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Military Bowl Betting Lines 2024 | Sometimes bowl games feature matchups of teams who have never met – or who have not met in decades. It’s rare for bowls to feature rivalry games, simply because of the assigned conference pairings.
The Go Bowling Military Bowl, though, will feature one of the bitterest regional rivalries in the South that feature teams from different conferences.
We’re not quite talking about Clemson-South Carolina or Florida-Florida State, but this one gets close.
The East Carolina Pirates and the N.C. State Wolfpacks simply do not like one another, and things got so bitter that the rivalry was suspended in 1987.
Why? Because of the costs of the repairs after matchups. Fans would tear down goalposts, dig up lettering in the end zones and cause other forms of damage to the stadiums that hosted the meetings.
Things have improved in recent years, and the teams have met 13 times since 1987, though, and the rivalry remains spirited. N.C. State has won the last three meetings and has won seven of the 13 showdowns since 1987.
Out of the last 10 meetings, five have been decided by a single score. East Carolina comes in with some momentum, with a 4-1 record since firing coach Mike Houston in mid-October.
Their only loss has come to Navy in the regular season finale. The Wolfpack dropped two of their last three and had to rely on a season-ending win over North Carolina just to qualify for a bowl game.
We have some sports betting insights for you on this game.
Military Bowl Betting Lines 2024: East Carolina Pirates vs NC State Wolfpack
NCAAF Spread/Total: N.C. State -6.5 (O/U 58.5)
NCAAF Moneylines: East Carolina +183 vs NC State -230
When: Saturday, December 28, 2024, 5:45 pm ET
Where: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD
TV: ESPN
Radio: No National Broadcast
Live Stream: Hulu
Military Bowl Betting Lines, Final Score and Prediction
If you look at the roster losses for each side here, N.C. State has a lot more holes to fill than East Carolina does. This is a gritty in-state rivalry that should feature plenty of emotion from both sides.
The Pirates had a better finish to 2024 despite that season-ending loss to Navy, and this line just seems too large given these factors.
I predict a final score of East Carolina 27, N.C. State 24.
East Carolina Pirates Analysis
East Carolina has gotten a terrific second half of the season out of quarterback Katin Houser. Over his last six games, he has thrown for 18 scores and run for two more, averaging more than 300 total yards per contest. He’s steadied the ship nicely for the Pirates, who started the season by beating Norfolk State and Old Dominion before blowing a 16-point lead against Appalachian State and a 17-point lead against Liberty to sit at 2-2. The Pirates followed that up with embarrassing losses to Charlotte and Army before changing head coaches. Defensive coordinator Blake Herrell was given the interim job, and he led ECU to wins over Temple, Florida Atlantic, Tulsa and North Texas.
The Pirates also made a quarterback change as Miami transfer Jake Garcia could not stop throwing the ball to the other team – after five games, he led the nation in interceptions. This led to Houser getting the job. His touch on balls down the field is better than Garcia’s, and he has clicked with Anthony Smith, who actually transferred in from N.C. State and leads ECU with 767 receiving yards. Winston Wright Jr is the other top target who remains on the team heading into the Military Bowl, with eight touchdowns on the year. Tailbacks Rahjai Harris, who picked up almost 1,000 yards on the season, and London Montgomery, split the running duties.
NC State Wolfpack Analysis
Quarterback C.J. Bailey has had a strong season for a true freshman. He has accounted for 19 total touchdowns, but ball security is still an issue for him. When he turns the ball over, it tends to happen in bunches, such as the three picks he threw against Georgia Tech. When things are going well, though, he is a threat with his arm and with his legs. He has done well in taking over the offense from Grayson McCall, who decided to end his football career earlier this season due to medical reasons.
Wide receiver Kevin Concepcion was the Wolfpack’s biggest offensive loss to the transfer portal. The former ACC Rookie of the Year is gone, but freshman wideouts Terrell Anderson and Kennan Jackson have chances to make a splash on national television. Tight end Justin Joly had thought about opting for the draft but has chosen to stay with the Wolfpack for another year.
North Carolina ➡️ Annapolis@PackFootball and @ECUPiratesFB are going bowling🎳🏈
🗓️ December 28
📍Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
⏰ 5:45 p.m.
🎟️ https://t.co/Y0BpxvqXQF pic.twitter.com/yYtWUk04sL— Go Bowling Military Bowl (@MilitaryBowl) December 8, 2024
Xbet NCAA Football Odds for the Game
Military Bowl Betting Lines 2024: East Carolina Pirates vs NC State Wolfpack
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