Syracuse @ North Carolina State preview

North Carolina State might have graduate transfer Brandon Mitchell back at quarterback when the injury-plagued Wolfpack hosts Syracuse on Saturday. Mitchell has missed four games with a broken bone in his foot but returned to practice this week. "There's a chance," Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said during Wednesday's teleconference. "He was out in pads this morning. He's throwing the ball every day and getting more and more comfortable with side-to-side and straight-ahead movements."

Syracuse has never beaten North Carolina State in six meetings and both are trying to get their first ACC win. Sophomore quarterback Terrel Hunt helped the Orange score 50-plus points in back-to-back nonconference wins but struggled a 49-14 loss to No. 4 Clemson last week. "He played a couple of games lights-out and this one struggled a little bit," coach Scott Shafer told the media Tuesday.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ACC Regional Sports Network, ESPN3. LINE: North Carolina State -6.5.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (2-3, 0-1 ACC): Hunt, who replaced senior Drew Allen during a win against Wagner on Sept. 14, went 33-of-43 for 468 yards and seven touchdowns before throwing three interceptions during an 8-of-24 performance against Clemson. Junior running back Jerome Smith has seven rushing touchdowns and one receiving and is tied with Miami's Dallas Crawford for most touchdowns in the ACC. Senior cornerback Keon Lyn will miss the rest of the season with a lower-body injury and junior Brandon Reddish is listed to start in his place.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (3-2, 0-2): The Wolfpack were missing several offensive starters in last week's 28-13 loss to Wake Forest but expect freshman tailback Matt Dayes (ankle) and freshman receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (hamstring) to play against Syracuse. The status for senior receiver Rashard Smith (knee) is unknown and senior left guard Rob Crisp (concussion) will miss his fourth straight game. North Carolina State has used both junior Pete Thomas (100-of-157 for 1,163 yards and two touchdowns) and freshman Bryant Shirreffs (3-of-3 for 19 yards and 126 rushing yards) at quarterback since Mitchell's injury early in the season opener.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Syracuse has not lost a fumble in 356 offensive snaps and is tied with 16 schools with just one fumble lost this season.

2. North Carolina State junior wideout Bryan Underwood has 20 catches for 247 yards in his last three games after catching just four passes for 21 yards in the first two games.

3. North Carolina State linemen Quinton Schooley and Joe Thuney have played every offensive snap this season and the offensive line unit did not sub during the Clemson or Wake Forest games.

PREDICTION: North Carolina State 24, Syracuse 20