Old Dominion @ East Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2013 ) Old Dominion 38, East Carolina 52

There is no chance that East Carolina will look past visiting Old Dominion on Saturday when the teams meet for a non-conference game. The Pirates will try to get their season back in order against the Monarchs, who posted the upset of the year in college football last week.

East Carolina has had a disjointed season, including having its season opener postponed by a day, a loss to an FCS school, a blowout victory over North Carolina and a cancelled game with No. 24 Virginia Tech -- the same team the previously winless Monarchs knocked off. Scottie Montgomery's team is coming off a 20-13 loss to South Florida in American Athletic Conference play in which the Pirates had a sizable advantage in time of possession and yardage yet couldn't make the big play when needed. "We got to play better. We also got to understand that when we play against the top teams in our conference, it's going to come down to one or two plays and we have to execute them," Montgomery told the media. "We know the challenge ahead of us." Blake LaRussa was the star in the 49-35 victory over Virginia Tech as the junior came off the bench to throw for 495 yards and four touchdowns for the Monarchs of Conference USA, who were beaten 38-0 by the Hokies last season on the road.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: East Carolina -7

ABOUT OLD DOMINION (1-3): Jonathan Duhart has long been a productive player for the Monarchs, including posting a combined 95 catches and 1,371 yards in 2015 and 2016, but he has taken his game to a new level in his fifth and final season at the Norfolk, Va. school. After recording a career-high nine catches for 142 yards and three touchdowns against Virginia Tech, the 6-3, 210-pound native of Midlothian, Va., has three straight 100-yard games and is tied for third in the FBS in receiving touchdowns and fourth in receiving yards. Not to be forgotten is Travis Fulgham, who came up with career-highs in catches (nine) and yards (188), and running back Jeremy Cox, who managed his fifth career 100-yard game against the Hokies

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (1-2): The Pirates may have to scale back their passing attack if quarterback Reid Herring, who injured an ankle against South Florida and missed practice Tuesday, is not able to go. Herring has thrown 77 of 79 completions for 852 of the team's 860 yards this season, would need to practice Wednesday in order to play Saturday according to Montgomery. Freshman Holton Ahlers is more of a running quarterback, having amassed 84 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, and freshman Kingsley Ifedi has attempted one pass this season for the Pirates.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Barring the Virginia Tech game being rescheduled, Trevon Brown needs 754 yards in eight games to add to East Carolina's streak of six straight seasons with a 1,000-yard receiver, the best in the FBS.

2. The Pirates set school records in pass completions (46) and passing yards (447) that have since been broken in a 52-38 victory over the Monarchs in the lone prior meeting in 2013.

3. East Carolina has posted an 11-22 conference mark in its five seasons in the AAC after going 78-50 during its 17 seasons in Conference USA.

PREDICTION: East Carolina 37, Old Dominion 31