Two in-state rivals will face each other on Saturday afternoon when App State and East Carolina meet at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
The Mountaineers are looking to get back on track after their blowout loss at No. 22 Clemson last week.
Meanwhile, the Pirates have already matched their win total from 2023 with opening victories against Norfolk State and Old Dominion.
This is a battle between east and west North Carolina football, and I feel like it could be one of the best Group of Five games of Week 3.
Here's my App State vs East Carolina prediction and pick.
My App State vs East Carolina Picks
- App State vs East Carolina Prediction: East Carolina ML (+120)
My App State vs East Carolina best bet is on the Pirates moneyline with the best line currently available at BetMGM, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
App State vs East Carolina Odds, Spread, Over/Under
| Appalachian State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -115 | 58.5 -110o / -110u | -120 |
| East Carolina Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -105 | 58.5 -110o / -110u | +100 |
- App State vs East Carolina Point Spread: Appalachian State 1.5 (-105) · East Carolina +1.5 (-115)
- App State vs East Carolina Total: Over/Under 58.5
- App State vs East Carolina Moneyline: Appalachian State -120 · East Carolina +100
App State Football vs East Carolina Football Preview
App State Mountaineers Betting Preview: A Lot of Experience
Last week was very disappointing for a veteran App State roster that was expected to be a lot more competitive against an ACC opponent.
However, those types of performances haven't been the norm under head coach Shawn Clark.
In fact, the Mountaineers are one of just five Group of Five programs and 14 FBS schools with at least three nine-win seasons since the start of 2020. The only teams with more wins than App State since its 2014 FBS debut are Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Georgia and Oklahoma.
Last year was another successful campaign for Clark’s squad as it fell in the Sun Belt Championship game to Troy.
Luckily for Clark, he returned a lot of players from that team. The Mountaineers rank 33rd nationally in returning production, with 68% coming back from the 2023 squad. This includes star Joey Aguilar at quarterback.
The Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year set the single-season record at App State for passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions and total offense. He’ll need another big game here to secure a road win.
East Carolina Pirates Betting Preview: Turnovers a Major Problem
Coming into last season, coach Mike Houston had to replace an entire offense, and it showed on the field.
The Pirates finished with just two wins in a year in which they had to replace the program’s most-prolific quarterback, a 1,000-yard rusher and a pair of 1,000-yard receivers.
Houston made some big changes in the offseason on that side of the ball, which included shifting to the Air Raid offense with tempo.
He also brought in multiple transfers at quarterback from Power Four programs.
Missouri transfer Jake Garcia earned the start in the first two games, and there's been some good and bad in his play so far.
Garcia has averaged just under 300 yards per game through the air, but the bad has been the seven interceptions he's thrown.
The Pirates have turned the ball over 10 times through the opening contests. Houston has to get this cleaned up before heading into conference play.
<span >How to Make College Football Picks For My App State vs East Carolina Prediction</span>
When I dive into this game, I find myself only wanting to take the home underdog in this spot. I understand the pedigree of the App State program, but there's just something about this ECU squad.
So, my best bet is to take the Pirates on the moneyline at +110 odds or better. If the spread gets back to +3, I would like that angle, as well.
On one hand, you can talk about how bad it is for East Carolina to be minus six in turnover margin after just two games; some opponent is going to take advantage of the extra possessions if this continues.
However, you could also say it's pretty impressive that the Pirates have still won and covered both games even with the turnovers. You have to imagine how good this team would be if it had clean offensive showings.
At some point, I do wonder if the turnover luck does start to go in the other direction, which would make this ECU team dangerous in the AAC.
Another trend that you typically see with Clark’s teams at App State is slower starts. He usually prioritizes conference games, which leads to him shuffling in more guys at the beginning of seasons.
Since he became head coach in 2020, the Mountaineers have only covered the spread in five of 17 games in the month of September. He also failed to get to the window in his lone contest in August, which was this season’s opener.
I’m going to embrace the variance that comes in these ECU games and take the home underdog to get another win.
Pick: East Carolina ML (+110 or Better)
How to Watch App State vs East Carolina Live: Streaming, Channel, Time
| Location: | Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium |
| Date: | Saturday, Sept. 14 |
| Kickoff Time: | 4 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPNU |
East Carolina vs App State Betting Trends
- 82% of the bets and 61% of the money is on the under.
- 88% of the bets are on App State to cover the spread.
