Who’s Playing
East Carolina @ Houston
Current Records: East Carolina 3-3; Houston 5-1
What to Know
The East Carolina Pirates and the Houston Cougars have had some time off and are no doubt ready to hit the field. The Pirates will hit the road for the second straight week as they head to TDECU Stadium at 4 p.m. ET Saturday. Houston will be strutting in after a win while East Carolina will be stumbling in from a loss.
It was all tied up 3-3 at halftime, but East Carolina was not quite the UCF Knights’ equal in the second half when they met two weeks ago. East Carolina was within striking distance but couldn’t close the gap as they fell 20-16 to UCF. QB Holton Ahlers had a pretty forgettable game, throwing one interception with only 195 yards passing.
Most of the squad’s points came courtesy of special teams, which contributed ten. K Owen Daffer delivered a perfect 3-for-3 game.
Meanwhile, the Cougars had enough points to win and then some against the Tulane Green Wave two weeks ago, taking their contest 40-22. Houston’s QB Clayton Tune did his thing and passed for three TDs and 288 yards on 36 attempts.
The Pirates have to know they’ll be fighting an uphill battle given the 13.50 point spread they are up against. However, those who like betting on the underdog should be happy to hear that they are 3-1 against the spread when expected to lose.
East Carolina is now 3-3 while Houston sits at 5-1. Two stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: East Carolina is stumbling into the matchup with the 193rd most thrown interceptions in the nation, having thrown six on the season. The Cougars are completely their equal: they are 193rd worst in the nation in thrown interceptions, having thrown six on the season. It’s possible one of these Achilles’ heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
How To Watch
- When: Saturday at 4 p.m. ET
- Where: TDECU Stadium — Houston, Texas
- TV: ESPN University
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Ticket Cost: $10.27
Odds
The Cougars are a big 13.5-point favorite against the Pirates, according to the latest college football odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 13.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
Over/Under: -110
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Series History
Houston have won both of the games they’ve played against East Carolina in the last seven years.
- Oct 13, 2018 – Houston 42 vs. East Carolina 20
- Nov 04, 2017 – Houston 52 vs. East Carolina 27
