NC State vs. Syracuse Prediction, Game Preview

The NC State Wolfpack (6-4) entertain the Syracuse Orange (3-7), looking to bounce back from last week’s loss to Florida State. Check out the NC State vs. Syracuse prediction and game preview.

NC State vs. Syracuse Game Preview

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, November 21
Game Time: 12:30 ET
Venue: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, North Carolina
Network: ESPN3

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Why You Need To Care

NC State returns home for the first time since Halloween, looking for the victory that’ll secure a winning season. The Pack has been a rather predictable group in 2015; it beats the bad teams, while bowing to the decent ones. With 9-1 Carolina up next, State must handle fading Syracuse now to assure another finish above .500. Since starting 3-0, the Orange has gone in the tank, dropping its last seven games. The team has competed, such as last week against Clemson, but that might not be enough to save third-year head coach Scott Shafer.

Why Syracuse Will Win

Despite being eliminated from bowl contention, the Orange is still playing to the whistle for Shafer. Last week against a talented Clemson D, Syracuse rushed for 242 yards and three scores behind RB George Morris and backup QB Zack Mahoney. The Pack’s aggregate defensive numbers have largely been built against the softer teams on the schedule.

Why NC State Will Win

The curtain has been pulled back on the Syracuse defense during the team’s losing streak. The team that began the year with so much promise now ranks last in the ACC, struggling mightily against the run and the pass. The Pack will exploit the Orange with playmaking QB Jacoby Brissett, who can carry the team if necessary. No longer facing a defense the caliber of Florida State, Brissett should get more help from his skill guys, RB Dakwa Nichols and FB Jaylen Samuels.

Player Who Matters

It’s going to be a harrowing afternoon for whichever Syracuse quarterback gets the nod. DE Mike Rose fuels an underrated Wolfpack pass rush that’s largely responsible for the team’s 29 sacks and 73 total stops behind the line. If QB Eric Dungey is shelved for a second straight week, the Orange won’t have much luck completing passes as Mahoney attempts to dodge incoming traffic.

What’s Going To Happen?

Syracuse is a bad team, but far worse away from the Carrier Dome. And NC State, with its marked edge at quarterback and on defense, is eager to padlock a winning 2015 campaign. The Pack will harass the Orange backfield into opportunistic short-field opportunities that Brissett parlays into quick-strike points.