11/14 CFB PREVIEW: EAST CAROLINA -14 vs. TULSA, TOTAL 62.5
Let’s look at a Thursday night game that promises fireworks as East Carolina travels to Tulsa. More than that, you have an opportunity here for a trifecta spot. East Carolina has renewed life after firing their coach a few weeks back, moving from Mike Houston to Blake Harrell. ECU also made a QB change to Katin Houser, who, in the last two weeks, has put up 56 and 49 points with a 10-2 TD-INT ratio. This Pirates team is firing on all cylinders, and you can bet they’ll take the show on the road against Tulsa’s struggling defense. The ECU Pirates are likely to make this 14-point spread look very small.
Tulsa limps into this matchup fresh off a 59-21 loss to UAB, a team led by arguably the worst coach in America, Trent Dilfer. Tulsa has allowed 45+ points in four of their last five games (59, 45, 49, 52). Now they face a red-hot ECU team with a solid QB ready to make their life miserable. Here we have two programs heading in opposite directions, and that will be on full display in this one. ECU will score at will, leading us to three plays in this game.
With the scoring firepower ECU brings, take ECU over their team total of 37.5 at -135, or 38 at reduced juice. The Pirates are set to soar into the mid-40s, maybe even the 50s, against a Tulsa defense that isn’t much more effective than cones on a field. This offensive explosion will also enable the Pirates to cover the 14-point spread with ease. While defense isn’t ECU’s strength, Tulsa should be able to chip in with 14-20 points, helping this game fly over the 62.5 total. ECU still has defensive struggles, as shown when they allowed 34 points to Temple. Even if Tulsa reaches the mid-20s they won’t sniff a point spread cover.
LEAN—TRIFECTA SPOT: ECU -14, ECU TEAM TOTAL OVER 38, ECU/TULSA OVER 62.5