West Virginia Ties Boston College, 24-24 : East: The Mountaineers block a field-goal attempt with 19 seconds left to avoid losing to No. 22 Eagles.

Boston College had hoped that sophomore David Gordon would revitalize its struggling kicking game.

Instead, Gordon ended his first college start inauspiciously by having a 43-yard field-goal attempt blocked with 19 seconds left, and No. 22 Boston College settled for a 24-24 tie with West Virginia on Saturday.

Gordon replaced Sean Wright, who made only one of four field-goal attempts in the first four games for Boston College.

Gordon made a 24-yard field goal in Saturday’s game before attempting to win it.

David Mayfield and a group of Mountaineer teammates rushed through the middle, and Mayfield smothered the low kick.

“I was already in my motion and they were in,” Gordon said. “The front five surged and got good penetration.

“I still have to get the ball up, though. I think the ball hit a shoulder pad, actually. They were right on top of me.

“But we were right in the middle of the field and I should have been able to get it.”

It was the first time Boston College (4-0-1) has needed last-minute heroics. The Eagles had shut out three consecutive opponents before the Mountaineers ended that string early in the game.

“The trajectory on the ball into the wind wasn’t good and the push up front got the ball blocked,” Boston College Coach Tom Coughlin said.

“It’s discouraging--there’s no satisfaction. There’s no words for a tie.”

It is the first time since 1966 that West Virginia (3-0-2) has had two ties in a season.

“I don’t know if a tie’s good or bad, but we’re still undefeated,” West Virginia Coach Don Nehlen said.

The game featured excellent performances from West Virginia running back Adrian Murrell, who gained 150 yards in 16 carries, and Boston College’s Chuckie Dukes, who gained 140 in 28.

“Murrell’s a heck of a football player,” Coughlin said. “He’s a force up in the line of scrimmage.”

Glenn Foley added 252 passing yards for Boston College, completing 20 of 31 passes to become the No. 2 passer in school history.

Foley has 5,320 passing yards, second to Doug Flutie’s 10,579. Foley moved past Shawn Halloran, who had 5,252 yards.

Dukes’ hard running set up the late field-goal attempt by Gordon.

Dukes had 36 yards during Boston College’s final drive, which started at the Eagles’ 20 with 4:01 left.

Boston College, which entered the game ranked fourth nationally in total defense, started with a dominating offensive display.

But Boston College finished the first quarter ahead only 3-0 despite holding the ball for 13:01.

West Virginia ended the Eagles’ shutout string at 203 minutes on a one-yard run by fullback Rodney Woodard early in the second quarter.

Woodard set up the score by running 47 yards on the previous play.

Murrell made it 14-3 with a 16-yard touchdown with 4:01 left in the half.

But Boston College scored with 36 seconds left in the half on an 18-yard pass from Foley to Clarence Cannon, who caught the ball as he was falling backward in the end zone to cut it to 14-10.

The Eagles took a 24-17 lead with 2:23 left in the third quarter on a seven-yard run by Dwight Shirley.

Murrell ran 34 yards down the sideline with 7:33 left to tie it again.

West Virginia gained 355 yards against the Eagles, who had been holding opponents to 216 a game.

Boston College had 479 yards. Tight end Pete Mitchell had eight catches for 91 yards.

Boston College has defeated Rutgers, Northwestern, Navy and Michigan State.

West Virginia tied Miami (Ohio) and has beaten Pittsburgh, Maryland and Virginia Tech.