Costa Takes Over, Leads Miami, 23-7 : Big East: Quarterback passes for 205 yards as No. 4 Hurricanes roll past No. 20 Boston College.

Frank Costa, successor to Heisman Trophy winner Gino Torretta as Miami’s quarterback, passed for 205 yards as the fourth-ranked Hurricanes scored a 23-7 Big East Conference victory over 20th-ranked Boston College on Saturday.

Miami, which lost the national championship and an unbeaten season with a Sugar Bowl loss to Alabama last season, had three interceptions, four sacks and repeatedly pressured quarterback Glenn Foley.

“We had something to prove,” said cornerback Dexter Seigler, who had two interceptions. “Everybody’s been doubting our team, doubting our defense, talking about what’s going to happen since we lost this person, that person.

“We’ve been talking all week about (how) we just have to go out and play Hurricane football.”

Costa completed 15 of 31 passes. The last three Miami quarterbacks--Steve Walsh, Craig Erickson and Torretta--each took Miami to a national title in his first year as a starter.

“It’s my first game,” Costa said. “There’s doubts. People said, ‘How do you replace a Heisman Trophy winner? How do you fit in the line of Miami quarterbacks?’

“I feel a tremendous burden lifted from my shoulders.”

Miami took a 14-0 lead on Donnell Bennett’s eight-yard run with 3:36 gone in the second quarter.

Dane Prewitt’s 40-yard field goal gave the Hurricanes a 17-0 halftime lead. He added field goals of 42 and 47 yards in the third quarter, matching his total last season of three field goals from 40 yards or more.

The Hurricanes won their 28th consecutive regular-season game and showed no signs of their offensive inexperience--two starters returned from last season--on their first possession.

They scored on their fifth play on Bennett’s 12-yard run, ending a 51-yard drive that lasted only 2:09.

“We were flawless on the first drive,” Costa said. “We didn’t think we were going to score so easily against them.”

Boston College was 8-3-1 last season but lost three of its last four games to Notre Dame, Syracuse and Tennessee. Miami is 4-1 in its last five openers, all on the road.