Free NCAA Pick: East Carolina vs. NC State Odds
Looking for East Carolina Pirates vs. NC State Wolfpack free NCAA Week 1 picks & NCAA odds? NCAA betting sees the Pirates taking on the Wolfpack on Thursday, August 28 at Carter-Finley Stadium (NC). Cappers Picks provides complimentary NCAA handicapping picks all season long including all NCAA Week 1 games so stay tuned for more FREE NCAA predictions like this East Carolina NC State matchup.
2024 NCAAF Handicapping Analysis: Week 1
(0-0) East Carolina Pirates vs. NC State Wolfpack (0-0)
Date: Thursday, August 28, 2025
Time: 7:00PM
Venue: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, North Carolina
Week 1 ATS Betting Lines: (BET NOW!) East Carolina +14 | NC State -14.
Week 1 CFB Moneyline Odds: East Carolina +390 | NC State -520
College Football Betting Total: O/U 61.5
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I used to always take a look at the ECU schedule to see what ACC teams they were going to put a scare into. It seems like it used to happen every season.
In a weird twist, these teams met in a bowl last season with the Pirates winning.
I am not sure if that was legit or not in terms of opt outs but good on the Pirates, right?
Right now nobody is talking NC State football, not with Will Wade running the basketball team and that Bill guy over in Chapel Hill.
There is talent in Raleigh, enough to win some games but not really enough to scare the elite teams in the ACC.
This is the Wolf Pack’s only warm up game before ACC play starts next week.
ECU coach Blake Harrell took over midseason last year and the team found something and went 5-1 including that bowl win. Sustaining that will be tough.
East Carolina Pirates
The big thing that Harrell did was get the offense cooking. In that 5-1 stretch they scored 38+ points four times and won all of those games. Junior QB Katin Houser return.
So does receiver Anthony Smith, who is preseason All Conference. He is a physical mismatch and that is going to be important in this one.
Harrell was actually the defensive coordinator before being elevated to the top spot so there is a good chance that this group cna show some improvement.
It has to be said there is a lot of room to grow on that side of the ball, where only 1 starter returns.
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East Carolina Pirates Stats
ECU finished with an 8-5 overall record and a 5-3 mark in the American Athletic Conference last season. The season began with Mike Houston as head coach, but after a 3-4 start he was fired and replaced by interim head coach Blake Harrell.
Also, he guided the team to a four-game winning streak, securing bowl eligibility and their third winning season in the last four years.
The team averaged 32.0 points per game, which ranked them 34th nationally.
The receiving corps was highlighted by Anthony Smith, who caught 41 passes for 799 yards and six touchdowns, and Winston Wright Jr., who had 54 receptions for 556 yards and eight touchdowns.
Ultimately, the combination of an improved offense and a solid defense, particularly in the latter half of the season, allowed the Pirates to finish the year on a high note with a bowl game victory over a Power Five opponent.
NC State Wolfpack
It is hard to know what to make of a team whose best player is a tight end, Justin Joly. CJ Bailey is the quarterback but he is no big it would be easy to think he played the position as well.
Bailey took over the job partway through last season, now the question is whether he is going to continue to grow in it. There is upside there.
NC State has been better known for defense since Dave Doeren took over the program more than a decade ago. Last year that unit strugglef against a light ACC slate. That is not encouraging for this season.
NC State Wolf Pack Stats
Last year, NC State’s offense was a mixed bag, averaging 28.5 points per game. The passing attack was led by quarterback CJ Bailey, who threw for 2,413 yards and 17 touchdowns. Hollywood Smothers led the team in rushing with 571 yards and six touchdowns.
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Justin Joly was the team’s leading receiver, accumulating 661 yards and four touchdowns on 43 catches. Speedy Kevin Concepcion, a versatile player, was lost to the transfer portal.
The team’s offensive efficiency, however, was hindered by a negative turnover margin, a stat they finished tied for 82nd in the nation in.
On a mediocre defense, linebacker Sean Brown led the team in tackles.
Ultimately, the defense showed a knack for creating takeaways, with defensive back Bishop Fitzgerald leading the team with three interceptions. He is now at USC.
Trends
- East Carolina is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games.
- Also, East Carolina is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games.
- East Carolina is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games against North Carolina State.
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of East Carolina’s last 5 games on the road.
- North Carolina State is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 8 of North Carolina State’s last 12 games.
- Additionally, North Carolina State is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games at home.
- North Carolina State is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against East Carolina.
4* Free 2024 Week 1 NCAA Betting Prediction: East Carolina +14
Put simply I am not seeing a very wide gap between these teams at the moment and the recent Bowl game only helps to get there.
Meanwhile, Fresno State is rebuilding under Matt Entz with QB EJ Warner leading a new-look unit, but Kansas’ defense is vulnerable enough to give them scoring chances.
I expect ECU to be able to put up some points against NC State and when that happens it keeps putting pressure on them to score to cover.
The Wolf Pack are not going to be able to mash away at the Pirates and being at home is not going to offer a major advantage.
What’s more, I am not sure ECU can ultimately win this one but a close game throughout might offer some nice cash-out opportunities.
I like them to get the first TD of the game too, they are not going to press by putting up 3s instead of 7s.
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Fresno State East Carolina vs. NC State NCAA Betting Tweet Of The Day
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