BC opens doors for Panthers

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Boston College made mistakes all afternoon Saturday -- and saved the biggest for last.
Josh Cummings kicked a 27-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh the lead on the first possession of overtime, and cornerback Mike Phillips, the former Warren Harding standout, forced a fumble to preserve the Panthers' 20-17 win over Boston College.
"We were our own worst enemies," Eagles coach Tom O'Brien said. "We kept shooting ourselves in the foot. Sooner or later you're going to get beat and that's what happened today."
Boston College (4-2, 1-1 Big East) won the toss and elected to start overtime on defense. After gaining just 15 yards on seven plays, Pitt (4-2, 2-1) took the lead on Cummings' kick.
The fumble
On the ensuing possession, Eagles quarterback Paul Peterson completed a pass to Larry Lester on third-and-10. Lester was close to a first down when he was hit by Phillips and dropped the ball. Pitt linebacker Thomas Smith recovered the fumble to clinch the win.
"I saw that ball get loose and I said, 'Man this game is over,' " Smith said. "I don't think I ever ran that hard or that fast."
Some Boston College players tried to argue that Lester hadn't secured the ball and it should have been an incomplete pass, but the officials quickly left the field.
"It was close either way," Lester said. "I was just trying to grab the ball and pull it in. As soon as I was bringing the ball in, I felt the strip coming. I'll have pictures of the play in my head for a lifetime."
The Eagles forced overtime with a 10-play, 89-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Peterson to Paul Palmer with 3:26 remaining. Palmer was wide open after defensive back Darrelle Revis slipped on the wet turf.
BC bonus
The drive was kept alive when Pitt's Josh Lay was called for pass interference on fourth-and-4 to give the Eagles the ball at the Panthers' 15. Boston College had started the drive pinned on its own 11 after a 79-yard punt by Adam Graessle.
Peterson finished the game 32-for-53 for a career-best 367 yards and two touchdowns, but Boston College was held to a season-low 56 yards rushing.
Tyler Palko was 12-for-27 for 132 yards and ran for 55 yards and a score for Pitt. Raymond Kirkley added a 2-yard touchdown run for the Panthers.
"We're young and it's not easy at this level," Pitt coach Walt Harris said. "We're learning how to be a good football team."
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