DUBLIN — Freshman Dedrick Mills’ 4-yard touchdown run with 35 seconds remaining lifted Georgia Tech to a 17-14 win over Boston College in an Atlantic Coast Conference opener Saturday.
Justin Thomas threw two key completions on the go-ahead drive. The senior passed to Qua Searcy for 22 yards on a fourth-and-19 play and found Ricky Jeune for 26 yards on third down.
Georgia Tech won its first game played outside of the United States in the 124-year history of the program. Mills led the Yellow Jackets with 68 yards rushing, as Boston College held Georgia Tech’s spread-option attack to 240 yards, including 121 yards rushing.
It was a crushing loss for Boston College, which was winless in conference games in 2015 and has lost nine straight overall. The Eagles took a 14-7 lead on quarterback Patrick Towles’ 6-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.
PITTSBURGH 28, VILLANOVA 7: James Conner caught one touchdown and ran for another in his return from a battle with cancer to lead host Pittsburgh over Villanova.
JAMES MADISON 80, MOREHEAD STATE 7: Bryan Schor and Taylor Woods each rushed for three touchdowns, and James Madison rolled at Harrisonburg, Virginia, in Coach Mike Houston’s debut.
RICHMOND 37, VIRGINIA 20: Kyle Lauletta threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns and Richmond manhandled host Virginia in Bronco Mendenhall’s debut as Virginia coach.
GARDNER-WEBB 31, ELON 6: Khalil Lewis rushed for three second-half scores as Gardner-Webb pulled away from host Elon.
KANSAS 55, RHODE ISLAND 6: Montell Cozart threw three touchdown passes, Ryan Willis tossed two more and host Kansas gave second-year coach David Beaty his first victory.
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