This Saturday the (3-2) East Carolina Pirates and the (4-1) Tulane Green Wave will matchup in the sixth week of the 2022 college football season. Kickoff will be at 3:30 PM EST inside Yulman Stadium. Both of these teams are entering this game after picking up a big win the week before.
The East Carolina Pirates are coming into this one after taking down USF, 48-28. The Pirates showed that their offense was working, as they continued to consistently move the ball up and down the field. They will need to stay efficient on the offensive side of the ball if they want to pick up another win in this one.
The Tulane Green Wave took down Houston, 27-24 in overtime last week. The Green Wave showed that they could hold their own in a close game, as they made multiple clutch plays near the end of the game. They will need to stay solid on both sides of the field if they want to get the job done in this one.
The East Carolina Pirates have lost to two solid opponents, as they failed to stop NC State and Navy. They also took down USF last week, as they were able to bounce back. On offense, the Pirates are scoring 35.2 points per game and averaging 486.2 yards. This is the 37th most points scored per game and the 15th most yards. They have shown that they can efficiently move the ball down the field. I would watch for Hilton Ahlers, as the senior QB looked great in his last start. He threw off 465 yards and six touchdowns, as USF couldn't slow him down. This season, ECU is averaging 314.2 passing yards per game, which is the 16th most in the nation. They have leaned on the pass, as Isaiah Winstead has been a beast. He has already recorded 34 receptions for 375 yards and two touchdowns this season. The Pirates are also averaging 172 rushing yards per game, as they have moved the ball through the air and on the ground. This is the 54th most rush ing yards per game, as slowing down this offense is no easy task. Keaton Mitchell currently leads the team with 386 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
On defense, ECU has also made it difficult on their opponents. They are only allowing 20.6 points per game and 370.6 yards. They held the Navy offense to just 20 points and NC State only scored 21 points in their two losses, as they have shown up against tougher opponents. The Pirates are also allowing 238.2 passing yards per game, which is the 81st most in the country. ECU is allowing 132.4 yards on the ground, as well. This is the 58th most yards allowed on the ground, as their front seven has to be better at rallying towards the ball. I would also watch for Gerard Stringer, as he leads the Pirates with 30 tackles this season. He has also forced one fumble, as he has been a difference maker for ECU this season.