2007 ACC Championship Game
The Eagles' offense dominated the first half of the game statistically, but failed to add to its early lead until the second quarter, when a field goal made it 10–0.
[4] With the addition of Boston College, the ACC consisted of 12 teams, allowing it to hold a conference championship game under NCAA rules.
[8] In October, Florida State lost back-to-back ACC conference games to Wake Forest and Miami, eliminating them from contention for their division title.
[13] As time ran down, however, Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan orchestrated two late-game touchdown drives, scoring 14 points in the final 2 minutes to win 14–10.
[23] Attendance for the 2006 game was low due to high travel costs stemming from Jacksonville's distance from the participating schools, and the 2007 participants—Boston College and Virginia Tech—faced the same problem.
Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in the week leading up to the game.
[28] In the first half of the 2007 season, Ryan had been prominently mentioned in candidate lists for the Heisman Trophy, college football's highest individual award.
[31] Virginia Tech's offense was led by an unusual two-quarterback system, as junior Sean Glennon shared time with freshman Tyrod Taylor.
[32] While Glennon proved to be a better pocket passer, Taylor's quickness enabled him to scramble out of trouble and gain positive yardage even when no open receivers were available for passes.
[36] The Boston College ground offense was led by running back Andre Callender, who had perhaps his biggest game of the year during the division-clinching match against Clemson two weeks earlier.
Jo-Lonn Dunbar, who had been named to the preseason watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (awarded to the top defensive player in the country) was expected to fill the gaps and stop both rushing and passing elements of Virginia Tech's offense.
[43] In addition, safety Jamie Silva would have to play a strong game to support the Boston College cornerback replacing the injured Tribble.
Two successful passes and two short runs resulted in two first downs and Virginia Tech advanced the ball across the 50-yard line and into Boston College territory.
[53] Virginia Tech's first offensive drive of the second quarter began on an auspicious note as quarterback Sean Glennon completed a 16-yard pass to wide receiver Josh Morgan.
[53] Tech quarterback Sean Glennon's first pass of the new possession, long throw downfield, was intercepted by Boston College defender Jamie Silva.
Running back Branden Ore ran 11 yards for a first down, and two long passes from Sean Glennon to wide receiver Eddie Royal put the Hokies into scoring position.
After failing to gain first downs with short runs, Virginia Tech was forced to use its timeouts to stop the clock and the first half from ending before they had a chance to score.
On a 3rd-and-7 from the Boston College 13-yard line, Glennon finally connected with wide receiver Josh Hyman, who crossed into the end zone for a touchdown.
On its second possession, Virginia Tech had a three-and-out drive, thanks in part to an 11-yard sack of Sean Glennon by Boston College's Kevin Atkins.
The drive began with a five-yard penalty against Boston College and culminated two plays later in a six-yard loss on a sack of Matt Ryan by Hokie defender Barry Booker.
[55] Despite starting almost at midfield, the offensive drive that began at the end of the third quarter failed to reach field goal range, and the Hokies were forced to punt.
A false-start penalty set the Hokie offense back, but on the next play, quarterback Sean Glennon connected with wide receiver Eddie Royal on a 24-yard strike for a touchdown.
Although the odds of completing one such pass, let alone several, were very low, many Virginia Tech fans remained worried, as Boston College had previously beaten the Hokies in similar circumstances earlier in the season.
[51][57] Glennon's three passing touchdowns tied an ACC Championship Game record set by former Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick in 2005.
Capping Tech's ground game were complementary performances by Kenny Lewis and Sean Glennon, each of whom earned fewer than 10 yards, but picked up first downs on two plays.
Royal's 2 catches drove the Hokies deep into Boston College territory, setting up a 13-yard touchdown pass to Josh Hyman that tied the game at halftime.
Hall also recorded an interception in the late stages of the fourth quarter that allowed Virginia Tech to run down the clock and force Boston College into a hasty offense.
[59] Ryan was extremely accurate through the air in the fourth quarter, throwing eight straight complete passes, an ACC Championship Game record.
but after his second kick was blocked, Boston College head coach Jeff Jagodzinski seemed reluctant to try long field goals and instead sent in the offense to attempt to convert the fourth down.
[68] In making their decision, Chick-fil-A Bowl representatives cited Boston College's poor attendance at the ACC Championship Game in Jacksonville.
