’ve never cried over a football game. It was emotional because it was something big lifted off my shoulders. x94 Henry Coley, Virginia linebacker

Georgia Tech 42, Georgia Southern 38
Twice this season, the Eagles have suffered heartbreaking losses to teams from the ACC. First week of the season it was NC State, and now Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets were fortunate to escape with a win after allowing a 25-point halftime lead (35-10) disappear. They were outscored 28-7 in the final 30 minutes.

But with 23 seconds left, Justin Thomas found Deon Hill on a 13-yard touchdown pass to avoid the upset. While Georgia Tech rushed for 348 yards, it also passed for 188 yards. Thomas had 325 yards of total offense and five touchdowns, four of which were passing. He led the team in rushing with 137 yards.

Georgia Tech was outgained 228-40 in the third quarter and outscored 20-0.

The Yellow Jackets turned things on in the first half, a stark contrast from its first two games where they needed a second half boost.

Quote: It was a heck of a game, a lot more exciting than it needed to be. But you have to give them credit. They fought back hard and they never quit and they played hard. In the end, we finally found a way to make a play on offense. x94 Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech head coach

Quick Slants

x94 Going along with the theme in the ACC this week, Pitt found itself trailing Florida International University 16-0 after one period. Blame the South Florida heat for that, but the Panthers rebounded to win 42-25. James Conner rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns. Pitt remains undefeated and hosts Iowa next week.

x94 The Hurricanes needed an “airing” out party and got it in a 41-20 win over Arkansas State. Freshman Brad Kaaya passed for 342 yards x94 the most by a true freshman at Miami x94 and Phillip Dorsett became only the third Cane to catch for 200 yards in a game. He had 201 receiving yards and two touchdowns on only four catches.

x94 Terrel Hunt rushed for a career-best three touchdowns and passed for another as Syracuse downed Central Michigan 40-3.

x94 Jacoby Brissett had passed for 266 yards and two touchdowns, and Bra’Lon Cherry scored three total touchdowns in NC State’s 49-17 win over South Florida in Tampa.

x94 Shaun Wilson rushed for a school-record 245 yards and scored three touchdowns as Duke routed Kansas 41-3.

x94 John Wolford passed for 257 yards and two scores, but Wake Forest had -25 rushing yards in a 36-24 loss at Utah State.

Look Ahead
x94 ESPN College Gameday will go live from Doak Campbell Stadium next Saturday for No. 1 Florida State against 23rd-ranked Clemson. Both teams return from a bye week to do battle in Tallahassee (8 p.m. ET, ABC) in one of the ACC’s biggest matchups of the season.

x94 Virginia Tech hosts Georgia Tech in the first conference game for both teams on ESPN at noon.

x94 The Hurricanes and the Huskers face off in Lincoln (8 p.m. ET, ESPN 2), the first meeting since the 2002 Rose Bowl national championship game.

x94 The Cavaliers travel to Provo, where they face a pretty good BYU squad (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)