Thursday Night Under the Carter-Finley Stadium Lights

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	NC State (3-2, 0-1) vs. Syracuse (3-2, 0-1)
Date	Thursday, Oct. 10
Time	8 p.m.
Location	Raleigh, N.C.
Stadium	Carter-Finley Stadium \| A to Z Stadium Guide
TV	ESPN
Streaming	WatchESPN
Radio in NC	Wolfpack Sports Network
National Radio	Tunein, Sirius 137, XM 193
Live Stats	GoPack.com
Social Media	Twitter: @PackFootball \| Instagram: PackFootball

RALEIGH, N.C. – There is just something electric about playing under the Carter-Finley Stadium lights on a Thursday night in front of a national TV audience. The Pack (3-2, 0-1 ACC) hopes for more of the same home crowd magic when it entertains Syracuse (3-2, 0-1) this Thursday at 8 p.m.

The game will be televised on ESPN, and NC State will be holding its annual Military Appreciation Day.

With identical records, the two Atlantic Division foes reach the halfway point of the season with more question marks than answers. Meaning this matchup could be pivotal in determining the direction of their respective campaigns.

Both the Orange and Pack hope to be better versions of themselves following open dates.

"It was a good time for us to have a bye week, obviously," said NC State head coach Dave Doeren. "After five games, there was a lot of information for us to study and an opportunity for the coaches and players to digest a lot of film without a game at the end of it. We had some good practices."

Doeren's desire was also to get healthier during the open date, something that did not materialize. Tailback Ricky Person, Jr. and starting right tackle Justin Witt have been added to a lengthy injury list and will not be available on Thursday. It was announced that redshirt freshman corner Taiyon Palmer will also miss the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury at Florida State back on September 28th.

"The challenging part of that is the chemistry of the guys that play; you don't have the same 11 in and out all the time," Doeren said. "I think you either fight or you fail, and we're going to fight. That's the way we're made here. These guys are going to stick together and compete. We're going to find solutions and stay positive. I think that's the best thing any family can do that goes through tough times."

NC State hopes a new starter at the quarterback position will spark an offense that has struggled to find a consistent rhythm over the last three games. After completing 21-of-40 throws for 208 yards in relief of Matthew McKay at FSU, redshirt sophomore Bailey Hockman will make his first college start on Thursday. The native of Powder Springs, Ga., initially signed with Florida State out of high school before transferring to Hutchison Community College in Kansas, where he sat out a year to comply with NCAA transfer rules. He then made another move, this time to NC State, were he enrolled at the beginning of the year.

"It's been a long journey," Hockman said. "My story has been up and down. It's been a long time coming and I'm ready for it. Leaving Florida State and then having to go JUCO in Kansas was a difficult part of my life. After that, nothing really affects me. If something bad happens, I keep going and keep working."

The goal for the NC State offense on Thursday will be to make more explosive plays in the passing game, while also protecting the football. Although Syracuse allows 438 yards per game to rank 12th in the league in total defense, the Orange have mastered the art of turning opponents over with 12 takeaways through five games.

And though coach Dino Babers' fast-paced offense hasn't been quite as explosive as last year's edition, Syracuse remains a challenging team to prepare with its lightning-quick tempo. Quarterback Tommy DeVito is throwing for an average of 247 yards per game with 11 touchdown passes.

Last season in the Carrier Dome, the two teams combined for 1,102 yards of total offense in a wild 51-41 Syracuse victory.

Fueled by a memorable Thursday night environment, the 2017 Wolfpack seemed to reach another gear when it knocked off Louisville a few years ago. More of the same could go a long way in helping the Pack reach the halfway point with a win this Thursday.

"It's electric here on Thursday nights. It's awesome, "said Doeren. "I look forward to our fans being there in full force for another night game and supporting our players."

Wolfpack Sports Network coverage begins at 6:00 p.m. Thursday with the Lowe's Foods Countdown to Kickoff. Shortly after 7:00 p.m., veteran analyst Johnny Evans will take questions from fans on 'Ask the Analyst.' Questions can be sent to Johnny via Twitter @pack radio or by going HERE.

Thursday Night Under the Carter-Finley Stadium Lights

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Players Mentioned

Bailey Hockman

Matthew McKay

Taiyon Palmer

Ricky Person, Jr.

Justin Witt