Five Postgame Quotes That Matter From Bill O'Brien After Boston College's Loss to Virginia Tech

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Following Boston College football’s 21-14 loss to Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon, which brought its record to 2-2 on the season and 0-1 in ACC play, BC head coach Bill O’Brien spoke with the media about what led to the defeat.

Here are the post-game quotes that were particularily notable after the game.

Bill O'Brien Postgame Quotes After Virginia Tech That Matter

Q: What did you say to the team after the game? It was obviously a really good fight all the way until the end.

O’Brien: “Yeah, no, I think you learn a lot about your team in games like that. I think that's a good football team. You know, I told James [Franklin] after the game [that] they got a good team. I mean, they're probably, I think they're probably a top-25 team. So what are we? You know, we still have to eliminate some mistakes. But I thought our guys played hard. I mean, I think our guys gave great effort, and I'm proud of the effort.”

Coach O’Brien: “I think you learn a lot about your team in games like that. I think that's a good football team. You know, I told James [Franklin] after the game they got a good team. I mean, they're probably, I think they're probably a top-25 team. So what are we?” pic.twitter.com/9njHeEnGOD
— Graham Dietz (@graham_dietz) September 26, 2026

Q: This week looked more efficient in the red zone, but as far as third-down conversions, getting those drives started, having trouble on third-down conversions specifically. Talk about how just getting those drives started to get in the red zone in the first place, how difficult that was.

O’Brien: “Yeah, no, I think, look, I think [Virginia Tech] did a good job on third down. We expected one thing, they mixed it up on us, so we just need to, you know, do a better job on third down. But yeah, there were some things we did well. I mean, you know, it was obviously tough conditions, and I thought the guys fought hard the whole day in those conditions.”

Q: Bill, what do you think worked well defensively in the first three quarters, and what shifted in the fourth quarter, if anything?

O’Brien: “Yeah, I think that, you know, we stopped the run well for three quarters, and then they hit us on that add-on play for the long touchdown. But I think overall, yeah, I mean they hit us on the weak side a little bit, but these guys battled hard. They were on the field and they fought hard. I thought the tackling in the fourth quarter wasn't as good as it was in the first three quarters.”

Coach O’Brien’s assessment of the way the defense played in the first three quarters compared to the last: pic.twitter.com/x1c06bsqfk
— Graham Dietz (@graham_dietz) September 26, 2026

Q: With this weather, it makes it kind of hard to judge the passing game because obviously it’s going to be a little flukey here and there. How would you assess it based on what you saw?

O’Brien: “[We] tried to make some throws there. [When we] we're going towards Yawkey, [we] felt like the wind was in our face, but still tried to make some throws. That was the touchdown drive we hit [Dawson] Pough down at the one-yard line. But he had to drive that ball, you know? So yeah, the wind. It was more the wind than it was the rain, and it was hard to tell. But we felt like the wind was at our back when we were going towards Beacon, in our face going towards Yawkey.”

Coach O’Brien’s breakdown of the passing game today, which obviously was going to be iffy with the weather: pic.twitter.com/eHrHToPMEG
— Graham Dietz (@graham_dietz) September 26, 2026

Q: Obviously the team played really hard today, but just how frustrating is it to be up eight points and not be able to finish?

O’Brien: “Yeah, it’s frustrating. Yeah, no doubt, no doubt. Very frustrating. [I] feel bad for the guys in that locker room. But again, we just, we’re going to go back to work tomorrow and correct some things and keep battling.”

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