East Carolina vs. SMU Preview
Date/Time: Oct. 4, 12:00 p.m.
TV: ESPNU
Odds: ECU (+41) O/U: 61
This season has gone fairly well for the East Carolina Pirates. From quality wins over power 5 opponents (see North Carolina and Virginia Tech) to bringing a much better game to SEC East power South Carolina than many expected, especially on the road.
Now coming off a bye week, the No. 22 Pirates will return to the confines of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for their first conference game in The American, taking on old C-USA rival SMU for Homecoming.
Keys for the Pirates
For the home team, it’s very simple; they just have to keep on keeping on.
Quarterback Shane Carden already has nearly 1500 yards passing on the year, and is completing around 60 percent of his throws to a multitude of targets.
Justin Hardy will be the most likely to get more passes thrown his way on Saturday, as Cam Worthy will serve out the remainder of his two-game suspension and Jimmy Williams is listed as probable after sustaining an ankle injury during 70-41 win over North Carolina.
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Garnet and Cocky
On defense, the Pirates will be without linebacker Davarus Brunson again, but Terry Williams and Brandon Williams will keep the front seven in line and will look to shut down the Mustangs early and often.
The only thing that could really sting ECU is a lack of focus, and that’s something head coach Ruffin McNeil has preached
Keys for the Mustangs
The Ponies have had a rough start, dropping all four games and only having scored one touchdown so far all year, as well as losing head coach June Jones (who resigned after a week 2 loss to North Texas).
Since then, the Mustangs have faced a brutal in-state schedule featuring the likes of Baylor, Texas A&M and TCU, not fairing very well in all three contests.
Now the team is down to their fourth-string quarterback, and their third different starter in the first four games as walk-on Garrett Krstich will get the nod on Saturday.
Sep 27, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Garrett Krstich (14) reacts to a play in the first quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
The Pirates have proven that not many defenses can keep up with them, so if SMU wants a chance, they’ll have to rely on offensive firepower, which may seem crazy for a team that doesn’t even average 250 total yards per game.
Don’t expect SMU to get anything done on the ground either, as leading rusher Kevin Pope only has 101 yards on the season (this is not a typo, I promise).
Prediction
I’m just going to come out and say it; this one’s going to be an absolute bloodbath..and it’s going to get ugly early.
Carden is having a season to remember, the Pirate defense is getting much better.
This is a team that is looking much more focused and also knows how to win, which is exactly what you can ask for heading into conference play.
ECU – 63
SMU – 10