Conference play is the theme of Week 7 of the 2022 NCAA college football season. The AAC has some interesting matchups on the schedule, including a tilt between the Memphis Tigers and East Carolina Pirates.
Memphis had its four-game winning streak snapped last week while East Carolina picked up its second loss in its last three outings. So which AAC school will get back to its winning ways this weekend?
Memphis vs East Carolina Odds
According to FanDuel Sportsbook's'college football odds, East Carolina is a clear -235 favorite on the moneyline (5.5-point spread) in a game with a 62.5-point over/under.
What should college football fans expect in this matchup, and where can bettors find value?
Memphis vs East Carolina Prediction and Best Bet
This rivalry has been fairly one-sided in the last few decades as East Carolina has won 14 of its last 20 games against Memphis. That includes last year's close-fought battle, ending in a 30-29 victory for the Pirates.
Having said that, Memphis has been playing well lately. The Tigers have averaged 36.2 points over their last five games, whereas the Pirates have been held to 20 or fewer points in their last two losses. One of those defeats game 23-20 in overtime to Navy – the same team that Memphis beat 37-13 two weeks before that.
Still, I do expect East Carolina to keep up its success against Memphis. Pirates QB Holton Ahlers should be able to take advantage of a Tigers defense that's surrendered an average of 327.3 pas sing yards over their last three games.
I'll take East Carolina covering the 5.5-point spread here, as well as the total hitting over 62.5 points – especially after the two sides have averaged a total of 80.7 points in their last three meetings.