[12:02 PM] UCF @ East Carolina

Who will WIN this matchup?

UCF Knights (2-2)

@ East Carolina Pirates (2-2)

 

Current odds:

UCF Knights: (+145)

East Carolina Pirates: (-165)

 

• ESPN simulations have East Carolina as XX% favorites to win the game.

• UCF is 0-0 as a road team, 0-0 as an underdog and 0-0 as a road underdog.

• East Carolina is 0-0 as a home team, 0-0 as a favorite and 0-0 as a home favorite.

• XX% of sports bets are currently on East Carolina to win as (XX) favorites.

• The spread for this game is East Carolina by 3 points.

• Special teams have been anything but special for East Carolina early in the season. The Pirates, who allowed a punt return for a touchdown and had two kicks blocked last week, look to rebound from a humbling loss at Virginia Tech when they open play in the American Athletic Conference against visiting UCF on Saturday.

• The veteran Holman, who threw for 212 yards and two touchdowns as the Knights split the first two games of the season, is still batting a hamstring injury. Holman has a history against the Pirates, having led UCF to the 2014 AAC title with a win over East Carolina when he completed a Hail Mary to now-Baltimore Raven Breshad Perriman on the final play of the title-clincher. The ground game looks strong as senior running back Dontravious Wilson scored three rushing touchdowns in the first half last week and his highly touted backup Jawon Hamilton expects to play after returning to practice early in the week after limping off the field midway through the FIU contest.

• The Pirates rank first in the AAC in total offense by averaging 533 yards but have plenty of work to do on the other side of the ball evidenced by their nation-low one sack on the season and the loss of starting nose tackle Demetri McGill to an ankle injury last week. Senior Philip Nelson leads the revamped passing attack with 1,457 yards through the air and nine touchdowns. Top target Zay Jones, who has 558 yards and one touchdown on the season and an astounding 22 catches against South Carolina two weeks ago, left last week’s game with a leg injury but said he is ready to go.

• The Pirates lead the all-time series 10-4 but UCF won three of the past five meetings.

• East Carolina may make a switch at kicker with freshman Jake Verity getting the call over incumbent Davis Plowman, who is 6-for-10 on field goal attempts this season.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: East Carolina Pirates

Confidence: 5/10

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