Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Boston College
No. 7 Boston College Runs by Bowling Green 55-24
October 06, 2007 | Football
Oct. 6, 2007
Final Stats | Quotes| Notes
BOSTON (AP) -Matt Ryan threw four touchdown passes and Boston College pulled away with four interceptions late in the first half to defeat Bowling Green 55-24 Saturday and get off to its best start in 65 years.
The No. 7 Eagles entered the game with their highest ranking in 23 years after two unimpressive wins over Army and Massachusetts.
There was nothing questionable about Saturday's rout as Boston College (6-0) scored 38 straight points after Tyler Sheehan's 6-yard pass to Freddie Barnes with 8:55 left in the half cut BC's lead to 14-10.
Less than seven minutes later, it was 38-10 as the Falcons pass-happy offense backfired when BC picked off four passes in the last six minutes of the half. Two were returned for touchdowns - 65 yards by Jamie Silva and 7 yards by Nick Larkin - and another led to a career-long 45-yard field goal by Steve Aponavicius.
The Eagles were well on the way to their 16th straight home victory.
The half ended with BC leading 38-10, with Andre Callender scoring three touchdowns.
The big plays kept coming against Bowling Green (3-2). On the seventh play of the second half, Ryan hit Justin Jarvis along the right sideline and the wide receiver sprinted for a 71-yard touchdown.
Ryan finished 24-for-32 for 312 yards before Chris Crane took over on BC's first series of the fourth quarter. For the season, Ryan has thrown for 15 touchdowns and five interceptions.
He threw two scoring passes in the first half, covering 51 and 14 yards to Callender, that gave BC a 14-3 lead. Ryan's final touchdown pass with 3:25 left in the third quarter covered 14 yards to Brandon Robinson as BC went ahead 52-10.
Anthony Glaud replaced Sheehan and threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Barnes early in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles began the 1942 season with eight straight wins and finished at 8-2. They've gone unbeaten three times, the last in 1940 when they went 11-0 and won the Sugar Bowl.
In 1984, they were ranked as high as fifth when Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie led them to a 10-2 record and a Cotton Bowl win.
Now, under first-year coach Jeff Jagodzinski and his wide-open offense, the Eagles have won their last three games at home. They start the second half of their season at Notre Dame next Saturday before returning to Atlantic Coast Conference play at Virginia Tech on Nov. 25.
Both teams came out throwing.
Sheehan completed 7-of-10 passes on the Falcons' opening drive, but they settled for a 40-yard field goal by Sinisa Vrvilo for their only lead. Sheehan went 27-for-43 for 275 yards with one touchdown and five interceptions.
