STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State hired Boston College athletic director Patrick Kraft to be its next AD on Friday.
Kraft, 43, will take over for the retiring Sandy Barbour on July 1 after the Penn State Board of Trustees approved an agreement that had been in the works for several days.
A look at Atlantic Coast Conference players this spring who are poised to have standout seasons this fall:
ATLANTIC DIVISION
BOSTON COLLEGE: TE George Takacs is a transfer from Notre Dame who started five games last season, serving largely as a blocker.
The Atlantic Coast Conference changed significantly last season with Pitt winning the league title, Wake Forest taking the Atlantic Division and conference powerhouse Clemson largely out of the mix by mid-October.
BOSTON (AP) — The Fenway Bowl and Military Bowl were both canceled due to the pandemic on Sunday as coronavirus outbreaks at Virginia and Boston College forced them to call off their postseason plans.
BOSTON (AP) — Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec said on Monday that he will return for his senior season rather than enter the NFL draft.
“I will be returning to Chestnut Hill in 2022 to complete my economics degree, improve all facets of my game, and compete nationally," he said in a statement issued by the school.
BOSTON (AP) — Boston College coach Jeff Hafley has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in Chestnut Hill through 2026.
The Eagles (6-6, 2-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) qualified for a bowl game for the second straight year despite finishing the regular season with back-to-back losses, including a 41-10 loss to No.
BOSTON (AP) — Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson had no complaints about sharing the screen on his postgame video call.
“Say hello to our new friend,” he said, holding up the ACC’s Atlantic Division trophy after the No.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — There’s no more need for Wake Forest to wonder about the possible championship scenarios.
And no more safety net.
Win, and the Demon Deacons will play in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game against Pittsburgh.
BOSTON (AP) — Florida State’s extra work this week figuring out how to pressure Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec paid off right to the end.
Now, the Seminoles have a shot to keep their own season going a little extra, too.
BOSTON (AP) — Jordan Travis threw for three touchdowns and 251 yards and Florida State stopped Boston College in their own territory in the final two minutes for a 26-23 victory on Saturday.
A week after rallying from an eight-point deficit in the final five minutes for a victory over rival Miami, the Seminoles (5-6, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) rolled to a 23-point lead before holding on to move a victory away from becoming bowl eligible.
BOSTON (AP) — There’s no excuse anymore for being surprised by Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec.
The Notre Dame transfer made a last-minute return from a wrist injury to help the Eagles beat Virginia Tech on Nov.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Brian Kelly doesn’t know what the postseason holds for No. 6 Notre Dame. But he feels visiting Georgia Tech’s postseason begins this Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium.
“You’re getting a really, really dangerous football team, one that has finished (its) schedule in the ACC and now plays Notre Dame and Georgia in back-to-back weeks,” Kelly said.
ATLANTA (AP) — Phil Jurkovec appears to have found more speed when he missed six games for Boston College with a wrist injury.
Jurkovec accounted for five touchdowns — running for three and passing for two — and the Eagles beat Georgia Tech 41-30 on Saturday to become bowl-eligible.
ATLANTA (AP) — Phil Jurkovec's return from a wrist injury he initially feared might end his season has Boston College on the verge of bowl eligibility.
The Eagles (5-4, 1-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) ended their four-game losing streak as Jurkovec returned at quarterback for last week's 17-3 win over Virginia Tech.
BOSTON (AP) — Phil Jurkovec didn’t take long to get a big hit in his surprising return to Boston College’s starting lineup.
After that, coach Jeff Hafley knew his QB would be fine.
Jurkovec ran for a touchdown in his return, and the Eagles halted a four-game losing streak with a 17-3 victory over Virginia Tech on Friday night in their annual red bandana game.
BOSTON (AP) — Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec started Friday night’s game against Virginia Tech, a surprising move that wasn’t hinted at all in the past few weeks when the Eagles shuffled QBs and searched for solid play at the position.
BOSTON (AP) — Boston College coach Jeff Hafley has picked a winner in his quarterback competition. He's just not saying who it is.
After shuffling Dennis Grosel and Emmett Morehead in and out during last week's 21-6 loss at Syracuse, Hafley said “I'd like it to be one guy” against Virginia Tech (4-4, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) on Friday night.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — It was a slog for the Syracuse offense in the first half. Four false starts. Zero points. Just six first downs and 118 yards.
Then Sean Tucker, the nation's leading rusher, broke one up the middle for a 51-yard score midway through the third quarter Saturday and Syracuse (5-4, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) was on the way to a 21-6 win over longtime rival Boston College (4-4, 0-4 ACC).
