East Carolina-NC State Series:
- Game will be held at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina
- Game will start at 12:00 PM ET on 12/1
- Series is led by NC State 16-13
- ECU holds current win streak of 3
Offensive Players to Watch:
East Carolina: WR Trevon Brown is the leading receiver for the Pirates and the most talented offense-wise on that squad. He has displayed ability all year that make him a prime candidate for a Top-25 receiver. Brown has 1,075 receiving yards on the season with 9 touchdown catches. Look for Brown to break through a NC State secondary that has struggled against teams that like to pass heavily.
NC State: I think the Wolfpack look to RB Reggie Gallaspy this Saturday to attack the Pirates. East Carolina has proven that they can go toe-to-toe with teams that can throw, so bringing in a tough run game could tip the scale their way. Gallaspy has had some great games across a season that he has collected 792 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. Look out for Gallaspy to have a great rushing game with Gallaspy at the helm.
Defensive Players to Watch:
East Carolina: The Pirates have an absolute unit of a man of defense with DE Nate Harvey. When teams have to double team you often on he defensive edge, you know what heat you bring to a game. Harvey has got himself to 57 total tackles, 23.0 tackles-for-loss, and 11.0 sacks. It will be no shock that the Wolfpack will need to make sure Harvey is guarded successfully to keep Finley healthy for bowl season.
NC State: CB Nick McCloud has been a great secondary player for the Wolfpack this season. He tends to come out during big games and won’t let many passes go completed on his watch. McCloud has racked a total of 45 total tackles, an interception, and a fumble recovery. I look for the Wolfpack to use McCloud as a buffer on ECU’s Trevon Brown.
The Basics:
If ECU wasn’t so bad with their level of defense, I would have said this would be closer than normal. The Pirates bring in a terrible defense, but boast a great offense. In fact, the ECU offense averages only 10 yards less than NC State. However, ECU’s opponents don’t live up to those of the Wolfpack and will serve small experience to NC State. Also, the Wolfpack are motivated to higher their bowl-tier and snap the losing streak to the Pirates.
Score Prediction:
37-17 NC State
Photo Credits: https://ecupirates.com/news/2018/10/2/ecu-nc-state-extend-football-series-agree-to-possible-dec-1-game.aspx
