North Carolina State Wolfpack vs Syracuse Orange Odds, Picks, Predictions (10/15/22)

You may not believe it, but NC State and Syracuse are a combined 10-1 this season. And it was the Wolfpack are the ones who suffered the lone defeat.

Syracuse has been a buzzsaw on offense behind their new scheme and re-invigorated quarterback Garrett Shrader. The Orange have wins over Louisville, Purdue, and Virginia already in the young season.

NC State’s lone loss came on the road against Clemson, so no foul there. They bounced back well with a two-point victory over Florida State.

This is a monster game with monster ACC ramifications. Who has the edge?

Let’s break it down. Read on for our North Carolina State Wolfpack vs Syracuse Orange Broncos odds, picks, and predictions.

North Carolina State Wolfpack vs Syracuse Orange Odds

This line opened at Syracuse -3.5 and has stuck at Syracuse -3.5. The line will likely stick at 3.5.

Most of the tickets are on NC State, but most of the money is coming in on the Orange. The books seem to be relatively balanced, so I wouldn’t expect the line to move much.

The money is coming in heavily on the under but the total has not budged from 44. Again, I expect this total to close at that number.

So, where does the value lie?

North Carolina State Wolfpack vs Syracuse Orange Prediction & Pick

Is Syracuse for real?

The Orange needed a miracle to beat a bad Purdue team. They needed a last-second field goal to beat a bad Virginia team. Louisville is a good win, but it was at home against a mercurial Cardinals squad.

The offense is amazing, and Shrader is incredible – he’s the 18th-ranked quarterback in FBS according to PFF. But the whole vibe of the team feels somewhat off.

The Wolfpack are for real. Wins over Florida State and Texas Tech are good. Their only loss is good. Being the only program to retain its head coach, offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator has worked wonders.

The defense has been particularly good. The defensive line is seventh in Line Yards and, behind the defensive line’s Havoc-created numbers, the Wolfpack are fifth in Pass Success Rate allowed.

The problem with the Wolfpack is on offense. They haven’t been incredible by any means and starting quarterback Devin Leary injured his shoulder late last week.

The timetable for his return is impossible to say.

Doeren says QB Devin Leary's shoulder injury will not require surgery. "Rehab-able injury and that starts today" but said "There isn't a timeline. It could be this week or it could be six weeks."

Says Leary "is tough & will grind" and says he won't answer any more Qs on injury.

— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) October 10, 2022

I’m going to assume Leary isn’t playing. If that’s the case, this NC State offense is in trouble.

I also believe that Syracuse’s offense is slightly overvalued and is finally running into a top-notch defense in the Wolfpack. I think this could be a rude awakening for Shrader and the Orange.

I’m expecting a Rock Fight in Syracuse this Saturday, and will happily bet the under at 44. I expect this number to drop.

North Carolina State Wolfpack vs Syracuse Orange Key Matchups

Key Matchup: Battle in the Trenches

Syracuse is excellent on the offensive line. But NC State is even better on the defensive line.

One of those lines is bound to break.

Meanwhile, NC State is not great on the offensive line. Syracuse is even worse on the defensive line.

Which one of those units will succeed on Saturday?

Good football teams are built from the inside out, and football games are won in the trenches. Keep a close eye on the point of attack in this game, because it’s a very intriguing matchup.