Syracuse has been living on the edge for most of the season and, in retrospect, that's been good for the team's psyche.
“We know that we’re able to play with and compete against everybody,” senior defensive lineman Cody Roscoe said.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Malik Cunningham rushed for three touchdowns, including a 14-yard clinching run with 2:53 remaining to cap a milestone performance, and Louisville overcame four turnovers to beat Boston College 28-14 on Saturday and snap a two-game losing streak.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville emerges from its bye ready to break a two-game losing streak.
The Cardinals’ challenge against Boston College is making sure the Eagles don’t break through their defense in the clutch as others have in recent weeks.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Aidan O’Connell threw for 375 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, David Bell had a career-best 240 yards receiving and Purdue continued its recent mastery over No. 2 Iowa with a 24-7 victory Saturday.
BOSTON (AP) — Thayer Thomas knew the pass wasn't intended for him. Then he realized he had a chance to catch it.
“On that play I’m not even a viable option," Thomas said after his leaping catch from Devin Leary on a broken play led to a 79-yard touchdown that helped No.
BOSTON (AP) — Boston College coach Jeff Hafley was too busy to watch the Boston Marathon when the race ran past the Chestnut Hill campus Monday. He is hoping to make up for the lack of excitement when the Eagles play No.
No. 22 North Carolina State (4-1, 1-0 ACC) at Boston College (4-1, 0-1), Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EDT (ACC Network).
Line: N.C. State by 2 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson is struggling to score points, is no longer a contender for the national title and has fallen out of the Top 25.
It marks an end to the Tigers’ domination of opponents, being part of the national picture and in the rankings for almost seven years.
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson defensive end K.J. Henry wasn't too worried as Boston College moved downfield in the final minute.
“The defense, we're some fighters,” Henry said. “We're excited about attacking every chance we get.”
Boston College (4-0, 0-0 ACC) at No. 25 Clemson (2-2, 1-1), Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EDT (ACC Network).
Line: Clemson by 14 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
No. 25 Clemson is desperately looking for answers after its disappointing start to the season. Rising Boston College won't be an easy solution to the Tigers' problems.
The Tigers (2-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) have lost twice in September for the first time since 2014.
BOSTON (AP) — Denis Grosel threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Zay Flowers in overtime, and Brandon Sebastian’s interception sealed the victory on Saturday as Boston College recovered after blowing two fourth-quarter leads to beat Missouri 41-34.
BOSTON (AP) — ACC vs. SEC.
It’s a juicy interconference matchup when Boston College (3-0) hosts Missouri (2-1) on Saturday at Alumni Stadium.
BC, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, will be hosting the first Southeastern Conference school since 1987.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jeff Hafley spent the bulk of a midweek Boston College practice coaching the defense. The second-year head coach got enough of a peek of Dennis Grosel on the way out to see the new QB’s throws were on the money.
Here are things to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference in Week 3:
GAME OF THE WEEK
Virginia visits No. 21 North Carolina on Saturday night in a critical matchup for the Coastal Division race.
BOSTON (AP) — Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec underwent surgery for a hand injury that knocked him out of this weekend’s game against UMass and “could potentially miss the remainder of the year,” the school said Monday.
AMHERST, Mass. (AP) — Dennis Grosel replaced injured starter Phil Jurkovec in the first half and passed for 199 yards, ran for a touchdown and passed for another and Boston College beat UMass 45-28 on Saturday.
BOSTON (AP) — Jeff Hafley was forced to keep his offense bland in his first season at Boston College, when the pandemic limited his ability to expand the playbook for transfer quarterback Phil Jurkovec.
BOSTON (AP) — So far, Boston College has navigated COVID-19 as well as any football team in the country. As the Eagles head into the second season of the pandemic, they promise not to relax.
“Whatever we have to do to play, we’re going to do,” center Alex Lindstrom said at the team’s media day Monday.
BOSTON (AP) — After spending his first year at Boston College coaching in a pandemic, Jeff Hafley isn’t looking for things to get back to normal.
Normal for the Eagles — at least under predecessor Steve Addazio — has meant seven wins and a .500 record (at best) in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Devin Leary can only imagine what it's like being a high school recruit in the era of college athletes finally being able to profit from their fame. North Carolina State’s fourth-year quarterback figures there will be plenty of questions about how to cash in.
BOSTON (AP) — Boston College, which managed to escape the worst of the coronavirus outbreak and the schedule and roster shuffling that has affected so many other college football teams, is passing on the opportunity to play in a bowl so players can spend Christmas with their families...