After a deflating loss last week to Wake Forest, NC State football rounds out its home stand against the Syracuse Orange on Saturday.
This weekend’s matchup between the Wolfpack and the Orange will mark the 17th in the series with NC State commanding a 13-3 advantage. The two teams have not met since Syracuse stifled the NC State offense in a 24-9 loss in 2022.
One of the most surprising teams in the ACC, the Syracuse Orange have got off to a strong start in 2024. Starting 4-1, it has looked like a strong contender for the ACC title under first-year head coach Fran Brown. Having not won more than seven games in a season since 2018, Brown and the Orange look well-positioned to top that total this season.
Led by transfer quarterback Kyle McCord, the Orange finds itself as one of the statistically best offenses in college football. Syracuse averages 478.6 yards of total offense per game, including 369 yards through the air, which stands as the third best mark in the FBS. Largely responsible for this group’s success, McCord has thrown for 1,814 yards and 17 touchdowns, both marks that rank among the best in the country.
McCord is complimented by a strong receiving corps that boasts three individuals who each have at least 300 receiving yards so far. This group is headlined by wide receiver Trebor Pena who leads the team with 383 yards and five touchdowns. Pena is joined by Oronde Gadsden II and Jackson Meeks, who have combined for 702 yards and six scores.
This unit has been instrumental in each of the Orange’s wins so far this season, with the most recent being a road upset of then-No. 25 UNLV. In an overtime thriller, McCord threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns. Gadsden helped by putting forth a season-high 142 receiving yards.
Putting up over 300 yards in each of the first five games of the season, McCord has helped Syracuse secure a strong win over then-No. 25 UNLV as well as over then-No. 23 Georgia Tech. This should prove to be an exceptional test for an NC State defense that has allowed an average of 216.7 yards through the air each game. Forcing at least one interception in four of their six games so far, NC State has shown a consistent ability to disrupt opposing quarterbacks. This week will undoubtedly be the biggest test for the NC State passing defense yet.
One potential advantage for NC State will come in defending against the run. After allowing 161 total yards on the ground and two scores on the ground last week, the Pack now allows a staggering 160.3 rushing yards on the ground per game. It will face off against a Syracuse rushing attack that only averages 109.3 yards on the ground per game. It is anchored by running back LeQuint Allen, who leads the team with 358 rushing yards.
On the other side of the ball, the NC State offense will look to rebound after a performance last week that went from promising to frustrating. With graduate quarterback Grayson McCall suffering a devastating injury, freshman signal-caller CJ Bailey is undoubtedly the lead man under center for the matchup against Syracuse. Last week, he threw for a career-high 272 yards to go with two scores. Despite throwing a game-ending interception, Bailey looked in control in the pocket as he distributed the ball effectively with four receivers each amassing at least 40 yards.
Bailey and the offense will face off against a Syracuse team that allows a solid mark of 209.2 yards per game in the air. The Orange has forced at least one interception in four of its five contests and have not allowed an opposing passing attack to collect more than 300 yards. The Pack should take notice of defensive back Clarence Lewis, who has one interception on the season to go with five pass breakups.
Finally, NC State will look to improve upon its rushing game, which currently averages only 123 rushing yards per game which ranks 13th best in the conference. Not having produced a 100-yard rusher in a contest since week one, NC State has looked stagnant in the backfield. Despite the unit’s collective struggles, sophomore running back Kendrick Raphael has taken great strides over the last month as he currently leads the team with 251 yards and three scores.
The Pack will face a Syracuse squad that allows an average of 136.6 rushing yards. The unit is anchored by linebacker Derek McDonald and defensive back Justin Barron, who have 35 and 33 total tackles on the year, respectively. The unit is fresh off a game against UNLV in which it allowed 127 yards on the ground. This is a steady improvement since allowing a staggering 262 yards on the ground to Ohio in week one.
NC State will look to get back in the win column and secure its first ACC win against the Syracuse Orange on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. and will be televised on ACC Network.
