NC State football will host Syracuse with quite a bit on the line for both teams. Each squad has an identical 3-2 overall mark and 0-1 conference records.
The Pack has made a change at quarterback, with redshirt sophomore Bailey Hockman set to receive his first career start in an effort to spark the offense. Meanwhile, Syracuse is looking to parlay a couple wins of lower level competition in recent weeks into sustained momentum after two lopsided losses to Maryland and Clemson.
NC State is a five-point favorite at home. Will it prove Vegas right? The Wolfpacker staff offer their predictions.
Matt Carter
One of the best parts about Athlon's preseason magazine preview is its anonymous thoughts from coaches in the ACC about their counterparts. This one about NC State was a doozy when you consider Thursday's game:
"You don't want to play at their place. Does Raleigh get a lot of attention for its crowd? It really should. That place is hell when you're coming in on a Thursday night. It's one of the loudest stadiums in our league."
It's a good guessing game as to who provided that quote. The most recent Thursday game in Carter-Finley Stadium against an ACC opponent was two years ago when Louisville, led by reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, lost 39-25 to the Pack in front of a raucous atmosphere. My guess is it's someone from that now-former staff that said this.
But it applies well to what Syracuse could be facing. Odds are the change at quarterback will galvanize the fanbase a little bit, even if there is a good chunk of them that is also eager to see what redshirt freshman Devin Leary could do if he ran the offense.
However it ends up unfolding at quarterback, I think you will see a Wolfpack team laying it all on the line Thursday night, and that energy will be the difference in a 30-27 Wolfpack win.
Previous predictions
Week 1 vs. ECU — Prediction: 34-17 NC State; Actual: 34-6 NC State
Week 2 vs. WCU — Prediction: 51-10 NC State; Actual: 41-0 NC State
Week 3 at WVU — Prediction: 20-14 NC State; Actual: 44-27 West Virginia
Week 4 vs. Ball State — Prediction: 38-27 NC State; Actual: 34-23 NC State
Week 5 at Florida State — Prediction: 34-24 Florida State; Actual: 31-13 Florida State
Jacey Zembal
There was a lot of buzz about Syracuse throughout the offseason, but I never could quite come around on it. Mostly because I figured the Orange would miss the arm and legs of star quarterback Eric Dungey.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Tommy DeVito will be a good college quarterback, but he is probably not the runner Dungey was. What wasn't foreshadowed during the offseason is how porous the Orange defense can be at times. The 63-20 loss to Maryland on Sept. 7 was galling. It didn't help matters when the same UMD offense was shut out against Penn State two games later.
Syracuse crushed Western Michigan and Holy Cross in its two games leading up to NC State, but what does that even mean? Five games into the season, and the Orange still have that feel of being a complete mystery.
In August, I probably would have picked Syracuse to win, but now it very much feels like a toss-up game. If NC State's offense can't get untracked against a defense that allowed a combined 104 points between Maryland and Clemson, it's a major issue.
It only seems fitting that in a contest that features two of the best kickers in the country, they'll both be busy — NC State wins 26-19.
Previous predictions
Week 1 vs. ECU — Prediction: 38-17 NC State; Actual: 34-6 NC State
Week 2 vs. WCU — Prediction: 48-3 NC State; Actual: 41-0 NC State
Week 3 at WVU — Prediction: 27-10 NC State; Actual: 44-27 West Virginia
Week 4 vs. Ball State — Prediction: 27-17 NC State; Actual: 34-23 NC State
Week 5 at Florida State — Prediction: 27-24 Florida State; Actual: 31-13 Florida State
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