LuDawg's ECU vs Houston Game

...Who's ready?  LuDawg is ready to move to 19-3 on ECU plays.  Who's with me?  Let's get the money, fellas. 

Houston has to travel 1,120 miles to play against a team that is 5-1 at home with their only loss to VT.  The Pirates gave up a late fieldgoal with about a minute and a half to go in that game to lose 16-3. 

Houston's 2 losses this year came on the road. 

3 of ECU's 4 losses came against ranked opponents. One at UNC where a late TD made the score uglier than it was, on at WVU at the beginning of the year, and at home to VT in a tough defensive battle.

The other loss came at SMU when the entire ECU team had the flu.  SMU scored a 96 yard TD and also returned a missed FG back for a TD.  That game was dominated by ECU, everything went the Pirates way besides the score...look at those stats.

The Pirates have held their last 9 opponents to 21 points or less.

More to come, obviously.

ECU defensive coordinator, Greg Hudson, has to be fired up for this game.  Last year Tulsa also boasted the nations top offense when the Pirates played them in Tulsa for the championship.  Hudson's defense forced 7, yes seven, turnovers to crush the high flying Hurricane offense. 

Hudson knows how to stop the spread offense. 

LuDawg is leaning hard on ECU and the point.  I'm expecting the Pirates to possibly even be favored shortly. 

This is practically a morning game for Houston who has to travel a few hours East to face a tough Pirate defense at home.  The Pirates offense has also been very productive lately.  Mix in an opportunistic defense who forces turnovers at will and solid special teams and this is looking more and more like the wrong team is favored in Greenville.

It's going to be wet with a high of 46 degrees. 

ECU boasts the nations 3rd most experienced team in terms of snaps taken.  The Pirates have been in this situation before and are the more experienced team. 

ECU played a tough, physical game and won last Saturday over Southern Miss at home.  In that game, ECU had 2 TD's called back for holds and shot themselves in the foot with a 1st and goal from the 5 yardline that didn't get in for the touch due to penalties.

Houston squared off against a hapless Rice team.

Houston scored a touchdown with 21 seconds left at home in Houston, to knock off Southern Miss. 

Houston got lucky again at Tulsa, recovering an onsides kick then kicking a 50 yard field goal with no time on the clock to win 46-45.

ECU thumped Tulsa 44-17 at Tulsa.

Although ECU boasts a capable back in Dominque Lindsay, the Pirates look forward to getting back #2 Jonathan Williams.

You may remember Williams running smack over WVU last year when the Pirates controlled the ball and beat the #8 Mountaineers 24-3.

ECU has sold out every home game this season and pack them in at over 100% capacity.  This game will also be sold out and will be the rowdiest environment of the year, bar none. 

The ECU home field advantage is very large here with the huge student section sitting right behind the Houston bench. 

LuDawg is calling his bet now. 

PIRATES + THE POINT AT HOME is the play, gentlemen.  Get it now if you want it.  I expect the line to either show the Pirates favored or a pick by kickoff. 

Tons of intangibles on the line in this game for the Pirates.  Houston will be shut down.

Pirate fans have already scooped up 20k tickets and that's before they're available to the general public. 

It's going to be a sellout again and a tough environment for Houston, in the cold with possible snow, windy, against a tough defense and an offense that is more than capable.

The Pirates have given up 255 points this season.

UCF has given up 248.

Last team to beat Houston?  UCF.

Again, the Pirates have only given up more than 21 points 3 times this season.

On the other side bro

The Cougars just have too much offense for ECU IMO

Shrimp, you know as well as I do that football teams, especially college football teams, have a life span of one season only. 

This season's Pirate Defense has only given up more than 21 three times this season.  Once to WVU who scored 35 and once to UNC who scored 31 including a late cosmetic touchdown.

Houston scores points, but I don't think it will be enough to overcome their completely atrocious defense. 

Oh, I'm sorry, line now HOU -- 2 1/2 !!  Steady $$$ still coming in on Cougs!