Syracuse Orange at North Carolina Tar Heels

Syracuse visits North Carolina in ACC matchup

Syracuse (2-4) at North Carolina (4-2), Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

Opening Line: North Carolina by 9.5. Against the spread: North Carolina 4-2, Syracuse 3-3.

How to watch: ACC Network

Key stats

North Carolina Offense

Overall: 329.7 yards per game (117th in FBS)

Passing: 213.5 yards per game (89th)

Rushing: 116.2 yards per game (120th)

Scoring: 23.5 points per game (99th)

North Carolina Defense

Overall: 359.0 yards per game (75th in FBS)

Passing: 211.7 yards per game (69th)

Rushing: 147.3 yards per game (80th)

Scoring: 19.2 points per game (34th)

Syracuse Offense

Overall: 449.7 yards per game (29th in FBS)

Passing: 291.0 yards per game (12th)

Rushing: 158.7 yards per game (66th)

Scoring: 31.7 points per game (52nd)

Syracuse Defense

Overall: 331.3 yards per game (46th in FBS)

Passing: 191.8 yards per game (43rd)

Rushing: 139.5 yards per game (64th)

Scoring: 25.7 points per game (88th)

North Carolina is 113th in defensive third down percentage, allowing opponents to convert 43.3% of the time. Syracuse ranks 60th on offense, converting on 41.8% of third downs.

Syracuse ranks 138th in the FBS averaging 98.0 penalty yards per game, compared to North Carolina's 5th-ranked 33.7 per-game average.

Syracuse is 111th in FBS in red zone offense, scoring on 78.1% of trips. North Carolina's red zone defense ranks 22nd at 73.7%.

North Carolina ranks 130th in the FBS with an average time of possession of 27:00, compared to Syracuse's 5th-ranked average of 33:59.

Team leaders

North Carolina

Passing: Billy Edwards Jr., 1,259 yards, 9 TDs, 5 INTs, 59.9 completion percentage

Rushing: Benjamin Hall, 283 yards on 57 carries, 0 TDs

Receiving: Jordan Shipp, 441 yards on 33 catches, 1 TD

Syracuse

Passing: Steve Angeli, 730 yards, 4 TDs, 5 INTs, 55.3 completion percentage

Rushing: Tylik Hill, 431 yards on 80 carries, 1 TD

Receiving: Umari Hatcher, 784 yards on 50 catches, 7 TDs

Last game

North Carolina won 24-20 over Duke on Oct. 17. Edwards led North Carolina with 191 yards on 15-of-25 passing (60.0%) for one touchdown and no interceptions. He also carried the ball nine times for 20 yards. Jaylen McGill carried the ball 12 times for 75 yards and scored one touchdown. Shipp recorded 75 yards on seven catches with one touchdown.

Syracuse lost 34-26 to Louisville on Oct. 17. Malachi Nelson led Syracuse with 315 yards on 26-of-39 passing (66.7%) for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Ahmad Miller had 123 rushing yards on 18 carries and one touchdown, adding one reception for seven yards. Hatcher recorded 224 yards on 13 catches with one touchdown.

Next game

North Carolina hosts No. 1 Miami (FL) on Oct. 31. Syracuse hosts No. 23 SMU on Oct. 31.

Matchup Prediction