East Carolina at North Carolina State
Saturday, 12:00 pm Eastern – ESPN
East Carolina has proven they are a Top 25 team but to stay there they will have to win on the road at North Carolina State on Saturday. East Carolina upset Virginia Tech and West Virginia to start the season and just got by Tulane last week. East Carolina turned it over four times and was lucky to escape with a win. "It was a great win; you can't take any of them for granted," East Carolina head coach Skip Holtz said. "To go on the road and come off the two emotional football games that we just came off of and to come out here and play the way we did and still get a win in this game, I am as excited as I can be."
East Carolina can start the season at 4-0 for the first time since 1999 if they can win at North Carolina State on Saturday. They will have to do so without starting linebacker Quentin Cotton who is out for the season and left tackle Stanley Bryant who is out indefinitely.
N. C. State is coming off a 27-9 loss to Clemson last week. Even though they are 1-2 on the season head coach Tom O'Brien is encouraged. "I think the quarterback took a step forward and that helped the offense take a step forward." he said, "After a couple of hiccups, Russell settled down and played much better. That's what you expect to see. We have to build on that."
The Wolfpack are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 home games. The Wolfpack are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games in September. The Wolfpack are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Conference USA. The Wolfpack are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games.
The Over is 5-1 in the Pirates last 6 road games. The Under is 7-1-2 in the Wolfpack’s last 10 non-conference games. The Under is 21-10-2 in the Wolfpack’s last 33 games overall.