No. 18 BC gets by No. 15 Clemson for ACC title game spot

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) -- Matt Ryan pulled out another game for Boston College and put the Eagles in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. Ryan threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Rich Gunnell with 1:46 to go, lifting the Eagles to a 20-17 victory over No. 15 Clemson on Saturday night.

The Tigers (8-3, 5-3) had taken a 17-13 lead on Cullen Harper's 4-yard touchdown run with 5:28 remaining. But as Virginia Tech found out last month when Ryan tossed two touchdowns in the final 2:11 to beat the Hokies 14-10, the Eagles (9-2, 5-2) can't be counted out as long as their senior quarterback has a chance.

On BC's winning drive, Ryan completed a 12-yard pass to Clarence Megwa on third-and-8. Then, facing third-and-7, Ryan lofted a perfect pass to Gunnell, who had slipped behind Clemson's defense and easily walked in for the go-ahead score.

Clemson got one final chance and threw a couple of Ryan-like scares into the Eagles. First, Harper threw a long pass that hit Aaron Kelly in the hands before falling away a yard from the end zone.

The Tigers tried a 54-yard field goal by Mark Buchholz that fell well short as time ran out.

Boston College players bounced onto the field, leaping and hugging. The crowd at sold-out Memorial Stadium was silent, stunned that Clemson's title drought would grow to 16 years.

Boston College closes its ACC season next week against Miami, then will face Virginia or Virginia Tech in Jacksonville, Fla., for the ACC crown and the league's spot in the Bowl Championship Series.

Source: ncaafootball.com; Photo Credit: Collegiate Images