East Carolina vs NC State Betting Preview
In the seventh game of our Countdown to Kickoff series, Sportsmemo handicapper JM Sports takes a look at East Carolina vs NC State on September 3. The Wolfpack head into the season as a sneaky pick to win the ACC while the Pirates look to improve upon their 7-5 season in the AAC. Both teams had their bowl games canceled.
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Saturday, September 3 | College Football Betting Notes |
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Point Spread: | East Carolina Pirates +10 vs NC State Wolfpack |
Total: | 55.5 (Over -110 / Under -110) |
Kickoff: | 12:00pm ET / 9:00am PT |
Venue: | Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, NC |
TV: | ESPN |
East Carolina vs NC State Analysis
North Carolina State comes into this seasons opener as the 13th ranked team in the nation. A leap from their 20th ranking to finish off last season.
The Wolfpack reached as high as 18th last season, but this 13th ranking is the highest ranking in the last 5 years for NC State. They ended last season 9-3, and they lead the conference in returning starters, with 17 players back.
Watch Out For Wolfpack Defense
This North Carolina State defense was already one of the best in the ACC last year, competing with Clemson for the top spot, but both of those teams rank amongst the top nationally.
NC State returns 10 starters on defense, which includes 14 of their 16 leading tacklers back in a Wolfpack jersey this season.
They finished with the best numbers in YPG, PPG and completion percentage allowed, that they have as a team in the last seven years and they finished positive in the TO battle for the first time in the last three seasons. Now the talent returns, with arguably the best LB and DB core in the conference.
On offense, this NC State team still has seven returning starters, but they lost their top two rushers and their leading receiver. They do return four of their top five receivers, even with the departure of Emeka Emezie, their top target. They do return a veteran presence at the WR position and they have one of the better offensive lines in the ACC.
Pirates Poised to Pull Off Upset
East Carolina had one of their best seasons that they have had in the recent years, finishing 7-5 after multiple consecutive losing seasons for the Pirates.
This season, East Carolina returns a majority of their offensive starters, which includes their three most prominent rushing threats, the tandem duo of Keaton Mitchell, Rahjai Harris and QB Bolton Ahlers. Mitchell is the leading returning rusher in YPG in the conference and Holton Ahlers is just 1,766 yards behind Shane Carden to set the all-time record at ECU.
Ahlers will be without two of his three leading receivers from last season, but the veteran presence alone should be enough to bolster this team to another winning season. They won four of the last five games to end 2021, but under HC Mike Houston they are 0-5 against top-25 ranked teams.
East Carolina vs NC State Prediction
East Carolina has taken three of the last four games in Greenville, but that has been the common trend of the series, with the home team has won five of the last six meetings.
In the last meeting between these two teams ECU gave up 27 unanswered points in a game that ended with NC State winning 34-6.
In the last meeting in Greenville in 2016, East Carolina ended up winning after giving up a 12-0 lead in the 2nd quarter. NC State has lost their last three road openers, but East Carolina is just 1-4 in home openers since 2017 (2-3 ATS).
Prediction: If I had to give a side, I would probably take East Carolina (+10). Mainly because I like the under 55.5 in this game with the impressive, and improved defenses.
Interested in placing a bet on this East Carolina vs NC State Week 1 showdown? Caesars Sports is offering up to a $1,500 match bet for first-time deposits in New Jersey, West Virginia, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, New York and Louisiana.
Sportsmemo Today | NFL Season Preview
JM Sports joins Dan Neubert and Dr Chuck on Sportsmemo Today to discuss the NFL futures market, and the Week 1 betting lines.
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Meet the Author
Jeff’s hunger for handicapping began at a young age being surrounded by parents that made sports betting a daily routine. Hoping to follow in the footsteps of other Cleveland handicappers like Marc Lawrence, Phil Steele, Ralph Michaels, Ed Meyer and Bryan Leonard, Jeff started his sports betting career working for both Northcoast Sports and Phil Steele Publications learning the intricacies of sports betting and becoming a profitable handicapper. Through out his college years, Jeff’s mathematical and analytical prowess helped him develop a betting strategy that turned sports betting into a profitable venture, where he focuses on the NFL, college football, NBA, college basketball and MLB while showing strong results in the WNBA.
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