BC and Notre Dame hold on

For the second straight week, Boston College built up a comfortable lead heading into the fourth quarter. And just like last weekend against Wake Forest, the Eagles nearly let it all slip away.

Withstanding 21 fourth-quarter points, Boston College held on for a key ACC win, 33-31, over Virginia Tech. Quarterback Tyler Murphy sealed the deal with a 57-yard touchdown run on third-and-10 with just over two minutes remaining.

“Coach called my number and I just felt really confident that my offensive line was going to get the job done,” said Murphy, who finished with 122 yards on the ground while throwing for 110 yards and another two scores. “You got to give the guys up front a lot of credit. My job was easy: just don’t get caught.”

On a day where stellar freshman running back Jon Hilliman was stymied — six yards on eight carries — Myles Willis picked up the slack. The sophomore finished with 79 yards and a touchdown on six carries.

But regardless of the way the Eagles won this game, the bigger picture is that the team is now bowl eligible.

“It just feels really good to be part of a team like this,” Murphy said. “Guys just stick together, rally around one another and just find a way to pull out wins. When I first got here I could feel that and sense that and I just started believing that we could have a good team.”

But while Boston College was busy handing out fourth quarter points, Notre Dame was doing just the opposite.

Backed by 21 fourth-quarter points, the Irish held off pesky Navy, 49-39. Quarterback Everett Golson led the way, turning in another sensational performance, throwing for 315 yards, three touchdowns and an interception while rushing for another three scores.

But on a night where Notre Dame coughed up an early 21-point lead and conceded a whopping 336 rushing yards, head coach Brian Kelly was just happy to win.

“As a coach that’s really all you can ask for, to win a football game and give a lot of young guys experience,” Kelly said. “And then, not have to play Navy again until next year.”

Running back Tarean Folston continued his strong stretch, rushing for 149 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. He now has back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances while racking up 367 yards and three scores over the last three games.

The Irish (7-1) — the No. 10-ranked team in the country — will travel to Arizona State next weekend in a tough out-of-conference contest.

Meanwhile, the Eagles (6-3) have a tough matchup with Louisville at home.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Results for Catholic colleges around the U.S.

Catholic schools, in italics below, went 23-13 this weekend.

Division I FBS

Notre Dame 49
Navy 39

Boston College 33
Virginia Tech 31

Division I FCS

Dayton 42
Valparaiso 19

St. Francis 26
Duquesne 16

Fordham 37
Colgate 13