BOSTON — Boston College lost its chance to play for an Atlantic Coast Conference championship.

More important, the Eagles have lost their quarterback and it’s not clear when they are getting him back.

For the second straight year, Anthony Brown was hurt just as BC was lining up for a late-season run, this time sustaining what Coach Steve Addazio said were internal injuries on the team’s first possession in Saturday night’s game against second-ranked Clemson.

The Tigers won 27-7, clinching their fourth straight Atlantic Division title and remaining on track for a spot in their fourth consecutive College Football Playoff berth. BC, which could have contended for a spot in the conference title game, now looks ahead to games at Florida State and at home against No. 12 Syracuse for a chance at a nine-win season that would be its best in a decade.

The Eagles (7-3, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) dropped five spots in the AP Top 25 on Sunday to No. 22.

“On a stage like this, you’d like to feel like you got your full complement, you know? But that didn’t happen. And that’s life,” Addazio said after the game. “So I’m more concerned now about getting ready for Florida State and getting ourselves back in the groove.”

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Brown was brought down by defensive tackle Christian Wilkins on the Eagles’ first offensive series, with the 315-pound lineman landing on him with the full force of his body weight. He walked off on his own but went to the locker room soon after and was taken to a hospital during the game.

Addazio said Brown had internal injuries but declined to elaborate. BC spokesman Jason Baum said on Sunday there was no further information on the injury.

LOUISVILLE: The school fired coach Bobby Petrino with two games remaining in a spiraling season that has included five blowout losses in which the Cardinals allowed at least 50 points.

Louisville (2-8) lost 54-23 at No. 13 Syracuse on Friday night, dropping to 0-7 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

Petrino departs with a 77-35 mark in two stints with Louisville.

NOTRE DAME: Ian Book’s stay on No. 3 Notre Dame’s sideline will be a short one.

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Coach Brian Kelly announced Sunday that the 6-foot, 208-pound junior quarterback, who led the Irish (10-0, No. 3 CFP) to six straight victories before suffering a rib injury in Notre Dame’s 31-21 victory at Northwestern two weeks ago, will practice Tuesday and, if there are no setbacks, reclaim his starting spot.

TOP 25: The day after earning a spot in the Big Ten championship game, Northwestern is ranked in The Associated Press poll for the first time this season.

The Wildcats (6-4) were No. 24 in the Top 25 after beating Iowa to clinch the Big Ten West with two games to play.

The rest of the Top 25 was fairly stable, especially at the top where the only difference in the first 11 teams from last week was No. 8 Washington State moving past No. 9 Ohio State and No. 10 LSU.

Alabama is a unanimous No. 1, followed by Clemson, Notre Dame, Michigan and Georgia. Oklahoma is sixth and West Virginia seventh. UCF is still No. 11.


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