East Carolina Pirates vs Liberty Flames Matchup

Liberty Flames will be hosting the East Carolina Pirates in a week four non-conference matchup at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, VA. Kick-off is set for 6:00 ET, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Liberty comes in with a 3-0 record, while East Carolina is 2-1 on the season. The Flames are -7 point favorites, and the over/under line is currently at 53.5 points.

Pirates vs. Flames Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: East Carolina Pirates at Liberty Flames
Where: Lynchburg at Williams Stadium (VA)
Date: Saturday, September 21st
Betting Odds LIBRTY -7, ECAR +217 | LIBRTY -273 O/U 53.5

Pirates Preview:

East Carolina is looking to bounce back after a 21-19 loss to Appalachian State. The Pirates, who were +1 point underdogs, not only fell short of the upset but also failed to cover the spread. This game's over/under line was set at 58.5 points, but the teams combined for just 40 points, resulting in an under. East Carolina is now 2-1 for the season.

The Pirates had a rough start, trailing 16-0 in the first quarter. However, they fought back to make it 16-14 by halftime. East Carolina then took a 21-16 deficit into the fourth quarter and managed to add a field goal but ultimately fell short of a comeback.

Pirates Offense Breakdown

East Carolina's offense, led by quarterback Jake Garcia, put up 324 yards in their 21-19 loss to Appalachian State. Garcia completed 64.3% of his passes for 226 yards, throwing one touchdown and one interception. Winston Wright Jr. was his top target, hauling in three receptions for 72 yards.

The Pirates' offense moved the chains 16 times but struggled on the ground, managing just 98 rushing yards on 30 attempts. Rahjai Harris was the leading rusher, with 87 yards on 18 carries.

Pirates Team Defense

East Carolina's defense will be looking to improve after giving up 424 passing yards in their last game, where they allowed 515 total yards. The Pirates' secondary did manage to come up with two interceptions, but they gave up 25 first downs and 91 rushing yards. Overall, East Carolina's defense will be looking to tighten up after this performance.

Flames Preview:

Flames Offense Breakdown

Quarterback Kaidon Salter led Liberty's offense to a 28-10 win over UTEP, throwing for 228 yards and completing 78.9% of his passes. His top target, Treon Sibley, caught four passes for 77 yards. The Flames' offense totaled 417 yards, with 189 yards coming on the ground and 228 through the air.

Liberty's ground game was effective, with Billy Lucas rushing for 104 yards on 21 carries and scoring three of the team's four touchdowns. The Flames' offense moved the chains 19 times and found the end zone three times on the ground and once through the air.

Flames Team Defense

Liberty's defense, which allowed 335 total yards in their most recent game, was particularly effective against the run, limiting UTEP to just 91 rushing yards. The Flames' secondary was tested, as UTEP attempted 43 passes, completing 26 of them for 244 yards and one touchdown. Despite these numbers, Liberty's defense came up with two interceptions and held UTEP to 10 points in the game.

Pirates vs Flames Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last ten road contests, the East Carolina Pirates offense has averaged 21 points per game while allowing an average of 26. East Carolina posted an overall record of 4-6 while going 6-4 ATS.
In their last three home games, the Liberty Flames have a straight up record of 2-1 while going 0-3 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 26 points per game in these contests.
Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, East Carolina has an ATS mark of 3-2 while going 2-3 straight up.
Against the spread, the Liberty Flames have put together 0-3 in their last three games as the betting favorite. In these same games, they went 3-0 straight up.