This is the Depth Dossier: the NC State Wolfpack, Week 11.

NC State had this one won, and then found a brand new way to lose it. Syracuse walked out with a 34 to 31 win after the Wolfpack led by eleven points with under seven minutes to go.

Let's start with how it slipped away. NC State built that lead behind an explosive third quarter and a healthy running back, Jayden "Duke" Scott. Then the final six minutes happened. Quarterback CJ Bailey threw an eighteen-yard pick six to Tunmise Adeleye. The offense went backward on a three and out. A penalty gifted Syracuse the ball at the NC State 49 yard line. And Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli made them pay, converting a fourth and three and then hitting Justus Ross-Simmons for the winning touchdown with 48 seconds left. NC State actually outgained Syracuse and out-rushed them, but two turnovers in that final stretch were the whole story. Interim head coach Todd Goebbel falls to 1 and 2.

This was really two different teams wearing the same jerseys. In the third quarter, NC State was rolling, scoring on short, efficient drives. Wide receiver Davion Dozier hauled in a 69-yard catch, the longest play NC State's had all season, and Scott broke off runs of 62 and 32 yards. Then in the fourth quarter, the offense just stopped clicking. Overall, the two teams were nearly even in efficiency all game. This one wasn't lost on the stat sheet. It was lost on a handful of plays late.

A few of those plays stand out. NC State got down to the Syracuse four yard line while up 31 to 20 and had to settle for a short field goal. A touchdown there and none of what followed matters. Right after the pick six, defensive back Ondre Evans drew an unsportsmanlike penalty on the punt, handing Syracuse the ball at the NC State 49 instead of deep in their own end. Then on NC State's last possession, a holding call on offensive lineman Teague Andersen pushed the Wolfpack back ten yards, and two plays later Syracuse stripped Bailey to end any hope of a response. And on the winning drive, Syracuse converted that fourth and three on a ball that defensive back Jackson Vick actually got a hand on. Goebbel put it simply: "It bounces up, they catch it."

Now to the injuries, because they matter for next week. Safety King Mack left in the fourth quarter after making a tackle and didn't return. He finished with a career high ten tackles and a tackle for loss, but Syracuse scored all 21 of its fourth-quarter points after he went out. Defensive lineman AJ Prim also left in the fourth quarter without returning, after getting a hurry on Angeli. Neither injury has a stated severity, but losing Mack lines up almost exactly with when the defense fell apart.

On offense, Scott's return changes things at running back. He went for 127 yards on just 14 carries, including those two long runs, way outproducing Davion Gause, who managed only 24 yards on 12 carries. If Scott stays healthy, he's the back NC State needs to be feeding. On defense, linebacker Jordan Moreta and safety Brody Barnhardt both posted career highs in tackles, which is worth watching as the secondary sorts itself out without Mack.

NC State sits at 4 and 6 and needs to win out at Florida State and at North Carolina just to reach a bowl. Watch the status of Mack and Prim heading into Tallahassee, and keep an eye on whether Scott's workload keeps climbing at Gause's expense.

This was the depth dossier. For everything college football, be it depth charts, data or dossiers, head over to C F B Depth dot com. We will be back next week. This was an AI-generated podcast from content developed by real human beings passionate about college football.