NCAA Football Betting Preview – Pirates aim to upset Mountaineers
Online betting – West Virginia vs East Carolina
WHO: No.8 West Virginia Mountaineers at East Carolina Pirates
WHAT: NCAA Football action
WHEN: Saturday, September 6, 4:30 PM ET
WHERE: Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Greenville, North Carolina
KEY STATS: West Virginia is 7-0 lifetime against East Carolina
The East Carolina Pirates opened their NCAA football season by taking down Virginia Tech and now they’ve got their eyes set on another big scalp: on Saturday afternoon at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium they host the No.8-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers, who are looking to boost their NCAA futures odds early in the campaign.
Pat White announced his Heisman award intentions with a career day in a 48-21 romp over Villanova at home, going 25-of-33 for 208 yards and five touchdowns. White also added 63 yards on the ground for the Mountaineers, who were up 34-7 by the end of the third quarter and could afford to coast to the finish line.
If there is a negative, it was West Virginia allowing 399 yards against a poor offense, though the Mountaineers forced three turnovers and returned an interception for a score. Also, to be fair, when you have a player as high in the Heisman futures as White is, you will always have the upper hand against a team like Villanova.
T.J. Lee’s 27-yard punt-block return late in the fourth quarter was the difference as the Pirates upset then-No.17 Virginia Tech 27-22 at home. East Carolina’s defense kept them in the game, as the Pirates held the Hokies to 243 yards of offense and snared a pair of interceptions.
Meanwhile, Patrick Pinkney was deadly in the pocket, going 19-of-23 for 211 yards and a touchdown, along with a score on the ground that preceded Lee’s big return. To beat the Hokies, the Pirates needed to keep their offensive mistakes to a minimum and play great defense, and they succeeded on both ends.
Blake’s Analysis: The Mountaineers have sportsbook odds of -7.5 over the Pirates in this clash, and East Carolina will need an even better effort to knock off West Virginia, especially after getting pummeled 48-7 on the road last season.
In White and Noel Devine the Mountaineers have two of the most explosive players in the nation, and the East Carolina defense will have its hands full trying to contain them. The Mountaineers are also 8-2 in their last 10 road games, so the Pirates’ fans shouldn’t make a big difference.
Bet on the West Virginia to avoid the upset this weekend and do it in style by covering the spread comfortably.
West Virginia: -7.5
East Carolina: +7.5
Blake walked onto his college football team and had a brief stint as an assistant coach after he graduated. He brings a sharp mind to the world of sports handicapping. Blake understands the nuances of the game that only someone who has played would understand, and he was one of the few who gave the Giants a chance against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Thoughts or questions?
