North Carolina State vs. East Carolina odds: 2022 college football picks, predictions by model on 45-32 run
Fri, Sep 2, 2022
NCAAF News (AP)
Teams looking to build on last year's successes meet when the North Carolina State Wolfpack meet the East Carolina Pirates on Saturday. The Wolfpack (9-3 in 2021) were 6-2 in the ACC Atlantic, tying Clemson for second place in the league. The Pirates (7-5 a year ago) tied with UCF and Tulsa at 5-3 for third place in the AAC. This will be the first meeting between the teams since a 34-6 NC State win in August 2019.
Kickoff from Bagwell Field at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, N.C., is set for noon ET. The Wolfpack leads the all-time series 18-13, with NC State winning the last two matchups. The Wolfpack are 11.5-point favorites in the latest North Carolina State vs. East Carolina odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 51.5. Before making any NC State vs. East Carolina picks or Week 1 college football predictions, you need to see what SportsLine's advanced computer model has to say.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,600 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It enters Week 1 of the 2022 college football season on a 45-32 run on all top-rated college football spread and money-line picks that dates back to 2021. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on NC State vs. ECU and just locked in its picks and CFB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several college football odds and betting lines for ECU vs. NC State:
- North Carolina State vs. East Carolina spread: North Carolina State -11.5
- North Carolina State vs. East Carolina over/under: 51.5 points
- North Carolina State vs. East Carolina money line: North Carolina State -430, East Carolina +328
- NCST: The Wolfpack are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games against the American Athletic Conference
- ECU: The Pirates are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games
- North Carolina State vs. East Carolina picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why NC State can cover
The Wolfpack boast that they return their most experienced team in school history. North Carolina State will return 10 starters on defense and seven on offense. Eleven starters will be returning for a fifth season, including kicker Christopher Dunn, the leading scorer in school history. Dunn has played in 49 games since 2018, racking up 377 points, going 69 of 86 (.802) on field goals.
Also returning for a fifth season is wide receiver Thayer Thomas, who has played in 49 games with 30 starts. Last season, Thomas had a career-high 51 receptions for 596 yards (11.7 average) and eight touchdowns. For his career, he has been a model of consistency, registering no fewer than 31 receptions in any season for more than 330 yards. In 49 games, Thomas has 158 receptions for 1,842 yards (11.7 average) and 20 touchdowns.
Why East Carolina can cover
Despite that, the Wolfpack are not a lock to cover the North Carolina State vs. East Carolina spread. That's because the Pirates have continued to be on an upward trend under fourth-year coach Mike Houston. East Carolina closed the 2021 season by winning four of its last five games to earn an invitation to play in the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Md. The game, however, was canceled due to COVID-19 issues within the Boston College program.
Offensively, the Pirates return starting quarterback Holton Ahlers, a 6-4, 230-pound senior. Ahlers led East Carolina by completing 256 of 414 passes (61.8%) for 3,126 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2021. He was intercepted 10 times, but had a rating of 134.8. For his career, he has been solid, completing 58.5 percent of his passes for 10,219 yards, 69 touchdowns and 32 interceptions. He has also carried 397 times for 1,264 yards (3.2 average) and 19 TDs, including six a year ago.
How to make East Carolina vs. NC State picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 61 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins NC State vs. ECU? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.'
