Tallahassee, FL (Sports Network) - Wide receiver Bert Reed ran for a 42-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to lift 16th-ranked Florida State to a 24-19 win over Boston College at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Seminoles quarterback Christian Ponder threw a pair of touchdowns, but also committed four turnovers. He was intercepted three times, including twice by Jim Noel, who returned one for a touchdown, and fumbled once.
Ponder finished with 170 yards on 19-of-31 attempts for Florida State (6-1, 4-0 ACC), who snapped a two-game skid against Boston College and have posted five consecutive victories since its lone loss at Oklahoma.
Montel Harris rushed for 191 yards on 26 carries for the Eagles (2-4, 0-3), who have suffered four consecutive losses. Chase Rettig, back under center after spraining his left ankle two weeks ago against Notre Dame, was limited to 95 yards on 9-of-24 efficiency.
Ponder was intercepted by Noel on the first offensive play of the third quarter, and Boston College converted the turnover into a 28-yard Nate Freese field goal.
Dustin Hopkins' 26-yard field goal put Florida State up 17-9, then Noel picked off Ponder again and this time returned the ball 43 yards to the end zone, trimming the deficit to one with 4:20 to play in the frame.
Boston College's defense forced another turnover on the ensuing possession, as Ponder botched the exchange to the running back. Damik Scafe recovered the fumble for the Eagles.
A pair of runs by Harris set up a 3rd-and-6 at the BC 49. Rettig was then forced out of the pocket before he moved the chains with a 29-yard completion to Bobby Swigert on the final play of the quarter. The Eagles led 19-17 after Freese was perfect from 38 yards away.
The Seminoles last trailed in a game against the Sooners on September 11.
Florida State, though, needed only two minutes to regain the lead. The Seminoles started at their own 48 after a 24 yard return by Greg Reid on the kickoff. Facing a 2nd-and-11 on the BC 42, Ponder handed the ball to Bert Reed on an end-around and he scampered down the left sideline before lunging for the pylon.
Florida State then forced a punt from Boston College before running out the remaining eight minutes by picking up three first downs.
Boston College got off to a promising start, with Harris picking up 72 yards on the game's first play from scrimmage. However, the drive stalled at the FSU 16-yard line, and Freese kicked a 33-yard field goal to give the Eagles the early lead.
Freese drilled a 37-yarder on Boston College's next possession to make it 6-0, but the Seminoles moved ahead late in the first quarter when Ponder capped a nine-play jaunt with a three-yard TD pass to Lonnie Pryor.
Donnie Fletcher picked off Ponder on the Seminoles' initial drive of the second stanza, setting the Eagles up on the FSU 41. Boston College, though, lost three yards before punting the ball back to Florida State.
Late in the quarter, Ponder and Beau Reliford hooked up on a 10-yard touchdown off play-action to cap a 96-yard drive and extend the lead to 14-6.
The Seminoles have won five games in a row for the first time since opening the 2005 season 5-0...Florida State has won six straight at home...The Eagles were 3-for-15 on third down...Jermaine Thomas rushed for 44 yards on five carries for the Seminoles...Florida State finished with just 311 yards of offense, while Boston College had only 266.