Nov. 16, 1999

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- Boston College, having cracked the top 25 for the first time since the end of the 1994 season, meet up with Notre Dame in a game crucial to its bowl hopes.

The Eagles (7-2) entered the poll after a 34-17 rout of West Virginia. Cedric Washington rushed for 181 yards as Boston College broke open a tight game with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns. Tim Hasselback, who threw for 229 yards, had a 66-yard touchdown pass to Dedrick DeWalt in the pivotal third quarter.

With seven wins and a 4-2 mark in the Big East, Boston College has a chance to nail down a spot to the Gator Bowl or the Insight.com Bowl with a victory against the Fighting Irish. The Eagles close their season at No. 2 Virginia Tech, which can clinch the conference title with a win over Temple this week.

"The more wins we get, the better bowl game we get," Hasselbeck said after Saturday's victory.

Washington has 826 yards rushing this season, while Hasselback has thrown for 1,537 yards and seven touchdowns. DeWalt is his favorite target as the flanker has 36 receptions for 503 yards and three touchdowns.

Boston College has not been 8-2 since the 1993 season, when it celebrated its eighth win with a stunning 41-39 victory at Notre Dame exactly six years ago Saturday.

Notre Dame (5-5) has lost consecutive games, including a 37-27 setback at Pittsburgh on Saturday. Jarious Jackson threw for a career-high 317 yards with a pair of touchdowns, and flanker Bobby Brown had the best day of his collegiate career with 12 receptions, 208 yards and two scores. The Fighting Irish, however, surrendered 27 second-half points and 389 yards of total offense.

"I'm embarrassed for our football team," Irish coach Bob Davie said. "I hate to talk and make too strong a statement, but I'm embarrassed. I told our team to call it what it was: We got whipped."

In its defeats, Notre Dame has failed to establish any rushing attack. The Irish are averaging 104.6 yards per game in the five losses, but 263.4 per game in the victories. They also have committed 25 turnovers, almost double their total after 10 games from last season.

Jackson has thrown for 2,303 yards this season and 14 touchdowns, but also has been intercepted 11 times. Brown has 31 catches for 532 yards and a team-high five scores.

Notre Dame leads the all-time series, 8-2, and has won the last four games since the 1993 defeat.