East Carolina will visit NC State in the first week of the 2025 college football season. This Thursday night game features two teams that faced each other during bowl season this past year. East Carolina defeated NC State in the Military Bowl and will look for another win against the Wolfpack here. Before these teams face off for the second time in a row, continue reading to get my East Carolina vs NC State prediction.
Our East Carolina vs NC State Pick
- Pick: East Carolina +13
- Confidence: ★★★☆☆
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: East Carolina Pirates vs NC State Wolfpack
- Date & Time: Thursday, August 28, 2025, 7:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC
- Broadcast: ACC Network
East Carolina vs NC State Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| NC State -13 | NC State -550 / ECU +380 | 61.5 |
Key Storylines
Emotions will run high as NC State seeks payback for its December loss to East Carolina in the Military Bowl. East Carolina pulled off a dramatic 26-21 win last year under interim coach Blake Harrell. Harrell has since been promoted to the official head coach of the program. NC State will look to set the tone for their season at home under long-tenured coach Dave Doeren.
Both teams open their seasons with this game and Week 1 jitters could lead to sloppy early play. Ball security will be a major factor after East Carolina threw an FBS-high 23 interceptions in 2024. A cleaner performance from him would elevate ECU’s chances of getting another win over NC State. NC State will lean on its experience and home-field advantage to re-establish superiority over the Pirates.
Quarterback Play
East Carolina’s Katin Houser returns as a capable passer with the ability to generate explosive yardage. He must reduce turnovers to have an impact. Houser threw two interceptions in the bowl win over NC State and will look to clean things up here.
CJ Bailey is back to play quarterback for NC State this year. Bailey threw 17 touchdowns but had 10 interceptions of his own. Avoiding turnovers would be huge for Bailey to start this season with some confidence.
Betting Trends & H2H
- NC State is 19-14 all-time against East Carolina.
- East Carolina has lost seven of its last eight season openers.
- NC State has won two straight home games against East Carolina.
- NC State is 6-0 straight-up in its last six Week 1 games.
East Carolina vs NC State Model Projection
Score Projection: NC State 24 – East Carolina 17
Win Probability: NC State 65%, East Carolina 35%
Final Thoughts
NC State should be able to win this season opener at home against the team they lost to at the end of the 2024 season. CJ Bailey is poised to have a big 2025 in the eyes of many and that should start with a win here. But I will take the points with East Carolina, as their experience at the quarterback position should help them to stay competitive.
