COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Rolandan Finch ran for 243 yards and two touchdowns, and Boston College defeated Maryland 28-17 Saturday for its first Atlantic Coast Conference victory of the season.
The game featured the two teams with the worst overall records in the ACC, and it showed. The Eagles (2-6, 1-4) committed four turnovers and the Terrapins (2-6, 1-4) gave the ball away twice and missed two short field goals.
The lackluster matchup, along with freezing temperatures and a surprise snowfall, caused thousands of fans to stay at home. Attendance was announced at 29,945, but there were fewer than 10,000 people in the seats when the second half started with Maryland trailing 21-3.
Finch, a sophomore, never before broke the 100-yard mark and had run for 266 yards in six games before Saturday. He had 152 yards rushing at halftime, finished with a career-high 39 carries and had a team-leading two catches for seven yards.
Finch is filling in for standout senior Montel Harris, who's out for the year with a knee injury.
Linebacker Luke Kuechly had 12 tackles and an interception to help Boston College snap a three-game skid. The Eagles' only other win was against Massachusetts.
Maryland coach Randy Edsall started C.J. Brown at quarterback, then switched to Danny O'Brien in the second quarter. Both threw an interception, and neither moved the offense until O'Brien threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to Adrian Coxson with 6:39 left.
That made it 21-10, and after a failed onside kick, Finch scored his second touchdown to clinch it.
Brown went 2 for 6 for 14 yards, and O'Brien completed 14 of 35 passes for 165 yards, including 141 in the fourth quarter.
Maryland got off to a miserable start, beginning when Nick Ferrara bounced the opening kickoff out of bounds. Boston College needed only six plays to cover the 60 yards, the last five on runs by Finch for 7, 5, 9, 8 and 18 yards.
Brown threw an errant pitch on the Terrapins' first offensive play, but he recovered the loose ball and got a field goal out of the drive.
Maryland's next possession ended when Sean Sylvia intercepted a deflected pass, and two plays later wide receiver Alex Amidon scored on a 21-yard touchdown run for a 14-3 lead.
After a Maryland punt, Boston College mounted an 80-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Andre Williams. The Eagles were poised to pad the margin following an interception by Kuechly, but Finch lost a fumble at the Maryland 4.
Another fumble by Finch gave Maryland the ball at the BC 14. Three plays lost two yards and Ferrara's 34-yard field goal try was blocked.
Ferrara also botched a 27-yarder early in the second half. Boston College kicker Nate Freese missed a pair of 37-yard field goal tries in the fourth quarter.
