NC State vs. ECU Week 1 Betting: Expect Wolfpack to Be Victorious on the Road

Although the 2022 NCAA college football season technically began last week, things really kick off in a few days with Week 1. Among the top first-week matchups is a showdown between the No. 13 NC State Wolfpack and East Carolina Pirates.

It's ???????? Pirate Nation! ?‍☠️ pic.twitter.com/x6HWu3V47t

— ECU Football (@ECUPiratesFB) August 28, 2022

NC State’s 2021 campaign was fairly solid, resulting in a 6-2 record against fellow ACC schools while going 9-3 overall. The Wolfpack’s campaign ended prematurely, though, when the Holiday Bowl was cancelled due to COVID-19, so you can bet that Dave Doeren’s squad is hungry to start things off right.

On the other hand, ECU went 7-5 last season but finished fourth in the AAC due to a 5-3 conference record. The Pirates’ final game of the year — the Military Bowl — was also cancelled thanks to COVID, so it’ll be interesting to see how they start off the new schedule.

Here are Bovada Sportsbook’s latest NC State vs. ECU betting odds, as well as a prediction and best bet for the upcoming NCAAF tilt.

NC State vs. ECU Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: No. 13 NC State Wolfpack (0-0) vs. East Carolina Pirates (0-0)
• Venue & Location: Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (Greenville, North Carolina)
• Date: Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022
• Game Time: 12 p.m. Eastern Time
• Where to Watch NC State vs. ECU: ESPN+

NC State vs. ECU Odds

Game odds are via Bovada Sportsbook. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• NC State Wolfpack -11.5 (-110)
• East Carolina Pirates +11.5 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 51.5 (-110)
• Under 51.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• NC State Wolfpack -430
• East Carolina Pirates +328

NC State Eyeing Road Victory at ECU

NC State opens the 2022 NCAAF season as the 11.5-point favorite on the road against ECU. Not only that but the Wolfpack’s -430 moneyline odds translate to an implied probability of 81.1%.

The Wolfpack and Pirates are hardly strangers to one another. The two schools have collided 31 times since the 1970 campaign, with North Carolina State winning 18 of those matchups.

The upcoming Week 1 collision is NC State and ECU’s first in three years. They last met in August 2019, resulting in a 34-6 victory in favor of the Wolfpack. In fact, NC State is won each of the last two head-to-head matchups by a combined total of 92-9.

Yes, it’s been that lopsided in the Wolfpack’s favor.

.@RuffinMcNeill’s path to NC State ❤️

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— ACC Network (@accnetwork) August 30, 2022

The fact of the matter is that NC State has a veteran core that’s more experienced than they were last year. Quarterback Devin Leary should give the Wolfpack an edge under center after racking up over 3,400 passing yards and 35 touchdowns to five interceptions last season.

Leary’s performance helped NC State average 32.0 points per game in 2021 (No. 29), which should against an ECU defense that was average at best last year (26.1 PPG, No. 54).

At the end of the day, ECU’s hometown crowd should help keep the Pirates in the game early on, but football is a marathon, not a sprint. NC State is too good to drop its opening matchup and it won’t be too shocking if the Wolfpack put things out of reach by halftime.

NC State vs. ECU Betting Trends

• NC State is 8-2 straight up in its last 10 games.
• ECU is 4-1 straight up in its last five home games against NC State.
• NC State is 4-2 against the spread (ATS) in its last six Week 1 matchups.
• ECU is 1-4 ATS in its last five games against ACC schools.
• The total has hit the over in nine of NC State’s last 12 road games.
• The total has hit the under in six of ECU’s last nine games played in September.

NC State vs. ECU Prediction and Picks

NC State vs. ECU Prediction: NC State 36, ECU 17

NC State vs. ECU Best Bets: NC State -11.5 (Best Value: -110 at Bovada) & Over 51.5 Points (Best Value: -110 at BetOnline)

NC State shouldn’t have much of an issue putting ECU in its place. The Wolfpack are the deeper, more experienced team and head coach Dave Doeren will likely have his squad playing hard right out of the gate.

I expect that NC State has the talent to cover the spread — something they’ve excelled at in recent opening week matchups. I’m also anticipating that the total will hit over 51.5 points in this mismatch.

Other NCAA College Football Stories on Betting News

• College Football Week 1 Predictions, Picks & Odds
• Notre Dame vs. Ohio State Week 1 Betting: Can Buckeyes Cover Massive Spread?
• Cincinnati vs. Arkansas Week 1 Betting: Back the Under, Razorbacks at Home
• Houston vs. UTSA Week 1 Betting: Expect Roadrunners to Keep Things Close
• Colorado State vs. Michigan Week 1 Betting: Is 30.5-Point Spread too much for Wolverines?