Free NCAA Football Prediction: Pirates vs. Cougars Odds
Looking for East Carolina Pirates vs. BYU Cougars free picks? College football betting sees the Pirates taking on the Cougars on Friday, October 28th at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, UT. Cappers Picks provides complimentary handicapping picks all NCAA football season long so stay tuned for more FREE college football game Week 9 predictions like this ECU-BYU free pick.
College Football Handicapping Analysis: Week 9
(5-3) East Carolina Pirates vs. BYU Cougars (4-4)
Date: Friday, October 28th, 2022
Time: 8:00 pm EST
Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, UT
NCAA Football ATS Spread Odds: ECU +3.5 | BYU -3.5 (Bet Now!)
NCAA Football Moneyline Odds: Pirates +130 | Cougars -160
NCAA Betting Total Odds: O/U 60.5
The BYU Cougars will host the East Carolina Pirates this Friday for a non-conference clash from LaVell Edwards Stadium. BYU opened as the three-point favorites, with the total opening at 60.5.
HISTORY: This will mark the third time these two programs cross paths, with each school winning their matchup at home. ECU won the last meeting back in 2017, 33-17.
East Carolina Panthers
East Carolina played in-state foe N.C. State extremely well in Greenville in the opener, losing on a missed last second field goal attempt. ECU ripped off a pair of wins over nearby schools Old Dominion and Campbell, but a questionable home loss to Navy in their home opener dampened things a bit further.
The Pirates ironically dominated in Tampa Bay, defeating USF by 20, but they were overwhelmed by a Green Wave in a loss Tulane the following Saturday. ECU bounced back and got back into the win column with a pair of magical wins at Dowdy-Ficklen.
In Week 9, East Carolina (+5.5) defeated UCF, 34-13, improving to 4-4 ATS this season.
ECU scores 33.1 points per game, while allowing 23.3 ppg.
Holton Ahlers enjoyed another peak moment as ECU’s QB’s last weekend. The five-year starter and Greenville’s own led the Pirates to another primetime victory under the lights at Dowdy-Ficklen, and he looks good coming into this road spot. After tying a career-high with six touchdowns tosses versus USF, the captain completed a personal-best 83.3% of his passes in the upset victory over UCF last weekend.
Ahlers is among the nation’s leaders 2,435 passing yards with 18 touchdowns to five interceptions through eight starts.
Keaton Mitchell delivered against for ECU last Saturday. The sophomore back burned ODU and Campbell for career-highs in back-to-back weeks, before going down in the Navy loss, but his return was felt abruptly for the homecoming game versus Memphis. Mitchell rushed for 149 yards and three scores, then followed it up with a 105-yard, 2-score performance versus UCF. Mitchell now leads ECU with 575 rushing yards and six touchdowns through six games.
The ball distribution has been great from Ahlers again this season, and he’s on-pace to have a pair of 1,000-yard receivers for the third time in his career. Isaiah Winstead has been very dynamic after transferring over from Toledo, and leads the team in receptions (59) and receiving yards (808), while junior receiver C.J. Johnson is second on the team with 40 catches for 657 yards and a team-lead eight touchdown catches.
BYU Cougars
BYU is in the midst of a brewing storm, and they’ve got to make a stand here. The Cougars opened the season with wins over USF and Baylor, but a road trip to the Zoo put a blemish the first blemish on their record. After losing to Oregon, the Cougs responded with a pair of rivalry wins over Wyoming and Utah State, then things began to trend south.
A trip to South Bend to face their big brother’s at Notre Dame didn’t go well, and while they respectfully competed, it’s the spiral from that matchup that’s been alarming. BYU ill-advisedly hosted Arkansas for homecoming and got lit up for 52 points from SEC power. A trip to Lynchburg that was set to end with an uplifting prayer took a turn for the worse.
In Week 7, BYU lost to Liberty, 41-14, dropping their second battle of Christian schools and third straight contest.
BYU scores 30.1 points per game, while allowing 31.6 ppg.
The pressure of playing in these big, meaningful road games has gotten to Jaren Hall each time this season. It happened in South Bend, and just after going for a season-high 356 yards versus Arkansas, it happened again in Lynchburg last Saturday. A return home should do him justice, and there will be a lot of pressure on him this weekend.
Hall’s thrown for 2,101 passing yards with 19 touchdowns to three interceptions on the season.
The run game was non-existent, as BYU fell behind early to Liberty. Christopher Brooks handles the lead role after coming over from Cal through the transfer portal. Brooks has been solid, receiving about 10-12 touches per game and leading the Cougs with 459 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
BYU has a pretty good receiving core, especially when Puka Nacua is healthy. Nacua is one of more versatile and explosive players in the country, and his presence helped BYU keep up with Arkansas. The hometown wideout caught eight passes for 141 yards and scored three times (1 rec, 2 rush). Nacua picked up 114 yards against Liberty, and he now has 19 receptions for 303 receiving yards, 134 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Kody Epps and Keanu Hill have been Hall’s favorite targets this season. Epps has started to come alive over the past six weeks, scoring in the five games prior to last weekend, and surpassing the 100-yard mark in each of the past two games. Epps leads BYU in receptions (39), receiving yards (574), and six touchdowns. Hill has caught four passes or more in four games this season, and he’s second on the team with 22 catches, 399 yards, and four touchdowns.
NCAA Football Handicapping Trends
- ECU are 3-3 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
- BYU are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
- Pirates are 3-5 ATS in their last 8 road games.
- Cougars are 4-4 ATS in their last 8 home games.
Free Week 9 NCAA Football Final Analysis:
All right, so the Cougars really need to stop the bleeding here with a win. The fallout from the battle of Independents loss to Notre Dame has turned for the worse and with two daunting trips to the blue turf (Boise) and the past trees (Stanford), BYU must right the ship here or they’ll be looking at a losing record for the first time since 2017.
East Carolina comes into this one on the heels of their biggest win of the year, but this will indeed mark their stiffest road test of the season. ECU capitalized off of their Greenville crowd last weekend, bottling a potent UCF football team up at home and handing them their first conference loss, and same homefield concept may be what gets them this week. BYU needs this one bad. Failing to secure a quality bowl check is one thing, but a losing season heading into Big 12 is another. The Cougs have got to get it done and get back in the win column here.
With their backs against the wall, bet on BYU showing up big time this Friday night, and take their spread.
4* Free Week 9 NCAA Betting Pick: BYU -3.5
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