ACC defenses rejoiced in April when the Atlanta Falcons selected Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan with the third pick of the 2008 NFL draft. But on Saturday, senior Chris Crane showed there is still talent left at the quarterback position in Boston.
Crane accounted for all five of his team’s touchdowns in the 38-31 Eagles victory. He finished the game 34-51 for 428 yards passing and two touchdowns in addition to rushing for 42 yards and three touchdowns. Coach Tom O’Brien, who left Boston College for the Wolfpack following the 2006 season, said Crane was the key to the Eagles’ success.
“We knew [Chris Crane] had that kind of ability,” O’Brien said. “He came out on fire and was picture perfect.”
Boston College opened the game with 21 points in the first quarter, maintaining possession of the ball for 10:35 in that time period. Only excellent special team’s play kept the Wolfpack alive in the early parts of the game.
“Our special teams did a great job,” redshirt freshman quarterback Russell Wilson said. “They put us in good field position.”
After Boston College’s first touchdown, freshman T.J. Graham handed the kickoff return to senior J.C. Neal for a 36-yard return to State’s 39-yard-line. The return set up the Pack’s first touchdown drive capped by a 10-yard Russell Wilson run for the score.
Graham took the next kickoff 60 yards to the Boston College 40-yard line. And after the next Eagle’s touchdown, which put the Wolfpack down 21-7, Graham electrified the crowd with a 100-yard return for a touchdown-the longest in State’s history.
“I don’t really play for stats,” Graham said. “I play to win. If it takes 102 or 110 to get that, I would do it.”
In the second quarter, Wilson led the Pack down the field for a 16-play, 67 yard drive lasting for almost nine minutes. It was one of the few respites for the defense, which was on the field for more than 35 minutes in the game. O’Brien said the defense, which only forced two Boston College punts in addition to two forced fumbles, did a poor job getting off the field
“You make a play and you get off the field,” O’Brien said. “Our defense couldn’t get off the field. [Crane] got in a rhythm. We got to him a little with the two fumbles, but we weren’t able to follow through and score.”
A Boston College field goal put the Pack down by two possessions shortly into the fourth quarter. But on the next play from scrimmage, Russell Wilson threw a 61 yard strike to sophomore Owen Spencer for a touchdown, narrowing the score to 31-24.
Later in the quarter, Wilson finished a 63-yard drive, highlighted by a spectacular catch from freshman George Bryan, with a two-yard run to tie the game at 31-31. Wilson would finish the game going 19 for 33 passing for 218 yards and one touchdown.
State’s offensive line was beaten in the trenches as Wilson was forced to scramble on most plays and was sacked five times.
“We knew going into the game they were really good off the defensive line,” Wilson said. “We just had to keep making plays.”
With 3:24 left on the clock, Crane marched the Eagles down the field for 70 yards, scoring a touchdown with just 18 seconds left on the clock. The Wolfpack couldn’t even the score with two incomplete hail-mary passes from Wilson as Boston College secured the victory.
Redshirt senior defensive end Keith Willis, Jr. said he was disappointed with the lack of pressure the Wolfpack put on Crane throughout the game.
“It was real frustrating,” Willis said. “What we work on is getting contain and getting pressure on the quarterback. For that to happen was really frustrating.”
