Irish dominate possession battle, but fail to capitalize on scoring opportunities
By KATIE McVOY
Associate Sports Editor
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass.
The Irish thought it was over. Then they had one more chance to bring home the win. After that, it really was over.
In their 21-17 loss to Boston College, it wasn't opportunity that the Irish lacked. They just couldn't capitalize.
In the course of the game, the Irish had four missed scoring opportunities. Three of those opportunities — opportunities that ended in a fumble, a failed fourth down conversion attempt and a sack — came in the final 15 minutes of the game and sent the Irish home 3-4.
"We gave ourselves a chance to win at the end of the game," Irish head coach Bob Davie said. "Then at the end we kind of couldn't get it done. We couldn't get it done."
Facing a fourth-and-two situation from the Boston College 17-yard line with 3:13 left in the game, Notre Dame quarterback Carlyle Holiday threw an incomplete pass to tight end Gary Godsey in the end zone and the Irish turned the ball over on downs.
"Hindsight is 20/20, I should have asked Bob for a timeout, regrouped, and got a better call in," said Irish offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers. "We should have kicked a field goal and won the game — shoulda, coulda, woulda."
Boston College took possession with just over three minutes left and it looked like it was over for the Irish.
But it wasn't.
With a little over two minutes remaining in the game, Eagle tailback William Green, who dominated play with 272 total offensive yards, was hit by Irish linebacker Tyreo Harrison and fumbled the ball on the Boston College 43. Harrison recovered the fumble and returned the ball to the 35—yard line, giving the Irish one final scoring opportunity.
But once again, they couldn't capitalize. After Holiday, who rushed for 109 yards on 22 carries, left the game with a bruised right knee sustained on the first play of the drive, backup Matt LoVecchio stepped in at quarterback.
The Irish converted once on fourth down when LoVecchio completed a pass to wide receiver Arnaz Battle. But two short gains and an incomplete pass later, it was fourth down again and the Irish needed a touchdown. As LoVecchio rolled out to pass, Boston College's Sean Guthrie sacked LoVecchio for a loss of nine yards and Notre Dame's fate was sealed.
"Once [the fumble] happens you think you have the chance to win, God gave you the opportunity, and you think hey, you're gonna take it this far as its gonna be if its meant to be," Harrison said. "I guess it just wasn't meant to be."
The Irish just couldn't capitalize despite dominating the time of possession battle. Notre Dame controlled the ball for 40:15, compared to only 19:45 for Boston College and recorded 23 first downs; the Eagles only had 14. But time of possession didn't write the story. Capitalizing on opportunities did. Notre Dame didn't capitalize, Boston College did.
"We didn't win and that's the whole focus. We just want to go out there and play well enough just to win," Irons said. "And the opportunities, some of them we didn't capitalize on and Boston College did and all credit goes to them. They did a good job capitalizing."
Green made the opportunities for the Eagles. The junior running back scored two of the Eagles' three touchdowns and became the first player in Boston College history to rush for 1,000 yards or more in two seasons.
"He's a difference maker," said Boston College head coach Tom O'Brien. "He told me tonight that he was going to have the best game of his life, and I said, 'Calm down a little bit.'"
Green grabbed the Eagles' first touchdown with 1:47 left in the first quarter on a 71—yard run and tied the score at 14 with a 70—yard touchdown reception from quarterback Brian St. Pierre early in the third quarter.
"You can't give a guy 70-yard runs and 70-yard passes and expect to shut the guy down," said Irish defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. "You got to give him credit, he's a great back. He's fast and he's explosive. He did a great job."
Both Irish touchdowns came off of interceptions. After Irish defensive end Grant Irons recorded his first career interception, Holiday completed a 21—yard pass to tailback Julius Jones in the end zone for his first career touchdown pass.
A Vontez Duff interception allowed tight end John Owens to catch Holiday's 6—yard pass with less than a minute remaining in the first half to give the Irish a 14—7 lead.
Kicker Nicholas Setta made a 42—yard field goal in the third quarter to put the Irish on top 17—14.
The Eagles got their final touchdown on their first possession of the fourth quarter on 20—yard pass from St. Pierre, who finished the game 7—of—16 passing for 155 yards, to wide—receiver Jamal Burke.
On their first possession of the game, the Irish drove down the field to the 22—yard line, but Setta missed the 32—yard field goal attempt — the first field goal he has missed all season.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, October 30, 2001
