East Carolina was among the better teams in the Group of Six and the American Conference last year.
The Pirates were 9-4 overall and 6-2 against conference teams, with those two losses being against Tulane and UTSA. They finished the year with another victory in the Military Bowl, which they also won in 2024, over Pitt.
And I don’t think ECU is going to drop much, if at all, in the conference standings in 2026.
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East Carolina Season Preview
I think East Carolina is going to be one of the better teams in the American as long as Blake Harrell is the head coach.
But boy did the Pirates lose a lot of their best players from last year.
That includes nine all-conference players. Anthony Smith, a first-team all-conference wideout for ECU in 2025, was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys this year.
And that’s not to mention that quarterback Katin Houser transferred to Illinois.
Still, there’s plenty of reasons to be excited about the Pirates.
East Carolina Seeks New Starting Quarterback
With Houser gone, ECU is in the midst of identifying its new starting quarterback. Emory Williams and Mitch Griffis are the frontrunners.
Williams is a fourth-year player who transferred from Miami. He’s played in 13 games with two starts and has thrown for 813 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions on a 63% completion rate in his career.
Griffis, a former Texas Tech and Wake Forest transfer, has a bit more experience. The sixth-year signal caller has thrown for 2,314 yards, 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions while competing 61.2% of his passes.
ECU Returners Ready To Roll
Several Pirates showcased potential last season. And while they may not have been full-time starters or earned all-conference recognition, they may be ready to thrive in 2026.
On defense, DJ Johnson Jr. is back at linebacker after ranking second on the team with 60 tackles to go with five tackles for loss.
Up front, Kendrick DuJour recorded 11 tackles, five TFLs and 3.5 sacks as well as a forced fumble in six games. Fellow defensive lineman Jasiyah Robinson recorded 26 tackles while ranking second on the team with five sacks and third with 6.5 TFLs. Rion Roseborough added 16 tackles, six TFLs and 2.5 sacks in 13 games played.
In the secondary, Kevon Merrell Jr. tallied 28 tackles, two pass breakups and 4.5 TFLs with an interception against Pitt in the Military Bowl.
At wide receiver, Brock Spalding is back after he was named ECU’s breakthrough athlete of the year. He caught 42 passes for 554 yards and three touchdowns in a loaded receiving corps that will likely feature him more in 2026.
Several Standout Transfers For The Pirates
ECU also brought in a good number of players through the transfer portal who could make immediate impacts, especially on offense.
Ashton Gray may end up being one of the best running backs in the American after transferring from North Texas. While sitting behind FBS-leading rusher Caleb Hawkins, Gray still ran for 383 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 6.5 yards per carry. I expect him to flourish in 2026.
Landon Sides also transferred from UNT and could help replenish ECU’s receiving corps as well. He caught 34 passes for 449 yards and a TD in the Mean Green’s high-flying offense.
As for the O-line, Brandon Best transferred to ECU from Kennesaw State after previously playing at Georgia Tech. He made the first-team All-Conference USA list in 2025.
East Carolina’s 2026 Schedule
- 9/5 @ Alabama
- 9/12 vs. App State
- 9/19 @ Old Dominion
- 9/26 vs. North Carolina Central
- 10/10 vs. Rice
- 10/15 @ UAB
- 10/22 @ Memphis
- 10/31 vs. Temple
- 11/6 vs. USF
- 11/14 @ Charlotte
- 11/21 @ Army
- 11/27 or 28 vs. FAU
Bold indicates American contests
East Carolina’s American Conference Title Betting Odds
East Carolina’s college football betting odds to win the conference are +800, via BetMGM. The Pirates are tied for sixth in those odds.
East Carolina’s Betting Odds & Over/Under Win Total
- East Carolina’s win total Over/Under is 7.5
- The Under is at -140
- The Over is at +115
East Carolina Season Prediction
I predict East Carolina won’t win the American Conference Championship but will go Over 7.5 wins.
This one is really close for me. To get to eight wins this season, the Pirates are going to need to win every game that they should on paper because the American is going to be tough.
I think ECU starts 2-2 in non-conference play. I’m expecting the Pirates to lose to Alabama, beat North Carolina Central and go 1-1 against App State and Old Dominion.
Which means ECU needs to be 6-2 against teams in the American. I think road trips to Memphis and Army will end up being those two losses. I fully believe the Pirates can win at home against Rice, Temple and FAU and beat Charlotte and UAB on the road.
The major question beyond that: Can ECU beat South Florida? The Bulls are going to be a different team with Brian Hartline taking over as head coach, and time will have to tell if USF will continue to be a conference title contender. But I think ECU can manage to win that game at home.
And I expect ECU would be happy with another eight-win season, even if the Pirates are hoping to be in the AC championship race.
