Still can’t spell BCS without B.C.

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- With just over four minutes left Thursday night in No. 8 Virginia Tech’s game against No. 2 Boston College, and Tech leading by 10, the familiar opening guitar riffs of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” blared over the Lane Stadium sound system.

Soon enough, the party was over. Eagles quarterback Matt Ryan and Co. had ruined it all.

B.C. overcame the late deficit and scored two touchdowns in the final 2 minutes 11 seconds to steal a 14-10 victory. After going more than 3 1/2 quarters without being able to move the ball when it needed to, B.C. (8-0 overall, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) came to life in the nick of time.

Ryan, who strengthened his Heisman Trophy candidacy on the Eagles’ last two drives, capped a seven-play, 66-yard drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass to running back Andre Callender with 11 seconds left to give B.C. a 14-10 lead. The touchdown pass came on third and 20 and finished off a drive that started with 2:07 left.

“Well, you know there’s still time left on the clock,” Ryan said. “You know you still have a shot and you still got a chance. We’ve been in this situation so many times through the course of the year in practice and we’ve prepared ourselves really well.”

“This is a tough one to handle,” said Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer, whose team is 6-2, and 3-1 in the ACC. “I thought we gave a great effort. We just didn’t get it done at the end.”

Ryan completed nine of 15 passes for 157 yards on B.C.’s final two drives. He was 25 for 52 for 285 yards in the game, with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Tech entered the game No. 8 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, but will tumble after the loss. B.C. came in No. 2 in the BCS, and avoided becoming the fourth No. 2 team to lose in the last four weeks.

The Eagles’ final drive came on the heels of another incredible scoring drive and a recovered onside kick. Trailing, 10-0, with 4:16 left, B.C. took over at its own eight-yard line. It appeared nothing could save the Eagles from their first loss and probable elimination from the BCS national championship picture.

Except Ryan’s right arm. Ryan quickly moved B.C. up the field, covering 92 yards in nine plays. He capped off the drive, which burned 2:05 off the clock, with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Rich Gunnell on third and 10.

B.C. lined up for an onside kick after the touchdown. The kick bounced off Tech’s Josh Morgan, and the Eagles’ Tyronne Pruitt recovered it at the Eagles’ 34 to set up the decisive drive.

“We backed our linebackers up” on B.C.’s last two drives, Beamer said. “They just made some good throws and some good catches. We tried a four-man rush, and even had a three-man rush there at times. [Ryan] did a good job running around.”

Said Boston College Coach Jeff Jagodzinski: “There wasn’t one bit of panic -- nothing -- with those kids, especially [Ryan].”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.