Everything sure seemed a lot different for East Carolina midway through the season compared to now.
Seven games into 2024, the Pirates were 3-4 with a 1-2 record against AAC teams. That led to head coach Mike Houston’s firing.
But from that point on, everything changed. Defensive coordinator Blake Harrell was promoted to interim head coach, and he led the Pirates to a four-game winning streak and bowl-eligibility.
The Pirates didn’t end up being in contention for a conference championship, but that run of victories was a positive sign for the program. And it helped Harrell earn the head coaching role at ECU beyond this season.
Harrell will be aiming to earn his first bowl win while at the helm for ECU. The Pirates are taking on North Carolina State in the Go Bowling Military Bowl.
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East Carolina vs. NC State Betting Odds
East Carolina is a +7 college football betting odds underdog against NC State, with the Over/Under being 60.5.
The moneyline for East Carolina is +220, while it’s -275 for NC State.
East Carolina vs. NC State On TV
The matchup between East Carolina and NC State will be televised on ESPN.
The game will kick off at 5:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 28. The contest is taking place at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland.
East Carolina vs. NC State Prediction
I predict East Carolina will win and cover the spread at +7. I also project the game will go Over 60.5 total points.
Would defeating a Power Four program be a difficult task for ECU? Absolutely. But this NC State team hasn’t exactly played spectacularly this year, especially at the end of the regular season.
The Wolfpack are 6-6 overall, and they’ve lost two of their last three games. They ranked outside of the top 80 in the country in total offense and total defense, gaining 373.6 yards per game and giving up 384 per contest.
East Carolina, however, was in the top 35 in the FBS in scoring offense (32.5 points per game) and total offense (433.3 yards per game). I expect the Pirates to put up some points in this tilt.
I think ECU has a lot more momentum going into this matchup, and I believe the Pirates will be motivated to get a win for Harrell as he seeks to lead the program into the future.
