State opens a 7.5 favorite @ ECU

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After opening at 6.5 points, NC State has been bet to a 7.5 point favorite at the Wynn Sports Book and a 7.0 favorite at Leroy’s (Link) for the upcoming battle with Conference USA’s East Carolina Pirates.

The Wolfpack will bring its high powered offense and much improved defense into a rowdy Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to do battle with an ECU defense that is allowing an astounding 42 points per game!

We’ve opened a pregame thread on our message boards that can be read by clicking here.

Both the Pack and ECU have played Virginia Tech. Each team lost, but I would argue our loss was much closer a game than theirs. We lost the game in the last minutes, and ECU was out of the game after halftime.

Some things I see in ECU’s box scores:
1. Against VT (box score), ECU came out firing, but couldn’t keep it going in the second half. Sounds like VT adjusted their defense well.
2. VT scored on them the whole day – a total of 7 TDs. Our offense should have no problem putting points on the board either.
3. The box score for this game looks EXACTLY the same as the ECU loss to UNC-CH game two weeks ago.
4. Out of their 7 offensive TDs in the last 2 games, 4 have been passes of >30 yards. Don’t give up the big plays!

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25 Responses to State opens a 7.5 favorite @ ECU

  1. Alpha Wolf 10/11/2010 at 7:23 AM #

    Each new game brings a new test, and this week’s test is whether our pass defenders can cover the ECU receivers long enough for their pass blocking to break down.

    State is going to have to tackle well Saturday, as it is inevitable that ECU move the ball in chunks.

    We’re also going to need to be efficient with the ball and not only score but keep it out of their hands. A dominating running game would be the best cure to their offense. Limit the number of their possessions.

  2. Sam92 10/11/2010 at 7:30 AM #

    i echo those comments.

    IMO one of our biggest weaknesses this season has been poor tackling. i’ve seen way too many missed or broken tackles. improving there will help a lot.

    and, establishing the run would be huge for us – it’s been a weakness as well. we have good backs, but we’ve never really been able to pound out good six or seven yard runs with any consistency. do that and we essentially become unstoppable.

  3. bradleyb123 10/11/2010 at 7:34 AM #

    Here’s what I think, and I’m being as objective as I possibly can.

    I believe ECU has no defense, whatsoever. I don’t think they’ll even slow us down. If the game plays out like it’s supposed to (when does that ever happen???) I think we will score at will, and it will only get worse as the game passes by. ECU has some offense, but I believe our defense will disrupt their offense, while their defense won’t touch our offense.

    I believe we might just win this one by three TDs.

    But that’s why they play the game. There could be turnovers, a missed assignment, injuries, missed tackles, etc.

  4. Master 10/11/2010 at 7:55 AM #

    @Sam92 – there are very few teams that can “pound out good six or seven yard runs with consistancy.” I’m not sure why you think we should be one of those few. I do think we can pass for 6 or 7 yards with consistancy and we should do that this week. If we don’t drop the ball or run out of bounds, that will keep the clock running.

  5. tractor57 10/11/2010 at 7:58 AM #

    There are some here who don’t consider ECU a rival – I’m not one of those. Hopefully foot on neck by the Pack.

    As has been said before – the most important game IS the next one (other than pounding the baby blues).

    survive and advance

  6. burnbarn 10/11/2010 at 8:12 AM #

    we do have a tendency to give up the big play. I think the game will be tight. Also, ECU has shown a propensity to score late in the game. I like our chances in this game, but I think we will be nervous all game.

  7. Alpha Wolf 10/11/2010 at 8:17 AM #

    ^ The best way to sit back and relax is this: build a huge and insurmountable lead and make them one dimensional. Playing a nickel D play after play with a big lead can lead to Pick-6’s.

  8. Prowling Woofie 10/11/2010 at 8:52 AM #

    ^ Agreed, Alpha. But, it can also lead to hot-dogging safeties trying to lay the wood on a receiver instead of making solid tackles, and consequently getting burned for big, momentum-swinging plays.

    The D-backs need to concentrate on coverage and TACKLING, not doling out ‘highlight reel hits’. First things first, you know…

    Bowl eligible should be the focus this week, for sure !

  9. YogiNC 10/11/2010 at 9:32 AM #

    Bowl eligible would be HUGE! We’ve not had the opportunity to be eligible this early in the season since 2002. Also this makes recruiting BIG! I’m hoping November finds us at least 6-2 and 7-1 going into Clemson would make that the game of the decade for us (no slighting of P Rivers and the 2002 team because that team was supposed to win). I know we’re not supposed to look ahead but good gosh, we SHOULD be 6-0 right now, we had the opportunity. If Sept 1 someone would have said we’d be headed to Greenville looking to get our 6th win they would have been wisked away in the “love me” white jacket for a stay at the happy farm. GO PACK! This has been one fun ride.

