Betting Preview: ECU Set as Heavy Favorite Over Tulsa on Thursday Night
East Carolina will return to the lights of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Thursday night, looking to bounce back in front of a national audience — and the oddsmakers like their chances to do just that.
The Pirates opened the week as 15.5-point favorites over visiting Tulsa, and that line has continued to climb at several sportsbooks, now sitting at –16.5 in some spots. The over/under is set at 52.5 total points, according to multiple betting outlets.
It’ll be another primetime spotlight for ECU, marking the team’s third straight Thursday night game on ESPN and their fourth Thursday appearance in just seven games this season. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Pirates looking to rebound
East Carolina enters the matchup at 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the American Athletic Conference after a tough 26–19 loss at Tulane last week. The Pirates have handled business as favorites this season, winning all three games when expected to against Coastal Carolina, Campbell, and Army. At the same time, their three losses have all come as underdogs to NC State, BYU, and Tulane.
Following Thursday’s contest, ECU will get some extended rest before returning to action on Oct. 31 at Temple, closing out a rare stretch of midweek matchups.
Tulsa’s season so far
On the other side, Tulsa (2-4) comes to Greenville off a bye week and under first-year head coach Tre Lamb. The Golden Hurricane opened the season with a win over Abilene Christian before dropping back-to-back contests to New Mexico State and Navy.
Their biggest moment of the season came in Week 4, when they stunned Oklahoma State 19–12, marking the program’s first victory over the Cowboys since 1951. But momentum faded quickly. Tulsa lost 31–14 to Tulane and then got routed 45–7 at Memphis before the open date.
Statistically, the Golden Hurricane are averaging 18.7 points per game while allowing 26.3 points per contest. Quarterback play has been inconsistent, largely due to injuries. Starter Kirk Francis went down in Week 2 and missed three games before returning against Memphis, where he threw three interceptions. In his absence, redshirt freshman Baylor Hayes, an ETSU transfer who previously played under Lamb, helped lead the upset at Oklahoma State and also started versus Tulane.
Key names to know
Dominic Richardson, a multi-stop transfer at running back, has been the engine for Tulsa’s offense. He’s averaging 4.8 yards per carry, totaling 538 yards and two touchdowns on 112 attempts.
Zion Booker, a Western Carolina transfer, leads the receiving corps with 35 catches for 294 yards.
Defensively, Ray Coney (another ETSU transfer) anchors the unit with 64 tackles, including three for loss and a sack.
Elijah Green, a sophomore corner, has been one of the AAC’s top ballhawks, already recording five interceptions in six games.
Series history
The matchup between ECU and Tulsa stretches back to 1984, when the Pirates were still an independent program. The series is as close as it gets, tied 12–12 all-time.
ECU snapped a four-game skid in the series last season, winning 38–31 on the road in Tulsa, also on a Thursday night. Before that, the Pirates had dominated with six straight wins between 2008 and 2015.
The setup
With both teams looking to even their American Conference records, the stage is set for another nationally televised matchup under the lights in Greenville. The Pirates will try to make it four straight wins as a favorite and carry some momentum into the final stretch of the season.
Kickoff between East Carolina and Tulsa is scheduled for Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.