Syracuse (2-2) begins conference play Saturday at North Carolina State (3-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) at 12:20 p.m. in Raleigh. The Orange is coming off a win over Central Michigan two weeks ago and a loss at then-No. 25 LSU last Saturday. The Wolfpack, meanwhile, have won three straight, including an upset at then-No. 12 Florida State.

How can you watch the game? The contest will air on ACC Network Extra.

What’s to know about the Wolfpack? They’re not ranked, but they are coming off an upset win at then-No.12 Florida State and nearly broke into this week’s AP Top 25. Here’s a scouting report of NCSU.

Who’s out? Syracuse’s defensive end Kendall Coleman is questionable and offensive lineman Cody Conway is probable. Read the full breakdown here.

Should Conway have to sit out, right guard Evan Adams will play an integral role in helping the SU offensive line stop the NC State front seven.

How can Syracuse beat NCSU? Slow down the Wolfpack’s top-tier pass rush, which is led by Bradley Chubb.

What else is there to know about the Wolfpack? We spoke with Raleigh News & Observer reporter Joe Giglio, who covers NCSU and provided some insight ahead of Saturday’s matchup.

Who is the heartbeat of Syracuse? This week, Dino Babers said SU’s heartbeat on defense is Zaire Franklin, who is the first three-time captain at Syracuse in more than 100 years.

Who leads the country in catches? That’d be Syracuse senior receiver Steve Ishmael, who was added to the Biletnikoff Award watchlist last week. He leads the country in receptions (45) and receptions per game (11.3).

Who’s SU’s best defensive player right now? Senior linebacker Parris Bennett, who was named ACC Linebacker of the Week. Bennett recorded a season-high 12 tackles against LSU, including a career-best three for a loss. He was also credited for a safety, pass breakup and quarterback hurry.

Published on September 29, 2017 at 11:46 am

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