Boston College Athletics
Boston College
West Virginia
West Virginia Too Much For Boston College, 34-14
September 02, 2000 | Football
Sept. 2, 2000
By JOHN RABY
AP Sports Writer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - Avon Cobourne won a lackluster duel between the Big East's top two running backs and West Virginia returned two fourth-quarter interceptions for scores in a 34-14 victory over Boston College on Saturday.
Cobourne rushed 29 times for 132 yards and a 2-yard score to outlast BC's Cedric Washington, who was held to 31 yards on 13 carries after pounding the Mountaineers for 181 yards a year ago.
Last year Cobourne beat out Washington by 17 yards for the conference rushing crown.
Boston College was held to 205 yards in total offense in hot, sunny conditions.
West Virginia jumped to a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter on two short runs and a field goal, but its offense sputtered the rest of the game.
With West Virginia up 17-14 early in the fourth quarter, Mountaineers safety Shawn Hackett took an overthrown pass from BC's Tim Hasselbeck and ran 41 yards untouched into the end zone.
After Jon Ohliger's 32-yard field goal, freshman linebacker Grant Wiley grabbed a pass that slipped though Washington's hands and returned it 22 yards with seven minutes remaining to cap the scoring.
Both Hackett and Wiley were making their first starts.
The last time the Mountaineers returned two interceptions for scores in a game was against Louisiana Tech in 1994.
Neither team's starting quarterback was effective. West Virginia's Brad Lewis, making his fourth career start, went 7-of-19 for 166 yards and no touchdowns. Five of his incompletions were overthrows to open receivers, once in the end zone.
Hasselbeck was 14-of-29 for 119 yards and three interceptions. He hit backup tight end Robert Ellis on a 4-yard scoring toss in the second quarter.
West Virginia is 15-4-1 against Boston College since 1981, including 9-4-1 in Morgantown.
