Virginia Tech Stays Unbeaten

Virginia Tech stayed unbeaten by doing what it does best--run the ball and force turnovers--in opening Big East Conference play with a 28-23 victory over Boston College on Thursday night at Boston.

Lee Suggs and Kevin Jones each rushed for more than 140 yards as the No. 4 Hokies improved to 6-0.

“Basically, it was run it and pound it,” Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer said. “For the overall goals of this football team, we need to throw it better.”

That hasn’t been necessary so far as Virginia Tech has averaged 240 yards rushing and the defense has produced 20 turnovers. The offense has committed only five.

The Hokies, second in the nation in turnover differential, needed three turnovers in or near the end zone to stop Boston College drives and win their seventh game in a row against the Eagles (3-2, 0-2). Virginia Tech had three interceptions against Brian St. Pierre and one fumble recovery.

“All in all, that’s a good night against that defense,” Boston College Coach Tom O’Brien said of St. Pierre, who threw for 232 yards and was sacked once.

The Hokies have one game left against a ranked team, No. 1 Miami in the regular-season finale.

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Terry Jackson II and Thomas Tapeh combined for 415 yards rushing and Benji Kamrath threw for 101 yards as Minnesota held off a Northwestern rally for a 45-42 Big Ten Conference victory at Minneapolis.

Jackson ran for 239 yards in 37 carries and two touchdowns to help the Gophers (6-1, 2-1) race to a 24-point lead in the third quarter. But Northwestern (2-5, 0-2) scored 21 points in the fourth quarter before Minnesota was able to run out the clock.

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Former Colorado quarterback Craig Ochs will play for Division I-AA Montana next season, according to Grizzlies Coach Joe Glenn.

“All I can say is he is verbally committed to the University of Montana and will enroll in classes starting in January,” Glenn said.

Ochs, who had considered a transfer to Washington, will apply for a medical redshirt. He played two games for the Buffaloes before suffering a season-ending concussion. If the redshirt is granted, Ochs would have two years of eligibility remaining.

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Louisville tight end Ronnie Ghent will miss the rest of the season after injuring two ligaments in his right knee during Tuesday’s victory at Memphis.... Wide receiver-outfielder Roscoe Crosby said he would withdraw from classes at Clemson for this semester and go to the Kansas City Royals complex in Arizona to rehab his surgically repaired right elbow. Crosby should recover completely by spring and be ready for professional baseball next summer and college football next fall.

Ohio State cornerback Richard McNutt, the subject of a tongue-in-cheek Heisman trophy campaign, is expected to miss the rest of the season because of a degenerative condition in his right ankle. Freshman E.J. Underwood will start in McNutt’s place against San Jose State.... Oregon officials say Onterrio Smith will replace receiver Keenan Howry on the school’s 172-foot billboard in Times Square next week. Oregon had planned to change the billboard midway through the season and Smith’s play has earned him the promotional spot.