Coming off its first winning streak of the season, Syracuse (3-2, 0-1 Atlantic Coast) travels to Raleigh on Thursday to take on North Carolina State (3-2, 0-1) at 8 p.m. Aside from having identical records, both teams are also coming off their first idle weeks of the season, which SU head coach Dino Babers said came at a “good time” for each team.

While Syracuse is riding a two-game win streak and NC State most recently lost to Florida State, both teams have yet to win a game against a Power 5 opponent and currently sit in the middle of the pack in the ACC. They’re also in different spots at the quarterback position, as SU’s Tommy DeVito is healthy after getting banged up against Holy Cross while the Wolfpack just named Hutchinson Community College transfer Bailey Hockman their starter against the Orange.

Here’s what our beat writers predict will happen when Syracuse visits Carter-Finley Stadium in primetime on Thursday.

Eric Black (4-1)
Crying Wolf
Syracuse 30, North Carolina State 20

Thursday begins the heart of ACC play for the Orange, who finds itself at a crossroads as it nears the midway point of the season. Are they the team that was outscored 104-26 combined against Maryland and Clemson? Or are they the squad that flashed its offensive firepower in its last two games, wins over Western Michigan and Holy Cross? This is the time for SU to silence the critics it accumulated during its pair of losses, and I think it will. Not only is NC State starting an inexperienced quarterback against a Syracuse defense that’s been playing well, but SU’s counterpart, Tommy DeVito, is healthy and prepared after an idle week. I was surprised to see the Orange are underdogs for Thursday’s game, but I don’t think that’ll be a trend moving forward.

Andrew Graham (4-1)
‘He’s the starting quarterback. Next question.’
Syracuse 34, North Carolina State 31

Tommy DeVito is set to start after appearing to tweak his throwing arm late against Holy Cross more than a week ago. Between his abilities compared to North Carolina State’s Bailey Hockman and Syracuse’s defense’s propensity for sacks and turnovers, I have to give SU the slight edge. When pressed about why he kept DeVito in to the point he got hurt in a blowout, Babers took umbrage at the suggestion DeVito shouldn’t have been playing. Well, he’ll be playing Thursday opposite a redshirt sophomore making his first start for NC State and I’ll take that bet. This game is more or less a toss-up on paper, but give me DeVito and Dino Babers’ 2-0 record on Thursdays to stay perfect.

Josh Schafer (4-1)
Thrown to the wolves
North Carolina State 27, Syracuse 24

Through five games Syracuse has struggled to protect the quarterback. On Monday, Dino Babers, declined to provide any additional information on offensive lineman Sam Heckel, adding that the status of all the injured players from before the bye week would likely “stay the same.” With Heckel likely out again, Syracuse will face a North Carolina State defense which ranks 11th in the nation with 18 sacks. If the Wolfpack gets after Tommy DeVito it will be a long game for Syracuse in a night game on the road. 

Published on October 9, 2019 at 9:47 pm