RALEIGH — There’s still a chance.
But it’s slim, and won’t be there without victory in the final two games.
No. 25 N.C. State keeps pursuing the Atlantic Division title on Saturday when it hosts Syracuse at 4 p.m. The Wolfpack missed a chance to take control of the division losing last week at No. 13 Wake Forest in a matchup of the division’s top two teams.
Carolina comes to Carter-Finley Stadium next week.
State, 12-2 all-time against Syracuse and 6-1 at home, not only must win two, it needs the Demon Deacons to lose their last two games. State is 7-3, 4-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference; the Orange are 5-5, 2-4, respectively.
“I’m not going to wish ill will for anybody,” Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said. “I’m going to cheer for us. And cheering for us means we want everyone to lose that needs to lose. I have to focus on what we control on this side of it.
“Lord knows, we’ve had enough bad luck throughout the years. It would be great to have a little good luck down the stretch here.”
Syracuse is one victory shy of reaching bowl eligibility. Louisville beat the Orange 41-3 last week and held Syracuse’s potent run game to nearly 100 yards below its average.
The setback came after the Orange had a week off.
The Orange will face a defense that leads the ACC against the run, allowing just over 100 yards per game. Syracuse is the conference rushing leader, averaging 236.7, and tailback Sean Tucker is ranked second nationally with an average of 136.2.
Both State and Wake Forest repeatedly had players go down with injuries last week, leading to players shuffling in and out of the lineup. The list included defensive lineman Daniel Joseph going down multiple times with various issues, while running back Zonovan Knight — who had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown — limped off with an apparent injury to his right leg.
The defense has already lost multiple starters to season-ending injuries, including all-ACC linebacker Payton Wilson.
“We’re using some industrial duct tape right now and they’re playing with a lot of heart,” Doeren said.
Tucker enters the game with 1,362 yards rushing and needs just 11 yards to break the school record set by Joe Morris in 1979. Tucker was held to 95 yards on 19 carries by the Cardinals, which snapped his seven-game streak of 100-yard games.
“We’re just trying to put that behind us. Moving on,” Tucker said. “We’ve got two more games to win. Getting a win as soon as possible would definitely take (pressure) off. Either way, we definitely hope to win out.”
State has a chance to finish with 10 wins for only the second time in program history.
“I think we’re very like confident in ourselves to finish out the way we’re supposed to,” receiver Thayer Thomas said. “And then also, we know we still have a chance in this thing. We’ve just got to do our part and then hope and pray.”