Poor quarterback play has been N.C. State’s Achilles heel this season, and three different pivots could potentially start for the Wolfpack on Thursday when they host the Syracuse Orange for a nationally televised showdown. Both teams are off to 0-1 starts in ACC play.
- Syracuse Orange vs North Carolina State Wolfpack (Matchup Report)
- Date/Time: October 10, 8 p.m. ET
- TV Coverage: ESPN
- Sportsbook Odds: North Carolina State -3 | O/U 56.5 (Line History)
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
N.C. State opened as a 3-point favorite at home, marking the sixth time in the last seven meetings that the Wolfpack are laying points against the Orange. Early support has come in on the hosts, prompting some books to move the line to -3.5 by Sunday night.
Syracuse News & Notes
Both Syracuse and N.C. State are coming off a bye week, but you could easily make the argument that a week off benefited the Orange the most.
Quarterback Tommy DeVito has had some time to recover from an upper-body injury that forced him out of a 41-3 win over Holy Cross two weeks ago, and the sophomore expects to be back for this one. But the biggest upside may come on the defensive side of the ball, where Syracuse could potentially return three starters from injury: defensive backs Andre Cisco and Ifeatu Melifonwu (both of whom have been nursing lower-body ailments) and senior defensive tackle McKinley Williams (foot).
“I think we needed it a lot,” DeVito said of the bye. “It comes at the perfect time, honestly, especially with a Thursday game coming up.”
North Carolina State News & Notes
N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren has done some of his best work during bye weeks. Since Doeren came to Raleigh in 2013, the Wolfpack have gone 6-0 ATS in games following a bye, part of a 17-3 ATS run in that situation that dates all the way back to 2001.
But even a week off hasn’t been enough for Doeren to decide who will be under center. Sportsbook-day starter Matt McKay was pulled in the Wolfpack’s last game, a 31-13 loss at Florida State, after completing just three of his first seven passes for 20 yards. Sophomore four-star recruit Bailey Hockman came in and moved the ball well, completing 21 of 40 for 208 yards and a touchdown, but then injured his knee on N.C. State’s final series. Devin Leary finished up, making good on four of five passes for 54 yards and impressing his coach in the limited opportunity. “He looked great,” Doeren said. “I’m proud of him.”
Betting Pick: Syracuse ATS
The Orange have covered 10 of their last 14 visits to enemy territory, and Syracuse at least knows which quarterback gives it the best chance to win.
- Syracuse is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games on the road.
- N.C. State is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home.
- The total has gone UNDER in 18 of N.C. State’s last 22 games vs the ACC.
