East Carolina vs Appalachian State Prediction - College Football Picks 9/16/23

Appalachian State Mountaineers (1-1) vs East Carolina Pirates (0-2)

Game Info: Saturday, September 16, 2023 at 3:30 pm (Kidd Brewer Stadium)

Betting Odds: Appalachian State Mountaineers -8.5 -- Over/Under: 50.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds

The East Carolina Pirates will head down to Boone to face the Appalachian State Mountain for an in-state matchup this weekend from Kidd Brewer Stadium. ECU and App State go way back to the 1950s, where the Mountaineers were able to build a 20-12 all-time series lead, and they won the most recent matchup back in 2021, 33-19.

East Carolina Pirates Preview

East Carolina comes in at 0-2 after losing to Marshall in Greenville. The Pirates led their former conference rivals heading into the fourth quarter, but they let the Herd pull away, and they’ll seek different results in in-state action this weekend. Through two games, the ECU offense is scoring 9.0 ppg, while totaling 252.0 yards per game, gaining 127.5 ypg through the air, and rushing for 124.5 ypg.

ECU Player Notes

• Mason Garcia struggled to move the ball through the air again last week against Marshall, but he did manage to gain 118 yards on the ground.

• Alex Flynn has also taken some snaps behind center, and he’s also struggled, as he tossed a crucial pick against the Herd last week.

• Rahjai Harris led the backfield with a modest 29 rushing yards against Marshall.

• Senior wideout Jaylen Johnson leads ECU in receptions (7) for 67 yards.

• The ECU defense held Marshall to 6/15 on third downs, and they allowed 392 yards of total offense.

Appalachian State Mountaineers Preview

Appalachian State enters at 1-1 after falling to North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The Mountaineers nearly spoiled the Tar Heels season prematurely with another one of those vintage App State victories, but they fell in overtime, and will look to bounce back at home here against ECU. Through two contests, the App State offense is scoring 39.5 ppg, while passing for 259.5 ypg, while gaining 184.5 ypg on the ground.

App State Player Notes

• Joey Aguilar brought the fight last week against UNC, passing for 275 yards, with two touchdowns to one interception. The junior quarterback nearly completed the mission, and he’ll now look to deliver a third strong bout in Carolina action. Aguilar has passed for 449 yards, with six touchdowns to one interception thru two starts.

• Junior back Nate Noel has picked up right where he left off in 2022, rushing for 127 yards and two scores versus North Carolina last week. Noel also surpassed the century mark in the opener against Gardner Webb, and he’s totaled 244 rushing yards and three touchdowns through the first two games.

• Third-year wideout Dashaun Davis also had a big game last week, catching seven passes for 117 yards, and a touchdown.

• The App State defense let UNC convert 8/13 on third downs, and allowed 527 yards of total offense.

Corey’s Free Pick

Appalachian State put a scarce on us all last weekend, as they nearly put a blemish on Mack Brown’s Tar Heel team, and they will gladly appreciate the down in matchup here with East Carolina. In ECU’s defense, they have had to face two fierce defenses in Michigan and Marshall, but they come into this contest unproven against a squad that nearly added another Power 5 win to their catalog. App State will likely defend much better this week at home, and in return East Carolina will finally be able to open the playbook to unfold their offense a bit more. The Over will be in play due to the spirit of the in-state battle, but I like App State covering here, as ECU's quarterback situation is very murky right now.