NC State squeaked past Syracuse in an ugly 16-10 victory last Thursday. With the Wolfpack’s first Power Five victory of the year, NC State improved to 4-2 on the year and is now in the middle of the pack in the Atlantic at No. 3. Here are some takeaways from the game:
Bowl eligibility hopes still alive
After the loss to Florida State, NC State’s offense looked ineffective, and the defense not enough to win the team games. Fast forward to the Syracuse matchup, and both squads were looking to get their seasons back on track. With both teams struggling to replace talented quarterbacks, along with injuries chipping away at their defenses, Thursday was one of the most important games of the year for each team. It wasn’t pretty, but NC State gutted out a victory to remain perfect at home this season. Now, the rest of the schedule looks less daunting, with only two more wins, likely Georgia Tech and Boston College, being necessary to send the Wolfpack into the postseason.
Hockman a step above McKay, Leary impresses in short time
In his first start, redshirt sophomore Bailey Hockman went 16-27 for 205 yards and an interception. Hockman was willing to throw the deep ball, but had trouble when his first read wasn’t there. After the game, Hockman conceded there was room for improvement in his game, with his immediate concern being staying in the pocket. Redshirt freshman Devin Leary saw game action as well, throwing a great ball to redshirt sophomore Thayer Thomas for 23 yards. Leary hit freshman Keyon Lesane with a strike on a wheel route, but Lesane couldn’t haul it in. A holding penalty disrupted the drive, which ended on a bizarre third and 17 play that saw Leary holding onto the ball for way too long before slipping and being tackled as he finally released it. Leary wasn’t perfect, but he’ll continue to push for more game action.
Defense answers the bell
Going into the game, it was clear that Syracuse’s offensive line shouldn’t have presented much of a fight to stop NC State’s front, and game day made that abundantly clear. The Wolfpack got after Syracuse QB Tommy DeVito all night, forcing eight sacks and 11 tackles for loss. DeVito, who came into the game banged up, wanted no part of NC State’s physical play, intentionally grounding twice and giving himself up when scrambling rather than fighting for a first down. Of the first eight drives for the Orange, seven ended in punts, including four three-and-outs. It got so bad that at one point, head coach Dino Babers turned to the wildcat just so Syracuse could get a first down. It’s clear that despite injuries, this is one of the better defenses in the Atlantic.
Health at corner keeps taking hits
Junior cornerback Chris Ingram went down with an apparent leg injury just before halftime and didn’t return for the remainder of the game. With senior cornerback Nick McCloud still hurt and redshirt freshman Taiyon Palmer out for the year, NC State will be without their No. 1, No. 2, and No. 5 corners until McCloud and Ingram can return. NC State’s secondary seems to have improved this year, but no position group can take that many injuries.
Cary Angeline underutilized
Did redshirt junior tight end Cary Angeline kick somebody’s puppy? It seems he’s pissed off someone in NC State’s locker room, because time and time again, the 6-foot-7 pass-catcher was overlooked on Thursday, finishing with only two catches for 31 yards. Angeline is a matchup nightmare for most defenders and should be the best friend of NC State’s quarterbacks, given his massive catch radius. With his size and ability, Angeline should have a much bigger role in this offense than the one he’s currently given.
