1984 Boston College Eagles football team

American college football season August 2023 January 2026 1984 Boston College Eagles football Independent 4 5 10–2 Jack Bicknell 4th Seymour "Red" Kelin 4th Mark MacDonald David Thomas Scott Harrington Alumni Stadium Sullivan Stadium Cotton Bowl Classic championEastern champion Cotton Bowl Classic W 45–28 vs. Houston The 1984 Boston College Eagles football team represented Boston College as an independent during the 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season. Doug Flutie gained national attention in 1984 when he quarterbacked the Eagles to victory in a high-scoring, back-and-forth game against the Miami Hurricanes (led by QB Bernie Kosar). The game was nationally televised on CBS the day after Thanksgiving and thus had a huge audience. Miami staged a dramatic drive to take the lead, 45–41, in the closing minute of the game. Boston College then took possession at its own 22-yard line with 28 seconds to go. After two passes moved the ball another 30 yards, only 6 seconds remained. On the last play of the game, Flutie scrambled away from the defense and threw a Hail Mary pass that was caught in the end zone by senior wide receiver Gerard Phelan, giving BC a 47–45 win. Although many people think that play clinched the Heisman Trophy for Flutie, the voting was already complete before that game.http://www.heisman.com/handbook/notes-trivia.html Heisman.com Heisman Trophy https://web.archive.org/web/20090921063932/http://www.heisman.com/handbook/notes-trivia.html 21 September 2009 Boston College finished the season with a 10–2 record and a No. 5 ranking in the final AP Poll. The Eagles defeated the Southwest Conference champion Houston Cougars 45–28 in the 1985 Cotton Bowl. The team also captured the Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy (emblematic of the 'Eastern championship' in Division I FBS). Flutie left school as the NCAA's all-time passing yardage leader with 10,579 yards and was a consensus All-American as a senior. He earned Player of the Year awards from UPI, Kodak, The Sporting News, and the Maxwell Football Club. Schedule 1984 AP September 1 w 19 Western Carolina Alumni Stadium Chestnut Hill, MA 44–24 32,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-bc-flutie-get-it-done/159093424/ The Boston Globe BC, Flutie get it done, 44–24 September 2, 1984 November 15, 2024 Newspapers.com September 8 w y 18 Alabama 9 Legion Field Birmingham, AL ABC 38–31 67,821 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71538398/bss-greatest-comeback-swamps/ The Boston Globe BC's 'greatest comeback' swamps Alabama, 38–31 September 9, 1984 February 19, 2021 Newspapers.com September 22 w 10 North Carolina Sullivan Stadium Foxborough, MA ESPN 52–20 44,672 https://www.newspapers.com/article/tulsa-world-bcs-flutie-passes-tar-heels/139934086/ Tulsa World BC's Flutie passes Tar Heels dizzy September 23, 1984 January 30, 2024 Newspapers.com October 13 w 4 Temple Alumni Stadium Chestnut Hill, MA 24–10 32,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-boston-college-downs-temple/166858430/ Star Tribune Boston College downs Temple October 14, 1984 February 28, 2025 Newspapers.com October 20 l y 4 West Virginia 20 Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV ABC 20–21 60,286 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-west-virginia/139865546/ The Philadelphia Inquirer West Virginia edges BC, 21–20, on a late TD drive October 21, 1984 January 29, 2024 Newspapers.com October 27 w 11 Rutgers Alumni Stadium Chestnut Hill, MA KATZ 35–23 32,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/courier-post-bc-flips-rutgers-3523-as/166927622/ Courier-Post BC flips Rutgers, 35–23 as Flutie nears record October 28, 1984 February 28, 2025 Newspapers.com November 3 l y 9 Penn State Beaver Stadium University Park, PA ABC 30–37 85,690 https://www.newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press-penn-st-downs-boston/166857663/ Asbury Park Press Penn St. downs Boston College November 4, 1984 February 28, 2025 Newspapers.com November 10 w 16 Army Alumni Stadium Chestnut Hill, MA KATZ 45–31 32,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer-fluties-td-toss/166928490/ The Cincinnati Enquirer Flutie's TD tosses bury Army, 45–31 November 11, 1984 February 28, 2025 Newspapers.com November 17 w 13 Syracuse Sullivan Stadium Foxborough, MA KATZ 24–16 60,890 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer-boston-college-i/166833046/ The Cincinnati Enquirer Boston College is 'unofficially' invited to Cotton Bowl November 18, 1984 February 28, 2025 Newspapers.com November 23 w y 10 Miami (FL) 12 Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL CBS 47–45 30,325 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-hail-flutie-desperation/166925754/ The Miami News Hail Flutie; Desperation pass gives Boston College a 47–45 victory over U–M November 24, 1984 February 28, 2025 Newspapers.com December 1 w 8 at Holy Cross Fitton Field Worcester, MA rivalry 45–10 25,000 Small Wonder, No Wonder; Eagles Wrap Up HC, 45-10 Ian Thomsen December 2, 1984 57 Boston Sunday Globe Boston, Mass. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57172916/1984-holy-cross-bc/ January 1, 1985 w y 8 Houston Dallas, TX Cotton Bowl Cotton Bowl Classic CBS 45–28 67,381 https://www.newspapers.com/article/usa-today-boston-college-shows-more-than/166929024/ USA Today Boston College shows more than Flutiie, 45–28 January 2, 1985 February 28, 2025 Newspapers.com Personnel 1984 Boston College Eagles f 63 Sr Mark Bardwell OL 24 Jr Ken Bell RB y 66 Sr Jack Bicknell Jr. C y 32 Sr Jim Browne RB y Jim Browne (American football) 85 So Pete Casparriello TE 44 So Shawn Dombrowski WR 26 Fr Darren Flutie WR y 22 Sr Doug Flutie QB y Scott Gieselman TE 7 So Shawn Halloran QB y 79 Sr Mark MacDonald OL y Mark MacDonald (American football) 82 So Kelvin Martin WR y Kelvin Martin (American football) 20 Sr Gerard Phelan WR y 54 Sr Shawn Regent OL y Sr Steve Strachan RB y Steve Strachan (American football) 23 So Troy Stradford RB y Tyrone Taylor RB Steve Trapilo OL 3 Sr Chris Tripucka WR So Darren Twombly OL y Steve Williams RB 97 So John Bosa DE y 57 Jr Ted Gaffney LB 95 Jr Chuck Gorecki DL 52 Sr Scott Harrington DT 81 Jr Andy Hemmer LB Pete Holey LB Neil Iton DB Rick Nickeson DL Dave Pereira DB 49 Jr Carl Pellegata S 53 Fr Bill Romanowski LB y Todd Russell DB 68 Jr Mike Ruth DL 50 Sr David Thomas DL 17 Sr Tony Thurman DB y Ed VonNessen LB Steve Peach P 2 Sr Kevin Snow K *Jack Bicknell Rankings November 2025 1984 NCAA Division I-A football rankings AP 0 15 19 18 10 10 5 4 4 4 11 9 16 13 10 8 8 5 Coaches 0 15 20 16 9 7 7 5 4 5 10 7 16 13 10 8 8 4 Game summaries Western Carolina At Alabama 1984 Alabama Crimson Tide football team North Carolina 1984 North Carolina Tar Heels football team Temple Temple Owls football At West Virginia 1984 West Virginia Mountaineers football team Rutgers 1984 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team At Penn State 1984 Penn State Nittany Lions football team Army Boston College Eagles 2; text-align:center collapsed Army Cadets (5–2–1) at #16 Boston College Eagles (5–2) November 10, 1984 Army 7 7 10 7 Boston College 13 15 3 14 Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 32,000 KATZ Curt Gowdy and Len Dawson "College Football Scoreboard." Gainesville Sun. pg. 4F. 1984 Nov 11. Retrieved 2022-Dec-27. right Game highlights left Army Black Knights Army Boston College Eagles Boston College Nate Sassaman 4/10, 38 Yds, INT Nate Sassaman 25 Rush, 136 Yds, TD Scott Spellmon 2 Rec, 26 Yds Doug Flutie 19/29, 311 Yds, 3 TD Steve Strachan 15 Rush, 81 Yds, 2 TD Kelvin Martin 7 Rec, 126 Yds, 2 TD ARMY BC collapsed 1 Army RushTD Doug Black 1 good Craig Stopa run/pass good/failed/incomplete 7 0 1 Boston College RushTD Steve Strachan 1 good Kevin Snow run/pass good/failed/incomplete 