  10. tractor57 10/11/2010 at 9:34 AM #

    I disagree – the focus should be beating the Pie-Rats
    take care of that and bowls will come

  11. Packfan28 10/11/2010 at 9:38 AM #

    7.5 point favorite? Now that is funny. This game will be over by halftime.

  12. Alpha Wolf 10/11/2010 at 9:58 AM #

    The D-backs need to concentrate on coverage and TACKLING, not doling out ‘highlight reel hits’. First things first, you know.

    I am sure that our coaches know it and are working on the players to keep their cool and do their jobs first.

    Part of good pass D are interceptions when the chance comes to make one. We’ll have a lot of chances to do just that.

  13. CStanley 10/11/2010 at 10:07 AM #

    Beating that redneck, eastern nc trailer trash should be incentive enough, but becoming bowl eligible should be one of the biggest incentives for our team.

    Things that worry me – we don’t have a great running game which is what you need to wear down ECU (they have ZERO defense), this is their Super Bowl, and we tend to give up big plays (on both defense and special teams). It also seems like Russell has been trying to force things as of late, even against inferior competition.

    If this were a home game, I wouldn’t be worried. But VT and UNC didn’t have to go to Greenville and we do. That could be the intangible that makes this thing a lot closer than it should be.

    I get sick thinking about what it might be like going into the Thurs. night ESPN game against FSU with both of us at 6-1.

  14. Statefan1998 10/11/2010 at 10:08 AM #

    How are we 7.5 favorites, yet Carolina was a 14 point favorite? Is Carolina that much better then State? I guess 3 of those points were based on location of the game.

  15. highstick 10/11/2010 at 10:09 AM #

    The best defense is the best defense! My morning “Yogiism”!

  16. newt 10/11/2010 at 10:11 AM #

    ECU will bring it hard. We will have to play a great game to win. Probably be a shoot out.

  17. Packfan28 10/11/2010 at 10:41 AM #

    I’m telling you, when its 31-0 at halftime, you will be wondering how you could have been worried about this game. Other than Western Carolina, this is the easiest game on our schedule.

  18. Alpha Wolf 10/11/2010 at 11:09 AM #

    ^ Let’s just see how it goes. I hope you are right.

  19. Kingfish1976 10/11/2010 at 11:15 AM #

    This could be a trap game for us. Look what happened to the Tide last week.

  20. mikeD 10/11/2010 at 1:49 PM #

    Bama lost because South Carolina played a solid 60 minutes. That wasn’t a case of Bama beating themselves, but just plain losing to the better prepared team that day.

    Don’t think it will be a trap game either. Sure the guys are probably getting antsy to show their stuff against FSU on a Thursday game, but this game could make them bowl eligible. And there’s quite a few guys who will be playing high school teammates. Bragging rights go a long way in motivating for a game.

  21. NCSU84 10/11/2010 at 2:24 PM #

    “And there’s quite a few guys who will be playing high school teammates. Bragging rights go a long way in motivating for a game.”

    Keep in mind, this is true for ECU as well. They will play hard against us and they will play with emotion and intensity (just look at the game history of these two teams if you disagree). We better have our A game or the drive back to Raleigh will be a long one.

  22. bradleyb123 10/11/2010 at 5:57 PM #

    They have a good offense, but our defense can slow them down. They run a spread offense, and our defense made a living in the backfield of Cincy’s spread offense. I think our D-line and linebackers will make life miserable for their offense.

    And I don’t think their defense will even slow us down. It could very well be 31-0 at halftime, even on their field, as someone mentioned earlier. If we get an early lead, that will take the crowd out of the game.

    Also, I don’t think they have much depth. So even if they keep it close for a while, I don’t think they can keep it up well into the fourth quarter.

  23. Primewolf 10/11/2010 at 6:43 PM #

    The crowd is usually wrong, and is always wrong in the stock market.

    I think we win it, but it won’t be a beatdown.

  24. mak4dpak 10/11/2010 at 6:43 PM #

    If the team stays focused, and don’t take ECU for granted, we should have no problem with ECU, and hopefully totally embarrass them in Greenville. We have to play to our potential, and it will be no contest!

  25. packalum44 10/11/2010 at 10:00 PM #

    Count me as someone who hates this game. I just want to fast forward to FL State. If we don’t beat that spread we got NO chance on FL State and aren’t nearly as good as I think we are. Remember, we had an 60 point swing on BC from last year. This should be an easy win, even if we come out flat. Its silly to argue though because we shouldn’t even play this game.

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