The Charlotte 49ers (2-3, 1-0 AAC) and East Carolina Pirates (3-2, 1-0 AAC) meet for an in-state showdown in the American Athletic Conference on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
The Pirates have already surpassed their win total from a year ago with victories over Norfolk State, Old Dominion and UTSA.
Meanwhile, the 49ers got off to a winning start in conference play by downing Rice last week, moving to 2-3 overall.
This is a matchup of two local rivals battling for a win to keep bowl hopes alive, and I see great betting value with the visitors to cash a winning ticket.
Let's dive into my East Carolina vs. Charlotte predictions and college football picks for Saturday, Oct. 5.
East Carolina vs Charlotte Prediction
- East Carolina vs Charlotte Pick: East Carolina 1H -4.5
My Charlotte vs. East Carolina best bet is on the Pirates to cover the first-half spread, with the best line currently available at DraftKings, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
East Carolina vs Charlotte Odds
| East Carolina Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-8 -110 | 47 -110 / -110 | -320 |
| Charlotte Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+8 -110 | 47 -110 / -110 | +260 |
- East Carolina vs Charlotte Point Spread: East Carolina -8
- East Carolina vs Charlotte Over/Under: 47 Total Points
- East Carolina vs Charlotte Moneyline: East Carolina -320 · Charlotte +260
East Carolina vs Charlotte Preview
East Carolina Pirates Betting Preview: Tempo, Tempo, Tempo
After the first losing season in three years, East Carolina head coach Mike Houston decided to change offensive philosophies in the offseason. You are already seeing the new approach come to fruition.
Coming into this one, the Pirates rank ninth in seconds per play and 21st in plays per game. However, the fast tempo has an impact on the defensive side of the ball.
ECU’s defense is averaging 77.6 plays per game, which is the third-most in the FBS. There's also another key factor as to why the defense has been on the field a lot.
It comes down to the fact that Houston’s team has not done a good job taking care of the ball. The Pirates are in the bottom 5 in the country for giveaways per game at 2.5.
Whenever the team isn’t turning it over, East Carolina has been productive on offense, especially with the arm of Jake Garcia.
The Missouri transfer has averaged over 290 passing yards and two touchdowns in the wins this season, and he’ll need another big performance here.
Charlotte 49ers Betting Preview: New Quarterback Leads Comeback
Things have not gone to plan for head coach Biff Poggi in Year 2 at Charlotte, but it was always going to be a challenge to get his roster to gel.
Coming into the season, the 49ers brought in a lot of newcomers. In fact, the 71 new Niners ranked behind only Army and North Texas for the only squads with more additions.
With that said, Poggi has to be proud of the comeback victory last week to open AAC play with a win at Rice.
This was sparked by bringing in Deshawn Purdie to run the offense. Purdie entered the game in the third quarter and threw a pair of touchdowns. He finished with 183 yards on 10-for-15 passing in his relief efforts.
However, the standout performer on the night was receiver O’Mega Blake, who also needs to be added to the All-Name team. Blake caught both scores from Purdie and racked up a career-high 153 receiving yards.
It'll be interesting to see if Poggi rides the hot hand with Purdie or goes back to starter Trexler Ivey under center. Regardless, he knows he can call on either off the bench if he needs a spark.
Charlotte vs East Carolina Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Charlotte and East Carolina match up statistically:
East Carolina Offense vs. Charlotte Defense
 | Offense |  Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 113 | 88 | |
| Line Yards | 119 | 53 | |
| Pass Success | 47 | 101 | |
| Havoc | 117 | 47 | |
| Finishing Drives | 122 | 87 | |
| Quality Drives | 92 | 123 | |
Charlotte Offense vs. East Carolina Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 107 | 7 | |
| Line Yards | 115 | 5 | |
| Pass Success | 115 | 85 | |
| Havoc | 128 | 16 | |
| Finishing Drives | 102 | 62 | |
| Quality Drives | 101 | 24 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 52 | 94 |
| PFF Coverage | 6 | 101 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 7 | 64 |
| Middle 8 | 75 | 129 |
| Seconds per Play | 21.1 (1) | 27.8 (76) |
| Rush Rate | 51% (84) | 46% (114) |
East Carolina vs Charlotte Pick & Prediction
This game was bet early in the week with the opener moving around four points toward East Carolina. Unfortunately, I can’t play the Pirates for the full game after the adjustment, but I do like them to start fast.
So, my best bet is for ECU to cover the first-half spread of -4.5 at BetMGM, which I would play up to -5.5.
I also don’t hate a look at the visitors to clear their team total in the opening half at anything 14 points or better.
Slow starts have been a common theme for Charlotte this season. The 49ers have been losing at halftime in every game, which includes being down 17-3 to FCS foe Gardner-Webb.
Coming into this matchup, Poggi’s squad has been outscored 88-30 in the first halves of games, and opponents are averaging over 17 points in the first half.
This is not good against an ECU team that has been winning at halftime in three of its five contests, including the games against Liberty and Appalachian State.
I also think there’s one key area where the Pirates can attack the 49ers defense, and it's through the air. East Carolina sits in the top 50 in Passing Success Rate offensively, while Charlotte ranks outside the top 100 on defense in the same metric and in coverage grading by Pro Football Focus.
As you see above, ECU’s defense should be able to contain the 49ers offense. I’m hoping that starts from the opening kickoff.
Pick: East Carolina 1H -4.5 (Play to -5.5)
How to Watch East Carolina vs Charlotte Live: Start Time, TV Channel, Location
| Location: | Jerry Richardson Stadium, Charlotte, NC |
| Date: | Saturday, Oct. 5 |
| Kickoff Time: | 3:30 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPNU |
East Carolina vs Charlotte Betting Trends
- East Carolina has been the clear sharp side here, drawing 49% of the bets but 99% of the money.
- The under has also been the sharp side, landing 26% of the tickets but 47% of the cash.
East Carolina vs Charlotte Weather
