Boston College Stops Virginia Tech, 34-27

Boston College’s Grant Adams and Paul Peterson finally got the opening they needed against Virginia Tech.

Peterson found Adams against one-on-one coverage with 4:40 to play to give Boston College a 34-27 victory Saturday at Blacksburg, Va., ruining the No. 12 Hokies’ Big East farewell party.

“It was bound to happen sooner or later,” said Adams, who had two touchdown catches. “They kept bringing their safeties down, blitzing, bringing the house. When people bring the house against anybody, that’s when the big plays happen.”

The Eagles (7-5, 3-4 Big East) boosted their bowl stock considerably, showing off a star running back in Derrick Knight, an emerging quarterback and a punishing defense.

“It’s something we haven’t done since I’ve been here,” Knight said of winning at Lane Stadium, where the Hokies had been 6-0 this season. “Our last regular-season game, to get the ‘W,’ that was one of our goals.”

Knight ran for 197 yards in 38 carries.

Virginia Tech (8-3, 4-3), which moves to the Atlantic Coast Conference next season, might have squandered its chance at a Gator Bowl bid.

No. 13 Miami 34, Rutgers 10 -- Brock Berlin bounced back from his benching with two touchdown passes in a 28-point third quarter and the Hurricanes used a strong defensive effort to win at Miami.

The Hurricanes (9-2, 5-1) are one victory away from a fourth consecutive Big East title and a berth in a bowl championship series game. Rutgers fell to 4-7, 1-5.

No. 21 Pittsburgh 30, Temple 16 -- Brandon Miree ran for a career-high 188 yards and two touchdowns in his first game since September to lead the Panthers at Philadelphia.

“I’ve dreamt about this for a long time,” Miree, who sustained a stress fracture in his right leg at Toledo on Sept. 20. “It’s been a struggle physically, emotionally and spiritually.”

The victory kept the Panthers (8-3, 5-1) in contention to win at least a share of the Big East title. Pittsburgh plays Miami on Saturday in a game that could decide the Big East’s bowl championship series representative.

Temple is 1-10, 0-6.

No. 25 West Virginia 34, Syracuse 23 -- Chris Henry caught touchdown passes of 24 and 67 yards in the fourth quarter at Syracuse, N.Y., as the Mountaineers won their sixth in a row.

It was the first victory in the Carrier Dome in a decade for West Virginia (7-4, 5-1), which remained tied for the conference lead. Syracuse (5-5, 2-4) needs a victory to qualify for the postseason with two games left.