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Syracuse football looks formidable once again. Preseason expectations hit a roadblock in Week 4, when the Orange fell to lowly Stanford at home. Now, though, they’re well on track to one of their best seasons in recent history. A 44-41 road victory over then-No. 25 UNLV — SU’s second ranked win in five games of the Fran Brown era — is the latest turning point.

The Orange are back to receiving votes in the AP Top 25 Poll, garnering six in this week’s edition. Another Atlantic Coast Conference win, and another road triumph, would only help its quest back into the top 25 as SU takes on North Carolina State for its sixth game of 2024.

Here’s what to know before Syracuse (4-1, 1-1 ACC) takes on NC State (3-3, 0-2 ACC) Saturday evening in Raleigh:

All-time series

NC State leads, 13-3.

Last time they played …

Syracuse’s student section stormed the JMA Wireless Dome turf on Oct. 15, 2022, when the then-No. 18 Orange downed then-No. 15 NC State 24-9. The win put SU at 6-0, its best start to a campaign since 2018.

In between an early first-quarter Oronde Gadsden II touchdown and a late third-quarter score from the tight end, Syracuse was held out of the end zone for 42 minutes. But its defense throttled the Wolfpack, limiting them to just 255 offensive yards and not allowing them to reach the end zone. Jatius Geer tallied 1.5 sacks, while Marlowe Wax totaled a game-high 10 tackles to lead SU’s defense.

The Wolfpack report

The Wolfpack are winless thus far in conference play, most recently falling to Wake Forest at home. In that contest, starting quarterback Grayson McCall suffered a frightening collision with three Demon Deacon defenders, causing him to be ruled out for the game.

Freshman backup quarterback CJ Bailey is set to start in place of McCall, as a short-handed NC State bunch must try to match an explosive SU offense. For Bailey to contend with quarterback Kyle McCord’s group, he will have to attack Syracuse’s second level.

The Orange have struggled to defend the middle of the field since Wax sustained a leg injury in Week 1. UNLV made a living off short and intermediate passes as well as extending the field with quarterback runs. The 6-foot-6 Bailey may have to take advantage of that Saturday.

Yet, it may be tough for the Wolfpack to get past their defensive problems. They give up nearly 34 points per game, among the worst scoring defenses SU has faced this year.

How Syracuse beats NC State

McCord has been tearing up defenses and breaking records along the way. He’s the first player in program history to throw five straight 300-plus-yard games to start a season. McCord is a top-five passer in the Football Bowl Subdivision, ranking fourth with 1,814 passing yards.

Though at some point, he has to slow down. McCord has thrown at least 39 passes in every contest with Syracuse thus far. Saturday poses a chance for SU to further establish the ground game. NC State lets up 160.3 rushing yards per game, so LeQuint Allen Jr. and Yasin Willis need to exploit that.

Syracuse’s defense should fare just fine against the Wolfpack. For it to win, it needs to get out to a fast start and limit avoidable mistakes with turnovers and special teams gaffes. If the Orange can accomplish those things, they can let their running game carry them the rest of the way. Willis is coming off of his best day in Division I against UNLV, and with Allen Jr. a little banged up, the freshman running back should receive plenty of touches and produce well.

Cole Ross | Digital Design Director

Stats to know: 4,716, 400, 44

If the Orange were to play a 13-game season — which seems likely, given they’re two wins away from bowl eligibility — McCord is on pace for 4,716 passing yards, 400 completions and 44 touchdowns. All of those numbers would break ACC single-season records owned by now-NFL quarterbacks Deshaun Watson, Matt Ryan and Kenny Pickett.

McCord enters Saturday after tossing a whopping 63 passes against the Rebels last Friday. It’s almost become an expectation for the Orange to throw on any given play. Syracuse hasn’t had this ability to put the weight of each game on its quarterback’s shoulders since Donovan McNabb in the late 1990s.

Player to watch: Bishop Fitzgerald, safety, No. 7

Gadsden’s career-high 10-catch, 142-yard performance in Syracuse’s win over UNLV firmly pins him as SU’s No. 1 threat. NC State strong safety Bishop Fitzgerald will certainly be in the running to cover the Orange’s star tight end Saturday. He will need to play a big role to lead the Wolfpack’s secondary versus a potent air-raid offense.

Fitzgerald, a senior who transferred to NC State from Coffeyville Community College (Kansas) in 2023, is in his second year with the Wolfpack. He was in for 537 snaps while making an appearance in all 13 games last year, but has become a starter this season. Fitzgerald’s two interceptions lead NC State, and his 2.5 tackles for loss are the best among its cornerbacks and safeties.

Published on October 10, 2024 at 12:03 am

Contact Cooper at: ccandrew@syr.edu | @cooper_andrews