Preview: Syracuse at NC State

Syracuse (2-2, 0-0 ACC) vs. NC State (3-1, 1-0 ACC)
Game Details: Saturday, Sept. 30 | 12:20 p.m.
Location: Carter-Finley Stadium | Raleigh, N.C.
Game Links: Tickets | Listen | Watch | Live Stats
Television: ACC Network
Radio: Syracuse IMG Radio Network
Twitter: @CuseFootball | @Cuse
Syracuse Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats | Notes
NC State Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats | Notes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse (2-2, 0-0 ACC) opens conference play against Atlantic Division rival NC State (3-1, 1-0 ACC) on Saturday, Sept. 30. Kickoff is set for 12:20 p.m. on the ACC Network. Syracuse graduate Tom Werme and former NFL quarterbacks Dave Archer and D.J. Shockley have the call.

The Orange narrowly missed in their upset bid of LSU last weekend, falling on the road 35-26. Senior linebacker Parris Bennett was named the ACC's Linebacker of the Week for his performance at LSU. Bennett tallied a season-high 12 tackles, including three for a loss, one pass breakup and a safety.

Senior wide receiver Steve Ishmael eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark for the fourth consecutive outing, tallying 11 receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown against LSU. He is just one of three Orange players in program history to post at least four straight 100-yard receiving games (Amba Etta-Tawo and Marcus Sales are the others). Ishmael leads the nation in receptions per game (11.3) and total catches (45). On Tuesday, Ishmael joined classmate Ervin Philips on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List. The honor goes to the top receiver in college football, regardless of position.

ORANGE IN LEAGUE OPENERS
Syracuse owns a 14-12 overall record in conference openers. As a member of the BIG EAST, the Orange were 13-9 in their league openers. Since joining the ACC, Syracuse is 1-3 in league starters.

Saturday marks the first time that the team will begin conference play away from the friendly confines of the Carrier Dome since 2010. The program owns a 5-2 overall mark in away conference openers. Syracuse has won its past two away conference starters, defeating Louisville in 2007 and USF in 2010. Its last loss in a road league opener came on Oct. 11, 2003 at Virginia Tech (51-7).

SYRACUSE PARTICIPATING IN COACH TO CURE MD PROGRAM
The Syracuse coaching staff will show its support for the Coach to Cure MD program on Saturday. Orange coaches and other American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) members around the country are wearing Coach to Cure MD logo patches on their left arm this weekend to raise awareness of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Last year, more than 11,000 college coaches at 620 institutions participated in Coach to Cure MD events. The program, now in its 10th year, has raised just over $1.5M in the fight against this disease.

Football fans can donate to Duchenne muscular dystrophy research by going online to www.CoachtoCureMD.org or by texting the word CURE to 50555 to make a $10 donation in honor of this year's anniversary.

APPROACHING 1,000
Dungey is 123 yards shy of 1,000 career-rushing yards. When he reaches the plateau, Dungey will be the sixth Orange signal-caller to hit the milestone, joining Bill Hurley (2,551 yards), Donovan McNabb (1,561), Don McPherson (1,251), Walley Mahle (1,150) and Dave Warner (1,139).

THREE-AND-OUT
Syracuse currently leads the nation in defensive three-and-outs per game. The Orange are averaging 7.75 three-and-outs per contest, through the first four games of the season. The club has forced opponents to go three-and-out on more than half their drives (.508, 31-61).

SCOUTING THE WOLFPACK
NC State is in its fifth season under head coach Dave Doeren. In his five seasons at the helm of the Wolfpack football program, NC State owns a 28-27 overall record and has reached three straight bowl games.

NC State comes into Saturday's matchup with a 3-1 overall record and a 1-0 mark in conference competition. The Wolfpack are on the cusp of being ranked in both the Associated Press and coaches' polls, receiving the most votes among non-top 25 teams in the AP rankings after beating Florida State on the road last week.

The team possess one of the most potent passing attacks in the nation, currently ranking second in the ACC and 15th in the country in passing offense at 314.8 yards through the air per contest. More impressively, the Wolfpack lead the conference and rank sixth in the FBS in completion percentage (.742) and are one of six teams not to throw an interception this season.

Quarterback Ryan Finley owns a streak of 224 attempts without an interception, the longest in the nation. Finley is 118-of-159 for 1,217 yards with eight touchdowns. All-purpose back Jaylen Samuels is third nationally in receptions per game (9.5). He has seven combined rushing and receiving touchdowns this year and is NC State's top pass-catcher with 38 receptions. Running back Nyheim Hines is NC State's top rusher with 296 yards and two touchdowns. He's also dynamic as a return man. Hines tops the Wolpack all-purpose yardage list with 619 in four games (154.8 avg.).

Senior defensive end Bradley Chubb paces an NC State defense that ranks second in the ACC and 11th in the country against the run. The Wolfpack are holding opponents to 92.3 yards per game on the ground. Chubb leads the conference and ranks seventh nationally in tackles for loss, averaging 1.9 per outing. He posted seven tackles, including three for a loss and two sacks, last weekend against the Seminoles.

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's matchup is the 11th between Syracuse and NC State. The Wolfpack own a 9-1 advantage in the all-time series and have won the past three meetings. Since the Orange joined the ACC, NC State touts a 3-1 overall mark against the Orange.

In the last meeting, NC State scored 14 straight points to close out a 35-20 victory on Nov. 12, 2016 at the Carrier Dome. Wolfpack running back Matthew Dayes ran for three scores on the day, while Orange wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo hauled in four catches for 88 yards, including an 81-yard touchdown reception.

Syracuse's lone victory in the series came on Oct. 12, 2013, when it scored a 24-10 win at Carter-Finley Stadium. It marked the Orange's first league win as a member of the ACC. Syracuse rushed for 362 yards in the victory. Running back Jerome Smith had 19 carries for 140 yards, while running back Prince-Tyson Gulley finished with nine attempts for 132 yards.

UP NEXT
Syracuse returns to the Carrier Dome on Saturday, Oct. 7 to face longtime rival Pittsburgh during Homecoming/Orange Central Weekend. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.Tickets for the Pitt game start at $35 and are available online (Cuse.com/tickets), by phone (888-DOME-TIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B).

Parking permits are also available and can be purchased online by clicking here. Permits will be sold up through Friday, Oct. 6. The deadline to buy parking permits to have them shipped was Wednesday, Sept. 27. Permits purchased after Sept. 27 can be picked up at the Carrier Dome Box Office.

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Syracuse University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Parris Bennett

Amba Etta-Tawo

Steve Ishmael

Ervin Philips

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