Ryan misses practice

Coach Tom O'Brien indicated yesterday quarterback Matt Ryan is questionable and likely a game-time decision for Boston College's Atlantic Coast Conference contest at Florida State Saturday.

The junior injured his left foot in Thursday night's 22-3 victory over then-22d-ranked Virginia Tech and was limping at the start of the second half.

O'Brien said the injury is not related to the left ankle injury Ryan played through in BC's season-opening victory at Central Michigan.

``He's gimping around, he's limping a little bit," O'Brien said. ``He's come back before and so hopefully he'll come back and be ready to go this week."

Asked to pinpoint the injury, O'Brien said, ``I think it's somewhere on his foot now. He had an ankle -- he still has an ankle problem -- but now he's got something going on with his foot."

Ryan did not practice yesterday. O'Brien said, ``He'll practice when he can get out there. We'll see how he is [tomorrow] and go from there."

After being hurt against Central Michigan, Ryan was listed as questionable and was a game-time decision for the Clemson game. He got the starting nod from O'Brien just before BC's double-overtime triumph.

``He's shown his toughness in the past and he's been able to [play hurt]," O'Brien said. ``We would love to have him at practice every day and playing, but we'll just have to see how he goes this week and if he's able to perform."

Wake Forest's 25-23 victory at North Carolina State Saturday helped the Eagles in the Atlantic Division, but O'Brien said, ``We have to worry about taking care of ourselves. We can't be concerned with what everybody else does in the conference, one way or another. If we can beat Florida State, we'll move on from there, but we're going to keep our focus on Florida State and try to win that game." . . . The Eagles traded places with Virginia Tech by climbing from the ranks of the ``others receiving votes" to No. 22 in the Associated Press Top 25 while the Hokies dropped out. BC rose from 25th to 21st in the coaches' poll, and is 20th in the Bowl Championship Series standings . . . O'Brien said tight end Jonathan Loyte (turf toe) might not be available against the Seminoles . . . When he said Saturday looked like it would be a great day (temperatures in the 80s expected) in Tallahassee, O'Brien was told it didn't look so great to be wearing all-black uniforms, which FSU plans to do in tribute to the Seminole tribe. ``We're not worried about the uniforms," O'Brien quipped. ``We're worried about the guys in the uniforms."