Now it's time to relax.
After Saturday's thrilling 20-17 win at Clemson that brought an Atlantic Division title to Chestnut Hill, the Boston College Eagles will have to wait a week before they get to play for the ACC championship.
BC still has one more game to play, a Senior Day game against Miami this weekend, before heading down to Jacksonville, Fla., for the ACC championship game on Dec. 1 against the winner of this weekend's Virginia Tech-Virginia game.
With BC having clinched the division, Saturday's game takes on less importance and may be an opportunity for coach Jeff Jagodzinski to rest his banged-up team, which has been suffering from a rash of injuries of late.
"We go into every game wanting to win it," Jagodzinski said in his teleconference yesterday. "I understand that next week is going to be big also. I'm not going to put guys at risk, but we do want to win this ball game.
"I want these seniors to go out at home as winners in their final game," Jagodzinski added.
BC's roster of walking wounded grew on Saturday, adding to a list that already included linebackers Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Tyrone Pruitt (ankle injuries) and cornerback DeJuan Tribble (knee). Defensive end Alex Albright, who leads the Eagles in sacks, left the Clemson game on a cart with his left arm wrapped, and Jagodzinski confirmed the seriousness of the injury yesterday.
"[Alex] Albright broke his forearm, both bones, radius and ulna, so he will not be available," Jagodzinski said.
The receiving corps also took some injury hits, with junior Brandon Robinson hurting his shoulder and senior Kevin Challenger suffering an ankle injury. Freshman defensive tackle Damik Scafe also hurt his ankle. Jagodzinski declined to comment on their status, which will likely be determined after Tuesday's practice.
Jagodzinski did make a decision on the status of kick returner Jeff Smith, who sat out at the beginning of the season with a concussion suffered in the preseason. Apparently, Smith's symptoms have worsened to the point where he will be forced to the sidelines.
"He will not play again this year," Jagodzinski said. "It's one of those tricky things where I'm not going to put a kid in danger for the rest of his life with a head injury."
Jagodzinski said the atmosphere in the locker room after the game was similar to the celebration after the miracle in Blacksburg on Oct. 28, when BC scored two touchdowns in the final minutes to beat Virginia Tech.
"The locker room was a lot like the Virginia Tech locker room," Jagodzinski said. "There's so much energy in that locker room to see those kids and the way they were reacting to each other. It was really a good deal."
The polls showed the Eagles only a little love for the road win.
BC moved to No. 14 in the BCS, No. 16 in the AP poll, and to No. 15 in the coaches' poll.
2008 Woodie Awards
