TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Although he battled leg cramps for much of the game, Boston College's DeJuan Tribble was ready when it counted.
Tribble's 36-yard interception return for a touchdown capped a 21-point second quarter Saturday and the 22nd-ranked Eagles held off Florida State 24-19.
"I knew they were going to try to get to their big target, Greg Carr," said Tribble, who picked off Florida State's Drew Weatherford to give his team a 21-10 halftime lead. "It was sweet."
It was Tribble's third pick of the season and sixth of his career, but the first time he'd managed to pick up any yards, much less a score.
"He saw the ball thrown and made a great break," BC coach Tom O'Brien said.
Weatherford tried for the 6-foot-6 Carr again on the game's final play, but this time he was blanketed in the end zone by half the Boston College defense and the ball was picked off by Larry Anam. That play was reviewed, but stood as called on the field.
"I know I had my hands on it pretty much, but at the same time it was tucked away in (Anam's) body," Carr said. "I had my hands on it until we hit the ground and everybody started to pull away."
The loss left Florida State alone at the bottom of the Atlantic Coast Conference's Atlantic Division.
"We've got to get it turned around and win some games," said Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, who started five true freshmen.
The Seminoles (4-3, 2-3 ACC) had their chances late in the game, but couldn't capitalize as they lost a second home conference game in the same season for the first time since joining the ACC 15 years ago.
The outcome was largely settled in the final minute of the first half when Boston College (6-1, 3-1) scored two touchdowns just 31 seconds apart to take a 21-10 lead.
"The game was lost right there," Bowden said. "We had too many errors to win."
BC's new placekicker, Steve Aponavicius, added a 26-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 24-10.
Boston College's first touchdown, a 1-yard run by Brian Toal, came just two plays after Florida State's Caz Piurowski coughed up the ball after a catch at the Seminoles' 15.
Florida State had taken a 10-7 lead with 1:49 left in the half when Carr hauled in a 22-yard touchdown pass from Weatherford on a crossing pattern. The score came one play after a pass he'd caught in the end zone was negated by a penalty.
But then things fell apart.
With the lead and a chance to get the ball back in good field position, Florida State chose to go for a blocked punt, but ended up roughing BC's Johnny Ayers. Five plays later L.V. Whitworth scored on a 6-yard run to give the Eagles a 14-10 lead.
"You had a 10-7 lead and could have come out of there with a 10-7 lead at the half," Bowden said. "We think we're supermen and we ain't."
And then Tribble stepped in with his big play to really put a damper on the halftime activities on a day Florida State wore black uniforms for the first time to honor the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
Weatherford, whose 1-yard TD early in the fourth quarter pulled Florida State to within 24-17, completed 32 of 48 passes for 326 yards and two interceptions. Chris Davis had 10 catches for 100 yards, while Carr was limited to 3 catches for 41 yards.
BC quarterback Matt Ryan completed 16 of 26 passes for 262 yards and the Eagles limited Florida State to 28 yards rushing.
"He's our offense," O'Brien said about his junior quarterback, whose availability was in doubt all week because of an injured left foot. "He's the focal point of everything."
Roger Williams' 38-yard interception return set up the game's first score, a 28-yard field goal by the Seminoles' Gary Cismesia early in the second quarter.
