Next Up for NC State: A Confident Miami After Syracuse Win

RALEIGH — After getting a signature win over a ranked Georgia Tech team, NC State enjoyed an open date and watched all three of its remaining opponents in action on Saturday.

The upcoming member of that bunch, the No. 18 Miami Hurricanes, got their season back on track with a dominant 38-10 win over the lowly Syracuse Orange.

Miami had lost two of its previous three games and looked to be far outside the race for an ACC Championship game berth, but after a chaotic weekend in the conference, Mario Cristobal's team might be back in the hunt. That status will make next week's matchup with the Wolfpack far more important for Miami, while NC State has a chance to play spoiler once again.

How Did Miami Look?

In Miami's pair of losses, Georgia transfer quarterback Carson Beck was a major reason for the defeats. The veteran threw a combined six interceptions in the two losses and fell back into the turnover-heavy tendency he suffered from in his final year with the Bulldogs. The ugly stretch ended his dreams for a Heisman Trophy, but Miami's Playoff chances remained.

Beck bounced back nicely against the Orange, one of the worst teams in the highly unpredictable 2025 ACC. He threw for 247 yards and a touchdown. He was accurate, completing 75% of his pass attempts.

Nov 8, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Rickie Collins (10) is sacked by Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Romance-Imagn Images | Jeff Romance-Imagn Images

The major issue for NC State that stemmed from the Hurricanes' resurgent victory was the reemergence of Miami's defense. The unit, loaded with NFL-level talent, returned to form after a difficult stretch. The Hurricanes combined for seven sacks and returned an interception for a touchdown.

Miami's defensive line regained some confidence in the win. The Wolfpack took down a weak Georgia Tech defense without each of its starting guards. That might not be a recipe for success against the like of Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor on the Hurricane defensive line. Those two combined for 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble against Syracuse.

While the win certainly helped the confidence of a reeling Miami team, it still came against a Syracuse program that lost to North Carolina in its own stadium a week prior. Miami gained just 385 yards of total offense and failed to score in the first quarter. In the end, Cristobal's team did the bare minimum to get a win by a large margin.

The Wolfpack won't be a pushover in the same way Syracuse was. Sophomore quarterback CJ Bailey is hungry for another upset win, this time in front of his family and friends in his South Florida homeland.

Want more NC State football content during the 2025 season? Follow on X (Twitter) @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker and never miss another breaking news story again. Want to reach out with questions about the Wolfpack? Send an email to wolfpackonsi@gmail.com to potentially be featured on mailbag stories in the future.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.