The NC State football team travels to New York this weekend to take on Syracuse in the Carrier Dome Saturday.
The Wolfpack (4-5, 1-4 ACC) will look to get things back on track following a tough past few weeks in which it has lost four games straight, with three of them being decided by seven points or less. Meanwhile, the Orange (4-5, 2-3 ACC) is coming off a humiliating 54-0 loss to No. 2 Clemson, and will look also look to regroup. Both teams have endured up-and-down seasons and are seeking the six wins necessary to be considered bowl eligible.
“It’s very frustrating, we go through each week and we’ve been losing by three, four points, seven points, and it’s just one play [that made the difference],” junior guard Tony Adams said in a press conference held by NC State Athletics Monday. “We’ve just got to keep moving forward and not look back. We’re at Syracuse now, we’ve just got to execute each play to the best of our ability.”
As the Pack enters this final stretch, the margin of error for bowl eligibility is slim with only three remaining games, two of which are away including the final game of the season against No. 17 North Carolina. If the team can earn a road win this weekend, it should take some of the pressure off its shoulders leading into its final home game against Miami on Nov. 19.
Earning a win will not come easy though. The Orange boasts one of the most up-tempo offenses in college football, ranking in the top 10 in terms of average plays per game.
“Syracuse runs an innovative offense, coach [Dino] Babers is a really good offensive football coach,” head coach Dave Doeren said in the same press conference. “He’s got a talented stable of receivers to throw the ball to, and No. 7 [Amba] Etta-Tawo has over 1,000 yards receiving, [and] is averaging 15 yards per catch with seven touchdowns.”
Doeren also complimented the efficient play of Syracuse’s starting quarterback, sophomore Eric Dungey, saying that he understands the offense well and does a good job of using his feet as he is second on the team in rushing yards.
Dungey was injured last week in the Clemson game, and his status for Saturday is still uncertain. Whether Dungey plays, or one or more of the backups sees time, could have a significant factor in the outcome. But Doeren said that the team is preparing for either eventuality.
Regardless of who lines up under the center for Orange, the receiving corps should be a good challenge for the Wolfpack’s linebackers and secondary. The defense has been a strength for the Pack so far this season, especially in stopping the ground game, but at times the pass defense has struggled.
“The linebackers, the nickels, the corners, the safeties and even the D-linemen at times, when we’re dropping people, have to understand formations and be able to matchup [against] routes,” Doeren said. “They’re going to complete passes, they’re averaging almost 100 plays a game, and they’re throwing it 60 to 70 times, so we’ve just got to tackle well, force turnovers and keep it in front of us.”
As for the Wolfpack offense, it will need to execute properly as well and continue to play at a high level. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Ryan Finley has thrown for over 300 yards in the past two contests, but this week will be another tough test.
“Defensively, they blitz a lot,” Doeren said. “There’s a lot of movement, they do play different coverages within it, cover two, cover three, cover one, but there’s a ton of movement and pressure.”
Doeren noted that what the Orange lacks in size it makes up for in quickness. He also praised Syracuse’s linebacking corps, specifically mentioning juniors Zaire Franklin and Parris Bennett and their ability to disrupt plays in the backfield and force turnovers.
The Pack offense will need to take care of the football, play smart and maintain a balanced offense by having success in the running game.
Last week, senior tailback Matt Dayes recorded his first 100-yard rushing game since NC State’s loss to Clemson Oct. 15. He is now a mere 169 yards away from being the first Wolfpack player in 14 seasons to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Not only is that a big milestone for Dayes and his team, but more importantly, if he can manage to break the record against Syracuse, it could result in a win.
“I think Syracuse lets up around 200 yards rushing a game, so we definitely know that Matt Dayes can get at least 169 [yards],” Adams said. “We’re definitely going to make that an emphasis this week, [and] let him get it.”
According to Doeren, individual milestones are not very important in comparison to the ultimate goal of winning games, but Dayes’ success is a key component to the success of the team. Despite the many disappointments Wolfpack fans have endured this season, the team can still salvage it if it can forget the past, get back on track and notch a win against Syracuse to get one step closer to bowl eligibility.
Senior running back Matt Dayes gets tripped up after a big gain. Dayes looked to be back to his old self with 104 yards rushing as well as another 27 through the air. The Wolfpack played hard, outscoring Florida State in nearly every category, but fell 24-20 on Saturday Nov. 5 in Carter-Finley Stadium.
