East Carolina Pirates vs UConn Huskies Game Preview

Game Time: 12:00 EST

Records: ECU 3-7 (0-6), UConn 2-8 (0-6)

Line: ECU -14.5, O/U 64.5

Venue: Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, East Hartford, CT

TV: ESPN3

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Something has to give this weekend as both East Carolina and UConn are looking for their first conference win on Saturday afternoon. Both teams got an extra week of preparation as they were on a bye week.

ECU is currently on a five-game losing streak with their last game being a shootout with a 59-51 defeat to the hands of the SMU. As for UConn, they have lost seven of their past eight with only a win against UMass in between the losses. They are coming off a 48-3 smacking from Cincinnati.

The Pirates have owned this series, with the Pirates winning the past three meetings including a 55-21 victory last year. This is a golden opportunity for both teams to try and get away from being the team at the bottom of the conference and earn their first conference victory of 2019.

Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Why the Pirates Will Win

The Pirates will win this game because of the high-flying offense that has shown up in recent weeks. The Pirates have put up 51 points and 43 points, respectively, against two of the top teams in the conference in SMU and Cincinnati. They are led by quarterback Holton Ahlers who has hit his stride in recent weeks. Ahlers has thrown for 17 touchdowns and 2,705 yards.

Defensively, the team has been extremely underwhelming, which we thought would lead the team to victories. The team is 107th in the nation allowing 33.1 points per game. They will have to make a couple key stops in order to find a way and come away with the coveted fourth win.

The Pirates will need to get on the Huskies early as they show a lack of fight once the game starts to look bleak. A fast start is paramount for the Pirates.

Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Why the Huskies Will Win

UConn has been extremely difficult to watch in recent weeks and their struggle is on both sides of the ball. The Huskies have lost by at least 45 points in their past two games.

The team is only scoring 18.6 points per game and they’re giving up 40.6 points per game which is ridiculous. The team has struggled so look for running back Kevin Mensah, who has been one of the few bright spots for the Huskies.

The defense needs to rise up and create turnovers to give their sluggish offense more opportunities. Then feed Mensah as many times as possible to control the game. If you’re in it into the fourth quarter, the senior day for this team may bring them extra energy.

Players to Watch

ECU

QB: Holton Ahlers

WR: C.J. Johnson

LB: Xavier Smith

DB: Daniel Charles

UConn

RB: Kevin Mensah

WR: Cameron Ross

DB: Tyler Coyle

LB: Omar Fortt

Prediction

The Pirates will finally get that fourth win on Saturday even though both teams have not won a conference game. ECU has played significantly better of late than the Huskies.

ECU 34 - UConn 17