Boston College and ACC Football Week 10: How We Did

Nov 1, 2014; Syracuse, NY, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack running back Shadrach Thornton (10) is lifted in the endzone after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a game against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome. North Carolina State won the game 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

ACC Football Week 10: The ‘Cuse Is Juiced

For the NC State Wolfpack, Dave Doeren’s long nightmare is over – he finally has an ACC win after 13 attempts.

For the Syracuse Orange, who knows how much longer their nightmare under Scott Shafer will continue, and one wonders what sorts of unspeakable horrors he muttered at the press conference. It might have gone something like:

"“You know, I have a great freakin’ job, but the Lindbergh Baby? He never came home. When crap like that goes on in the world, I have a sweet deal, and you’re all wasting your time complaining about flying, dead pigs. Any of you could have turned out like him. Get some perspective, will ya?”"

Anyway, it turned out to be a difficult game to follow from a quality-of-play perspective, at least in the first half, but the turning point of the contest was actually an exciting play: an 82-yard pick six in the third quarter by NC State’s Pharoah McKever off of A.J. Long, following by a two-point conversion.

Syracuse had a chance at the end down seven, recovering the onside kick with only 17 seconds to go, but their Hail Mary failed via interception and that, as they say, was that.

After losing four in a row, NC State has a chance to become bowl-eligible if they can, say, beat Wake Forest in two weeks. Meanwhile, Syracuse is basically done at 3-6, needing to run the table to even have a chance. All three of their remaining games – Duke, Pitt, and Boston College – will be difficult.

Though, let’s be honest, Syracuse hasn’t looked good at any point this season unless the other team plays their home games in Winston-Salem, NC or Mount Pleasant, MI.