East Carolina vs Tulsa Picks: Pirates Seek Bowl Eligibility as Road Favorites
East Carolina visits Tulsa as 14-point road favorites on Thursday night, with the Pirates (5-4) chasing bowl eligibility while the struggling Golden Hurricane (3-6) look to snap a rough stretch.
Quarterback throws pass during game
The total is set at 62.5 points for this AAC matchup at Chapman Stadium, starting at 7:30pm ET on ESPN.
Pirates Offense Finding Its Groove
East Carolina's season turned around after switching to QB Katin Houser, who has thrown for 269+ yards and 5 TDs in each of his last two starts. Under interim coach Blake Harrell, the Pirates have won two straight, including a 49-14 rout of FAU.
Key Stats:
- ECU ranks 3rd in AAC passing (272.7 YPG)
- Houser: 5 TD passes in each of last two games
- WR Anthony Smith: TD catches in 3 straight games
Tulsa's Defensive Struggles
The Golden Hurricane defense ranks among the nation's worst:
- 308.6 passing yards allowed per game
- 38.4 points allowed per game (last in AAC)
- 28 passing TDs allowed (most in FBS)
- 6.7 yards per play allowed
Best Betting Props
Houser over 2.5 TD passes looks promising given Tulsa's porous pass defense. WR Anthony Smith (-118 anytime TD, -121 over 68.5 receiving yards) has excellent matchup potential.
Prediction
East Carolina's surging air attack should overwhelm Tulsa's struggling defense. The Golden Hurricane offense (24.8 PPG) likely can't keep pace with the Pirates' recent offensive explosion.
Pick: East Carolina -14.0 (-115)
Alternative Pick: Anthony Smith anytime TD (-118)