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Quarterback tandem leads BC past Kent State 34-7

Sep 15, 2009 - 9:37 PM BOSTON(AP) -- Boston College quarterbacks Justin Tuggle and Dave Shinskie each threw a first-quarter touchdown to lead the Eagles to a 34-7 win over Kent State on Saturday.

Tuggle and Shinskie rotated at quarterback in their audition for the starting job. Tuggle finished 6 of 12 for 150 yards. Shinskie was 9-for-16 for 73 yards with one interception.

The Eagles (2-0) posted their second straight lopsided victory after a 54-0 win against Northeastern last week.

Tuggle threw a 6-yard touchdown to Rich Gunnell to give Boston College a 31-0 lead in the third quarter. Gunnell, who finished with six catches for 114 yards, also caught a 21-yard score from Shinskie in the opening quarter.

Kent State backup quarterback Spencer Keith connected with Jon Simpson for a 4-yard score with 2:15 left in the game. The Golden Flashes' (1-1) score spoiled the Eagles' bid for consecutive season-opening shutouts for the first time since 1933.

Boston College shut out the Golden Flashes in the schools' first meeting in a 21-0 win last year at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

BC coach Frank Spaziani, a longtime assistant, improved to 3-0. He replaced Jeff Jagodzinski, who was fired after interviewing for an NFL job following last season.

Steve Aponavicius had a pair of field goals.

Kent State running back Eugene Jarvis, who posted his 17th career 100-yard game in last week's win over Coastal Carolina, was held to 17 yards on 10 carries.

The Eagles didn't allow Kent State to cross midfield until early in the fourth quarter, holding the Golden Flashes to until 100 total yards until late in the game.

Kent State finished with 179 total yards; BC gained 336, with 223 coming through the air.

Playing two consecutive series each in BC's first four possessions, Tuggle and Shinskie led the Eagles to a 14-0 lead after one quarter in front of a half-filled, rain-soaked stadium.

Montel Harris' 1-yard TD run made it 21-0 early in the second. The score came one play after Tuggle hit Gunnell with a 44-yard pass down the right sideline.

Aponavicius' 24-yard field capped a 10-play, 24-yard drive to make it 24-0. Shinskie was running the offense during that possession.

Tuggle hit Gunnell with a 6-yard TD pass, capping the Eagles' first possession early in the third quarter. Aponavicius nailed a 33-yard field goal to make it 34-0 midway into the quarter.

Spaziani's first career win came when he coached the Eagles at the 2006 Meineke Car Care Bowl after Tom O'Brien bolted for North Carolina State.

BC, which won for the 23rd time in its last 24 non-conference games, opens its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule next week at Clemson. Kent State, from the Mid-American Conference, hosts Iowa State next week.