North Carolina State looks to continue its winning ways when it travels to Greenville, N.C., to take on the East Carolina Pirates in a non-conference opener for both teams. The Wolfpack have registered 10 winning seasons over the past 12 years, including the past two. Last season, N.C. State was 9-3 overall, including a 6-2 mark in the ACC Atlantic Division. East Carolina, meanwhile, is looking for its second consecutive winning year after going 7-5 overall and 5-3 in the American Athletic Conference.
Kickoff from Bagwell Field at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium is set for noon ET on Saturday. The Wolfpack are favored by 12 points in the latest East Carolina vs. North Carolina State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 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 -12
- North Carolina State vs. East Carolina over/under: 51.5 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
Quarterback Devin Leary is the big name on offense, but he has plenty of help. Junior running back Jordan Houston enters the season at the top of the depth chart following the departure of the team's top two backs from a year ago. The speedy Houston carried just 20 times last season for 83 yards (4.2 average) and one touchdown. As a freshman in 2019, however, Houston made a big impact, carrying 101 times for 526 yards (5.2 average) and two touchdowns. He has also made a difference on special teams, blocking a punt in a win over North Carolina last season and being named ACC Specialist of the Week after that contest.
The receiving corps gets a big boost with the return of wide receiver Thayer Thomas, who returns for a fifth season. He has played in 49 games, including 30 starts. Thomas had a career-high 51 receptions for 596 yards (11.7 average) and eight touchdowns in 2021. He also rushed four times for 19 yards. In four seasons, he has registered 158 receptions for 1,842 yards (11.7 average) and 20 touchdowns.
Why East Carolina can cover
The Pirates are led by senior quarterback Holton Ahlers, who is close to rewriting East Carolina's record books. Last season, Ahlers completed 256 of 414 passes (61.8%) for 3,126 yards and 18 touchdowns, while carrying 116 times for 204 yards and six scores. Ahlers needs just 1,773 passing yards to become ECU's career leader, surpassing Shane Carden's mark of 11,991 set from 2011 to 2014.
He also only needs 224 rushing yards to set the school's all-time quarterback ground attack record, eclipsing Leander Green's total of 1,485 from 1977 to 1979. Ahlers is also close to setting the ECU career total offense mark. He only needs 764 total yards to better Carden's record of 12,244.
How to make East Carolina vs. NC State picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the 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.
