NC State (5-1, 2-1 ACC) travels to Syracuse (5-2, 2-2 ACC) this Saturday after getting demolished 41-7 at Clemson. The Orange is undefeated in the Carrier Dome this season, thanks to a balanced offense that leads the ACC in scoring with 42.6 points per game.
Let’s take a look at how the Wolfpack’s defense matches up against the Orange offense:
Syracuse QBs vs NC State Defense
Syracuse head coach Dino Babers is in the same position Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was earlier this season, stuck choosing between a senior leader who has the respect of the locker room in Eric Dungey, and the more talented redshirt freshman in Tommy DeVito. Babers has Dungey listed at the starter this week, but DeVito will surely see the field after his impressive showing last week, taking over for a struggling Dungey in the fourth quarter to lead Syracuse to a 40-37 victory in double overtime.
Dungey is a solid player. His strongest asset is his running ability, leading the team with 477 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground this year. In order to stop the senior, the Wolfpack must limit his ability to leave the pocket either on designed runs or scrambles. Just like how Virginia’s Bryce Perkins was contained and forced to try and beat the Pack through the air, Dungey will have to showcase his arm on Saturday.
DeVito, on the other hand, has arm talent that you just can’t teach. Though he’s athletic, DeVito rarely exits the pocket. When he’s in the game, pressure must be applied. Short passes can be lived with, but the deep balls DeVito excels at have to be curtailed.
Syracuse Offensive Line and Running Backs vs NC State Front Seven
Syracuse has a stable of running backs led by junior Moe Neal. The 5-foot-11, 191-pound back is small but quick, always a threat to turn a 5-yard gain into a 20-yard gasher. Senior Dontae Strickland is change of pace back, a bruising rusher. Strickland has five touchdowns on the year on only 53 attempts. The Orange’s offensive line excels at opening holes during rush plays, a large part of why Syracuse ranks fifth in the ACC with 212.9 rush yards per game. In pass protection, the O-line is less impressive, allowing 2.14 sacks per game.
NC State’s defensive line and linebackers have been dominant this year, holding teams to only 104.7 rushing yards per game, ninth-best in the country. The x-factors on the defensive line are redshirt juniors defensive end James Smith-Williams and defensive tackle Larrell Murchison, who have a combined seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss this season. They’ll have their hands full trying to get after the quarterback as well as stuffing the run. At the linebacker position, graduate Germaine Pratt has emerged as a legitimate early-round NFL draft prospect. Pratt is second on the team with three sacks, and his 9.5 tackles per game is leading the ACC. Pratt will have to be on his A-game as the primary tackler for the Pack.
Syracuse Wide Receivers and Tight End vs NC State Secondary
The Orange runs three wide receivers with a tight end that often lines up in the backfield. Senior tight end Ravian Pierce doesn’t catch many balls, but he’s a definite red-zone threat. Junior slot receiver Sean Riley catches a lot of short passes, which are the basis of Syracuse’s offense. Redshirt senior Jamal Custis is the deep threat, his average catch going for over 18 yards. The 6-foot-5 receiver leads the Orange in receiving yards by a large margin with 592, 268 more than the next closest wideout. Junior receiver Devin Butler rounds out the trio.
Riley and Custis are the two receivers that will cause headaches for NC State’s secondary. After getting picked on by Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, cornerbacks junior Nick McCloud and sophomore Chris Ingram will have something to prove on Saturday. McCloud will draw Custis, but he won’t be able to check him on his own. Expect a lot of safety help for him, especially when DeVito enters the game, as Custis is DeVito’s favorite target. Freshman nickelback Tanner Ingle for NC State, will have the pleasure of taking Riley. Ingle has struggled in coverage, and that’s a weakness teams are looking to exploit. If he struggles, don’t be surprised if his backup Stephen Griffin takes over for him early on.
Keys to the Game
In order for the Wolfpack to disrupt the Orange offense, the defensive line must contain Dungey in the pocket, and get pressure on DeVito. Pratt will have to continue his run as NC State’s best defensive player. In the secondary, McCloud will have to be physical against a bigger receiver and win his matchup against Custis and finally, either Ingle or Griffin must prove NC State has a nickel corner that can cover.
