NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- If defense wins championships, then Boston College had to feel good coming into Wednesday's Music City Bowl against hometown team Vanderbilt.
The Eagles were first in the nation with 36 turnovers gained and in interceptions with 26. But they couldn't force Vanderbilt into any miscues as the Commodores won their first bowl game since the 1955 Gator Bowl with a 16-14 victory.
"We came close to having a couple (of turnovers) today," Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski said. "We just missed out."
Boston College was nursing a 14-13 lead in the fourth quarter when Vanderbilt took over and drove 48 yards against the nation's sixth-ranked defense to set up a 45-yard game-winning field goal by Bryant Hahnfeldt. The usually disciplined Eagles were called for two crucial penalties that gave the Commodores 30 of the 48 yards on the drive.
On the first play, Boston College senior defensive end Jim Ramella was called for a face mask penalty that moved the ball to the Vanderbilt 44.
Three plays later, junior linebacker Mark Herzlich, the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, was flagged 15 yards for roughing the passer. The Eagles were penalized only one other time for 4 yards.
Neither Herzlich nor Jagodzinski agreed with the call.
"I feel like I was right there," Herzlich said. "Either way it wasn't deliberately late. I tried to make a play."
"That's the way they saw it," said Jagodzinski, of the referees.
With an offense that struggled all game, Herzlich and the defense were glad the game was in their hands even though it didn't work out for them.
"We love being on the field in crunch time," said Herzlich. "We wanted to be out there and we had momentum. A couple of things went against us."
Overall, Jagodzinski was happy with his team's effort. Vandy converted only 1-of-15 on third downs.
"I could never fault effort. I never would ever since I started coaching here at BC," Jagodzinski said.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
