Unsightly blemish for Eagles

It came in the ninth game of a season that was beginning to take on historical and almost mystical proportions for the Boston College football team.

Finally, Boston College's dream of an unbeaten season came to a crashing conclusion last night at Alumni Stadium as Florida State, the once and perhaps (though probably not this season) future Atlantic Coast Conference champion, made the right moves at the right times in a 27-17 victory over the No. 2-ranked Eagles, who had sprinted to their fastest start in 65 years.

In racing to an 8-0 record and a spot in the polls that made talk of not only a Bowl Championship Series bowl game, but a spot in the BCS title game, sound at least reasonable, the Eagles entered last night's game with aspirations that were starting to go beyond the stated goal of earning a spot in the ACC title game in Atlanta Dec. 1.

Led by senior quarterback Matt Ryan, who had emerged as a leading contender for the Heisman Trophy, the Eagles found themselves in a new neighborhood of elite teams.

Florida State had lived in that neighborhood for years, but had been downgraded the past few seasons as it dropped not only multiple games, but fell out of the Top 25.

Coach Bobby Bowden's team entered with a 5-3 record, 2-3 in the conference, which suggested mediocrity more than the majesty that had marked the Seminoles' run of 14 consecutive seasons of finishing in the top 5 (1987-2000).

For BC (8-1, 4-1), it was a strange and exciting new world; in rookie coach Jeff Jagodzinski's first season he had gone eight games without talking to his team in a losing locker room.

Last night was different, and painful, as the Eagles failed to come up with a fantastic finish the way they had the previous week when Ryan threw two touchdown passes in the final two minutes to pull out a 14-10 victory over Virginia Tech.

Florida State built a 10-0 lead it carried into the third quarter before Ryan (26 for 53, 415 yards, 2 TDs, 3 interceptions) put the Eagles on the scoreboard.

Like a week ago, Ryan did it in spectacular fashion, connecting with wide receiver Brandon Robinson on a 30-yard scoring pass with 4:38 remaining in the third quarter to cut the FSU lead to 10-7.

But Florida State countered with an offensive burst of its own. Led by quarterback Drew Weatherford (29 of 45, 354 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs), the Seminoles had answers offensively and defensively for each BC response.

The Eagles, who still hold a solid lead in the ACC Atlantic Division, never could get the lead. Florida State expanded it to 20-10 with 8:11 left in the fourth quarter on a 42-yard pass from Weatherford to De'Cody Fagg and the issued appeared settled until Ryan came up with a "Matty Ice" moment. He took the Eagles 58 yards in six plays in 1:28, capping the drive with a 1-yard TD pass to Ryan Purvis that cut the deficit to 20-17 with 6:43 left.

Miracle time? Not this time. Florida State, which was the last team to beat the Eagles in Alumni Stadium, 16 games and two years ago, was better, quicker, and more opportunistic.

Before Ryan could get a drive going, the game was over when linebacker Geno Hayes picked off the QB on the BC 38 and raced into the end zone for the clinching score.

"Give credit to Florida State," said Jagodzinski, who emphasized to his team that its original goals were still alive. "They played a good football game. We had a lot of opportunities. We were inside the 5-yard line twice and we didn't get in. We didn't make the plays we needed to make to win a ballgame like that."

For Florida State, in the rare role of being an underdog, it was pure satisfaction. "We are trying to get back, and this was a help," said Bowden.

"We had a chance, the same as we did last week," said BC safety Jamie Silva.

For the Eagles, it was a disappointment they must shake off quickly.

Jagodzinski says it will be business as usual this week as the Eagles prepare for Maryland.

"This has not deterred us from where we want to go and that's the ACC Championship game," he said. "This is one game, one of 12. We are right in the thick of things. All we've got to do is take care of our business and just come back next week against Maryland and go play football, and we will."