North Carolina State vs. East Carolina odds: 2022 college football picks, predictions from model on 45-32 run
Sat, Sep 3, 2022
NCAAF News (AP)
Teams that won four of their final five games a year ago clash in a non-conference opener when the North Carolina State Wolfpack battle the East Carolina Pirates on Saturday. The Wolfpack tied Clemson for second place in the ACC Atlantic Division at 6-2 and were 9-3 overall. The Pirates tied UCF and Tulsa at 5-3 for third place in the American Athletic Conference and were 7-5 overall. East Carolina was 4-2 on its home field in 2021, while NC State was 2-3 on the road.
The game from Bagwell Field at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, N.C., will kick off at noon ET. NC State allowed just 19.7 points per game, tied for 18th-best nationally in 2021, while East Carolina allowed 26.3, 67th-best in the country. The Wolfpack are favored by 12 points in the latest North Carolina State vs. East Carolina odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 51. 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 -12
- North Carolina State vs. East Carolina over/under: 51 points
- North Carolina State vs. East Carolina money line: North Carolina State -455, East Carolina +345
- 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 return a big part of their offense from a year ago in redshirt junior quarterback Devin Leary. Leary set a single season school record with 35 touchdown passes in 2021, and has 51 for his career. He is on four different watch lists -- Maxwell, O'Brien, Manning and Walter Camp Player of the Year. Last season, he completed 283 of 431 passes (65.7%) for 3,433 yards and a rating of 157.0. One of his best games was in a 45-42 loss to No. 12 Wake Forest. In that game, he completed 37 of 59 passes (62.7%) for 408 yards and four touchdowns. He was picked off twice.
Redshirt junior wide receiver Devin Carter also brings back valuable experience. He was the Wolfpack's third-leading receiver a year ago, catching 31 passes for 556 yards (17.9 average) and six TDs. It was the third year in a row Carter had at least 29 receptions and 450 yards. For his career, he has 93 receptions for 1,500 yards (16.1 average) and eight 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.'
