Odds released for ECU’s matchup against Charlotte

Two teams in desperate need of a win will meet head-to-head on Saturday inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, as the East Carolina Pirates host the Charlotte 49ers. It will be the first meeting between the two programs in football. Both squads enter at 1-5 overall, and 0-2 in American Athletic Conference play.

On paper, ECU is the favorite in the matchup. The betting line currently sits at 7.5 at most books, and as high as 8.5 in favor of the Pirates, as of Monday morning, with a total of 41.5 points.

It’s no surprise the total is so low, as the Pirates and 49ers have both struggled mightily on offense. East Carolina ranks 125th in total offense, with 301.8 yards per game. Charlotte ranks 123rd, averaging 303.5 yards per game. As a team, Charlotte is averaging just 15.3 points per game, good for 128th in FBS. ECU is averaging 19.2 per game, ranked 119th.

Head coach Mike Houston is in his fifth year at East Carolina. Biff Poggi, who was previously on Michigan's staff as an assistant is in his first year with the 49ers.

“Right now I’m searching for answers and I really don’t have them as we sit here and speak,” Poggi said after the team’s 14-0 loss to Navy this past weekend. “I thought through the bye week and after the last week, I thought we had some good answers. I really am so pleased with how the defense played. And not to play some head coaching martyr thing, but look, I’m the guy that put this thing together, and we’re 1-5, so there is only one person to point at, and that’s me. I have to go home and figure it out.”

Defensively, both teams have been rather stout. ECU ranks 31st nationally in total defense, allowing 331.8 yards per game. Charlotte ranks 76th in total defense, allowing 381.5 yards per contest. The 49ers are allowing 25.3 points per game. ECU is allowing 26.5 points per game.

The Pirates have led or been within one possession in four of their five losses this season in the fourth quarter (Marshall, App State, Rice, SMU), only to lose each of them. The Marshall, App and SMU games resulted in double-digit setbacks.

“Pretty frustrating. OK,” Houston said. “That’s the difference between winning and losing, finishing ball games, playing when the pressure is on. We’ve been able to do that a lot in the past, but we haven’t been able to do that yet this year. We have to find a way to do that. We’ve got a great opportunity next Saturday to have another game at home, and we’ll be focused on getting ready for our next opponent this weekend.”

East Carolina and Charlotte are set to kickoff at 2 p.m. this Saturday inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.