East Carolina Pirates vs UTSA Roadrunners Matchup

Check out our free UTSA Roadrunners vs East Carolina Pirates pick and preview for this CFB week 5 game in Greenville. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 5 CFB matchup.

The East Carolina Pirates will host the UTSA Roadrunners at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville for a 4:00 ET kickoff on Saturday, September 28th. The game can be seen on ESPN+, and both teams enter the matchup with 2-2 records. The over/under line is currently set at 53.5 points, with East Carolina as the -4.5 point favorite at home. The money line odds are -193 for East Carolina and +158 for UTSA.

Roadrunners vs. Pirates Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: UTSA Roadrunners at East Carolina Pirates
Where: Greenville at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium
Date: Saturday, September 28th
Betting Odds ECAR -4.5, UTSA +158 | ECAR -193 O/U 53.5

Roadrunners Preview:

UTSA evened their season record to 2-2 with a 45-7 victory over Houston Christian. The Roadrunners were in control from the start, taking a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and extending it to 31-7 by halftime. After the break, UTSA added 7 more points in the third quarter and held Houston Christian scoreless in the second half.

Roadrunners Offense Breakdown

UTSA's offense was firing on all cylinders in their 45-7 win, racking up 540 yards of total offense. The Roadrunners' ground game was particularly effective, gaining 273 yards and scoring two touchdowns. In the passing game, UTSA added 267 yards and four touchdowns.

Owen McCown led the way, completing 72% of his passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns. His passer rating for the game was 139.33. On the ground, Brandon High Jr. averaged 8.2 yards per carry, leading the team with 74 yards and adding a rushing touchdown. Willie McCoy was the top receiver, with two catches for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Roadrunners Team Defense

UTSA's defense was dominant in their most recent game, holding Houston Christian to just 7 points and 180 total yards. The Roadrunners allowed only 53 rushing yards on 31 attempts and limited Houston Christian's passing game to 127 yards on 13 completions.

Pirates Preview:

Pirates Offense Breakdown

In East Carolina's 35-24 loss to Liberty, the Pirates' offense totaled 331 yards, with 204 yards coming from Jake Garcia's passing. Garcia completed 55.6% of his passes, but he threw one interception and ended with a passer rating of 60.42. His top target, Chase Sowell, caught five passes for 72 yards.

East Carolina's offense moved the chains 21 times but struggled to finish drives, resulting in just 24 points. The Pirates ran for 127 yards, with Rahjai Harris leading the team with 47 yards on 13 carries. On the ground, East Carolina found the end zone three times.

Pirates Team Defense

East Carolina's defense will be looking to tighten up after allowing 415 total yards to Liberty in their last game. The Pirates gave up 192 rushing yards and one touchdown on the ground, while also struggling against the pass, allowing 223 yards and four touchdowns through the air. In total, East Carolina allowed 35 points and 26 first downs to Liberty's offense.

Roadrunners vs Pirates Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their three previous road games, UTSA has an ATS mark of 1-2. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-2 while averaging 17 points per game.
Across the East Carolina Pirates last three home games, the team averaged 14 points per game while allowing 19. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-2, while going 1-2 straight-up.
Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the UTSA Roadrunners have a straight up record of 0-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 0-3.
The last three games that East Carolina was favored, they have an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.