College football: North Carolina State at Pitt Panthers
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Saturday: 3:30 p.m.
Records: Pitt (5-2, ACC 3-1), NC State (4-3, ACC 1-2)
TV: ACC Network
Last week: Pitt won at Syracuse, 30-13. The Wolfpack lost 36-7 to Notre Dame.
Radio: WBFD-FM 98.7; WCRO-FM 102.9; The Fan 93.7
Satellite radio: SiriusXM Ch. 160 & 193
The betting line: Pitt is a 6.5-point favorite
Notes: The Wolfpack are averaging 30.0 points-per game on offense while giving up 26.6 ppg. ... NC's quarterback is C.J. Bailey, who has 14 touchdown passes against seven interceptions with a completion percentage of 72.1. He has thrown for 1,846 yards. Their top running back is Hollywood Smothers, who has rushed for 739 yards on 112 carries with five touchdowns. Terrell Anderson is the top target for Bailey with 24 catches for 445 yards and four touchdowns. ... In Pitt's win over Syracuse last week, Mason Heintschel passes for 143 yards on a 13-for-24 showing with no touchdowns and one pick. He did rush for a touchdown. Ja'Kyrian Turner had 42 yards rushing and Kenny Johnson caught four passes for 59 yards .... Pitt's defense is fifth in the country, giving up just 82.4 yards per game. Overall, the defense is 20th in FBS, giving up 299.1 yards per game. … Last week, LB Nick Lapi led Pitt with seven tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. Overall, the defense picked off three passes against the Orangemen.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi
(On North Carolina State): To beat this team, which is the most talented football team that we will have played to date -- I can guarantee you that they are the most talented. They are well coached and we'll have to play a complete game to win. Dave Doeren is a great coach. He finds guys that fit his system."
(On Hollywood Smothers): "Their tailback is special. He's got speed. He's as close to a guy like Des(mond) Reid that we have faced this year. He's one of their top receivers and he's a balanced runner."
(On NC State's defensive front four): "Our tackles will have to play really good (for us) to have a chance to throw the football, and obviously in the run game, they're good versus the run. They're not just pass rushers."
(On Miami getting upset at home to Louisville last week): "Louisville is a good football team. Shoot ... we saw that. We beat ourselves in that game. From top to bottom, the ACC ... I've said it for 10 years now, is probably the best conference in the country. Everybody has got a chance. It's not like Ohio State and everybody else."
Next week: Pitt is at Stanford on Saturday, Nov. 1.