7 7 1 Boston College RecTD Scott Gieselman Doug Flutie 12 no good Kevin Snow run/pass good/failed/incomplete 7 13 2 Boston College RecTD Kelvin Martin Doug Flutie 34 good Kevin Snow run/pass good/failed/incomplete 7 20 2 Boston College PuntTD Kelvin Martin 45 pass good 7 28 2 Army RecTD Rob Dickerson Jarvis Hollingsworth 5 good Craig Stopa run/pass good/failed/incomplete 14 28 3 Boston College FG 25 Kevin Snow 14 31 3 Army RushTD Nate Sassaman 8 good Craig Stopa run/pass good/failed/incomplete 21 31 3 Army FG 40 Craig Stopa 24 31 4 Boston College RushTD Steve Strachan 1 good Kevin Snow run/pass good/failed/incomplete 24 38 4 Army RushTD Jarvis Hollingsworth 10 good Craig Stopa run/pass good/failed/incomplete 24 45 4 Boston College RecTD Kelvin Martin Doug Flutie 17 good Kevin Snow run/pass good/failed/incomplete 31 45 31 45 Syracuse 1984 Syracuse Orangemen football team At Miami (FL) Boston College at Miami (FL) No. 10 Eagles 14 14 3 16 No. 12 Hurricanes 7 14 10 14 November 23 Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida 30,325 Brent Musburger, Ara Parseghian, and Pat Haden CBS Hail Flutie 1984 Miami Hurricanes football team The New York Times FLUTIE'S PASS ON LAST PLAY OVERCOMES MIAMI BY 47-45 https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/24/sports/flutie-s-pass-on-last-play-overcomes-miami-by-47-45.html November 24, 1984 November 17, 2018 The Washington Post Flutie's Desperation Pass Beats Miami, 47-45 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1984/11/24/fluties-desperation-pass-beats-miami-47-45/44a0aa7b-d7ae-48b9-adf6-3f76c60c25e1/ November 24, 1984 November 17, 2018 Holy Cross Holy Cross Crusaders football Boston College–Holy Cross football rivalry Vs. Houston (Cotton Bowl) No. 8 Eagles 17 14 0 14 Cougars 7 7 14 0 1984 Houston Cougars football team 1985 Cotton Bowl Classic The New York Times FLUTIE PASSES FOR 3 SCORES AS BOSTON COLLEGE WINS https://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/02/sports/flutie-passes-for-3-scores-as-boston-college-wins.html January 2, 1985 November 4, 2019 The Washington Post Flutie Short of Miracles but BC Wins, 45-28 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1985/01/02/flutie-short-of-miracles-but-bc-wins-45-28/9f4ab201-b511-4d2f-b203-a4ea40054030/ January 2, 1985 November 4, 2019 Awards and honors thumb|Official 1985 Boston College Cotton Bowl pin given to BC players, coaches, and school administrators. Doug Flutie, QB, Heisman Trophyhttp://www.heisman.com/winners/hsmn-winners.html Heisman Heisman Winners https://web.archive.org/web/20090916003323/http://www.heisman.com/winners/hsmn-winners.html 16 September 2009 Doug Flutie, QB, Walter Camp Awardhttp://football.about.com/cs/history/a/waltercampaward.htm Football 2008-12-12 2008-01-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20080107193656/http://football.about.com/cs/history/a/waltercampaward.htm dead Doug Flutie, QB, Maxwell Award Doug Flutie, QB, Davey O'Brien Award 1984 College Football All-America Team 1984 team players in the NFL The following players were claimed in the 1985 NFL draft. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1985.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20071221193413/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1985.htm 2007-12-21 1985 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com Pro-Football-Reference.com Player Position Round Pick NFL club Gerard Phelan Wide receiver 4 108 New England Patriots Mark MacDonald Guard 5 115 Minnesota Vikings Doug Flutie Quarterback 11 285 Los Angeles Rams Steve Strachan Running back 11 303 Los Angeles Raiders Bill Romanowski was also a member of the team and was drafted in 1988. References Boston College Category:Boston College Eagles football seasons Category:Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy seasons Category:Cotton Bowl Classic champion seasons Boston College Eagles football Boston College Eagles football