NC State at Syracuse football game-day guide: How to watch, betting line, game notes
It’s hard to imagine N.C. State looking past its game this weekend against Syracuse and ahead to its game against Georgia Tech.
However, the Wolfpack’s final road game Saturday could turn out to be a major letdown if the Wolfpack (6-3, 5-3 ACC) takes the Orange (1-8, 1-7) lightly.
Syracuse is on a six-game losing streak, and N.C. State has won two in a row, including it’s Nov. 21 one-point win over top 25 Liberty. The Wolfpack wants to show up and deliver another win against the Orange.
“Our players want to be on a team that they say is a great team,” Doeren said. “It doesn’t matter who you play, you need to show up with an edge.”
That edge was there against Liberty, which was undefeated and ranked No. 21 at the time. The edge was there in the Wolfpack’s 38-22 win over Florida State on Nov. 14. And also there in their 44-41 loss to No. 11 Miami on Nov. 6. Against the Noles and Hurricanes, N.C. State came into the games with a sense of urgency and had a lot of energy, scoring on the opening drive of each of those games.
Syracuse, though, is the one ACC team the Wolfpack defeated last season and a team N.C. State has historically done well against and is 5-2 versus the Orange since Syracuse joined the ACC in 2013.
Doeren singled out Syracuse’s receivers after watching film. The Orange has four players — Taj Harris, Nykeim Johnson, Sean Tucker, Luke Benson — who average 14 yards per catch. They will be a solid matchup with the N.C. State secondary, including nickel Tyler Baker-Williams, who has averaged nine tackles per game in the last three contests.
The Wolfpack secondary will get help with the return of safety Tanner Ingle, who was disqualified in the first half versus Liberty for targeting. It also doesn’t help that the Orange is struggling while the Wolfpack has been competitive in a season when they have a chance to win eight games.
On paper, the game looks like an easy win for N.C. State, but Doeren knows it’s his job to make sure his team doesn’t approach the game like that.
“There’s a lot that should keep us on edge,” Doeren said. “And trust me I’m going to be all over these guys this week when it comes to that because I see a lot of stuff on film that we can do better. My job is to get my team to play to the best of their ability and in my opinion we have not done that yet.”
How to watch NC State football vs. Syracuse
Noon, Saturday on the ACC Network
Betting odds: NC State favored by two touchdowns
N.C. State is favored by 14.5 points. The over/under is xx.
Game notes: Orange and Wolfpack fast facts
▪ The Wolfpack is 11-2 all-time over the Orange.
▪ N.C. State has only lost once in Syracuse — their last trip to the Carrier Dome in 2018, 51-41. The two teams combined for 1,102 yards in that game.
▪ Dave Doeren’s first ever ACC victory was against Syracuse in 2014.
▪ Syracuse was the only ACC team the Wolfpack defeated in 2019.
▪ The Orange has picked off 11 passes and recovered eight fumbles this season.
▪ Wolfpack running back Bam Knight is averaging 5.57 yards per carry in his career. That’s the highest yards per carry average in school history for a player with more than 200 carries.
▪ N.C. State has won every game this season when they forced at least one turnover.
NC State at Syracuse
When: Noon, Saturday
Where: Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY
Watch: ACC Network
