Virginia Rides Defense to Comeback Win Over Boston College

© Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The Virginia Cavaliers (4-1, 2-0) defended their home turf in a physical 24-14 win over the Boston College Eagles (4-2, 1-1) on Oct. 5. in Charlottesville, Va.

The Cavalier defensive line was key to a Virginia victory, holding Boston College to 65 yards on the ground and just 2.2 yards per rush. Three pivotal turnovers, including a scoop-and-score, ultimately helped Virginia secure the comeback victory. Virginia is now 2-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play for the first time since their run to the ACC title game in 2019.

Game Summary

Boston College imposed their will on the game flow at the beginning. The Eagles countered three-and-outs from the defense with long, methodical drives from the offense. As a result, the Cavaliers offense had no chance to find any rhythm on offense early and the Eagles dominated time of possession, which led Boston College to take an early 14-0 lead when quarterback Thomas Castellanos found tight end Kamari Morales for a 29-yard touchdown pass at the start of the second quarter.

The Cavaliers finally established some positive momentum on offense before halftime, aided by sloppy penalties from the Boston College defense. Virginia scored two field goals before the end of the second quarter to pull within one score, 14-6.

The Cavaliers looked like a new team coming out of halftime. After a quick stop by the defense, quarterback Anthony Colandrea led a 15-play, 81-yard drive down the field that took nearly 8 minutes off the clock. The Cavaliers faltered in the red zone, however, and the Eagles' defense came away with a stop on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line. Virginia managed to drive down again and put a field goal on the board to pull within 5 points on the next possession.

Boston College was reeling on both sides of the ball. The Eagles began a promising drive at the start of the fourth quarter, but an untimely interception from Castellanos gave the Cavaliers the ball with prime field position. Colandrea found star wide receiver Malachi Fields in the endzone for a 30-yard touchdown to give the Cavaliers their first lead of the day.

The Eagles began another promising drive, but the Virginia defense came up with the highlight of the day. Linebacker Kam Robinson forced a fumble on Castellanos, and safety Jonas Sanker returned the ball 40 yards for a scoop-and-score touchdown. After going down 14-0 early, the Cavaliers were finally in control and never let up for a 24-14 victory.

Turning Point for Virginia

The Cavaliers were finally beginning to establish some momentum on offense but continued to settle for field goals. Trailing 14-9 in the fourth quarter, the defense stepped up in a big way. Castellanos led a promising drive for the Eagles' offense, and Boston College was near midfield looking to score to pull the game away. Castellanos threw the ball to an open receiver, but the ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by defensive end Chico Bennett Jr.

The pivotal turnover was the boost the Virginia offense needed, as Colandrea led a 2-play, 50-yard drive to take the Cavaliers' first lead of the game.

What It Means

Virginia's physical comeback win continues to build on head coach Tony Elliott's growing momentum in his third year at the helm. In 2023, the Cavaliers were known for failing to win close games, going 2-5 in one-score affairs. So far in 2024, Virginia has managed to write a different story, making clutch plays on both sides of the ball to win in tight situations. While the offense has led the Cavaliers' resurgence for much of the season, Elliott has to be encouraged that his defense stepped up to lead Virginia to victory in this one. The Cavaliers will be full of confidence as they welcome the No. 22 Louisville Cardinals (3-2, 1-1) to Charlottesville next week.

© Peter Casey-Imagn Images

For Boston College, the frustrating loss halts their promising start to the season. Castellanos and the offense looked energized and clinical to start the game, but three second-half turnovers ended their chances of pulling off the road win. The most concerning part of the game for the Eagles had to be the rushing attack. The usually explosive backfield managed just 65 yards rushing and 2.2 yards per carry. The Eagles hope to rebound when they travel to Blacksburg, Va. next week to face the Virginia Tech Hokies (2-3, 0-1).