ACC Championship Live Blog: 1st Half

You know what's pretty good? Victory Golden Monkey. I don't know about you, but the ability to get a six-pack of 9.5% beer that actually tastes good and costs $10.99 at an LA BevMo is a pretty good find. And yeah, I know it's 10 AM, but you're not my mom. And if you are, I totally want a new pair of Wallabees for Hannukah.

You know what's also pretty good? Atlas Sound (beat the bloggers at their own game...this is some 2008 ish!). Just be thankful Deerhunter's not available in Getty Images, because Bradford Cox looks about as good as Brandon Cox plays.

Anyways, these two will guide me on my first-half Live Blog of the ACC Championship game. Just my thoughts, people...
- From the looks of things in the stands, VT fans appear to outnumber BC's by a ratio of approximately 150:1. The Eagles better win or hope there's a complete blackout of this game in Chick Fil-A corporate offices (playing on Sunday would've helped).

- Not sure if the Miami game was just a red herring, but Boston College looks ultra-prepared on this first drive. Lots of success with the short passing game, but a couple of incompletions show that BC's gonna have to take some chances eventually. As if to drive that point home more thoroughly, they get a 36-yard FG attempt blocked (of all things!), and I'm sure we'll be privy to about five dozen "Beamerball!" references by the time the first half is over. Then again, it's worth mentioning that, cool name aside, BC's kicker is a walk-on that actually kinda sucks.

- Not that I have much desire to dredge up sympathy for Bostonians, but having watched their red zone offense over the last two drives...man, I feel for you. Because having seen VT play more times than I care to mention, be forewarned that this is the kind of stuff that comes back to haunt you once one of their 6'4", 4.3-runnin' wideouts catches some fluke TD in the second half. Anyways, Matt Ryan once again masterfully commandeers the Eagles to around the 30 yard line, but they can't cash in as a 4th and 6 pass fails.

- Tyrod Taylor now in for the Hokies on their second drive after going three and out. Looks far more effective for the time being, much to the chagrin of any ACC fan who's not in Blacksburg...at least until he gets the ball totally snatched away from him as if it was a pocketbook by wild-coiffed BC linebacker Jamie Silva on an option play and returned for a TD. Such are the vagaries of starting a true freshman at the QB position.

- After a totes ineffective 3 and out for Sean Glennon, BC gets the ball back and now leads in total yardage by about a 10:1 margin. The Eagles are pretty much moving the ball at will, at least until they get into VT territory. The fact that the Hokies are down 7-0 after the first quarter (on a defensive TD no less) should be considered somewhat of a blessing. Matt Ryan's already thrown 15 passes and completed 10 of them, looking far more composed and far less hassled than he was in Blacksburg earlier this year.

- Wow...didn't see that coming. BC once again stalls around the VT 30-yard line, but converts a 4th and 9 to Rich Gunnell. Still can't quite come through within the 20, but Aponivicius connects emphatically on a 37-yarder.

- VT definitely came back on that last drive. Josh Morgan catches himself a fade pattern (was Vic Hall out there?) for a TD, at least somewhat vindicating the use of Sean Glennon in this game.

- Okay...maybe those Glen Foley references aren't particularly accurate. Matt Ryan's been known to pull off nice looking runs when it's least expected, which is exactly what happened on a eerily easy-looking 14-yard TD run. Problem is....BEAMERBALL. XP gets blocked and returned for two points, pretty much draining any momentum BC gained from yet another leisurely drive down the field. 16-9, BC.

- Maybe I spoke too soon...Pennington-style duck tossed up Glennon, picked off by Silva around BC's 40. Keep in mind, this is a linebacker playing centerfield on a near Hail Mary.

- Despite mostly dominating most statistical categories, BC finds itself tied with VT after a particularly nice-looking escape trick from Glennon. Despite his statuesque mobility, Glennon managed to escape the goal line pass rush to hit Josh Hyman for a TD on a broken play.

- So, to the half at 16-16. Matt Ryan has already posted "are they playing Duke?" numbers- 21/31, 197 yards. Whereas VT has 149 total yards, but then again...BEAMERBALL.