The NC State Wolfpack open their season at home against a familiar foe, East Carolina. The two programs have met 33 times, with their most recent matchup coming last season in the Military Bowl, where ECU pulled out a 26-21 win. NC State leads the all-time series with 19 victories to ECU’s 14. The Pirates are coming off a strong 8-5 campaign, finishing 5th in the AAC, while the Wolfpack posted a disappointing 6-7 record, placing 11th in the ACC. Heading into this game, NC State is listed as a 14-point favorite on DraftKings, with the Wolfpack at -108 and the Pirates at -112. The over/under currently sits at 61.5 (over -110; under -110).

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Weather

It’s shaping up to be a perfect night in Raleigh, North Carolina, for the 7:00 PM ET kickoff on Thursday, August 28th. The forecast calls for 75℉ with partly cloudy skies and a 0% chance of rain. Winds should be light, with predictions showing 4 mph out of the northwest and occasional gusts up to 7 mph, meaning weather is unlikely to play much of a factor in this matchup.

Team Overviews

ECU brings solid continuity on offense, with the main question mark coming at wide receiver. The tackle spots on the offensive line look strong, but the interior raises concerns, particularly with depth. Quarterback Katin Houser enters his second season with the Pirates—he showed promise as a freshman but needs to take a clear step forward if ECU is to contend. Defensively, the line and linebackers feature veteran leadership, while the secondary is more of a question, as several transfers are still building chemistry.

NC State’s offense looks much like last year, aside from two transfer additions on the offensive line and some younger receivers stepping into bigger roles. Quarterback CJ Bailey returns for his second season as the starter, and with more experience, don’t be surprised if he’s used more in the run game to keep defenses honest and open up the passing attack. The defense is loaded with veterans and experienced graduate transfers, shaping up as one of NC State’s strongest units in recent memory—making them exciting to watch.

ATS & Over/Under Trends

ECU put together a strong ATS record last season, finishing 7-5-1 (58.3%). Looking at spots relevant to this matchup, the Pirates went 3-2-1 (60%) ATS as an underdog, and more narrowly 2-1-1 (66.7%) as an away underdog. From an over/under perspective, ECU games produced 6 overs, 7 unders, and no pushes. On the road, their over record was 4-2, and as an away underdog they finished an even 2-2.

For NC State, last season was much less favorable ATS, as they ended 4-8-1 overall (33.3%). At home, the Wolfpack struggled, going just 1-5-1 (16.7%), including 1-4-1 (20.0%) as a home favorite. Their over/under record leaned slightly to the over at 8-5, though the under was more common at home with 3 overs and 4 unders (42.9% overs). As a home favorite, NC State split evenly at 3-3.

Final Thoughts

With only two days remaining, the excitement is building for NC State and ECU football. Both programs are eager to start the season strong, but with NC State’s continuity and ECU playing on the road, it will be a difficult challenge for the Pirates to pull off a win. This matchup has the potential to set the tone for a successful Wolfpack season, and it should provide an early indication of how their offense is expected to perform.