Game notes
- Time and date: Saturday, September 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Network: ESPN2
- Location: Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium — Greenville, NC
- Spread: BYU (-6.5)
- Over/under: 50.5
- All-time series: East Carolina leads, 2-1
- Last meeting: East Carolina 27, BYU 24 — October 28, 2022
- Current streak: East Carolina, 2 (2017-22)
Setting the scene
It is about to get rowdy in Dowdy.
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium welcomes a BYU team one spot outside the AP Poll, but the Cougars’ current national perspective doesn’t change what the Cougars have accomplished lately. BYU won 13 of its last 15 matchups, dropping just two games within five points while finishing No. 13 in the country last season.
But one opponent the Cougars just can’t seem to beat is East Carolina. ECU defeated BYU during recent 2017 and 2022 meetings in which the Pirates were underdogs.
This time, the series returns to Greenville as the purple and gold eye their third-straight win in the series and third-straight of the season against the unblemished Cougars.
BYU Cougars outlook
BYU (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) enjoyed the smoothest sailing start to 2-0 before taking an early bye week. The Cougars shredded FCS Portland State 69-0 before handling Stanford in 27-3 fashion, having yet to surrender a single touchdown this year. However, the Cougars also have yet to leaving the confines of Provo in 2025, and they’ll head two time zones east to suit up in front of an electric primetime crowd in Greenville.
Looking to silence the noise of the Dowdy-Ficklen atmosphere is true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier, the youngest of the three Bachmeier brothers that all made it to the FBS level. Bachmeier may show off his passing ability as the season progresses, but he hasn’t been required to drop back often in a pair of blowouts. He averages 136 passing yards per start on a 63.2 completion rate, firing three touchdowns to zero interceptions in a solid start to a collegiate career.
Thus far, BYU has been a ground-driven team, averaging 312.5 rushing yards per game to rank second nationally behind Navy. Only Old Dominion racks up more yards per rush than the Cougars at this point in the year. BYU has the luxury of returning starter LJ Martin at running back. Fresh off a 718-yard, 7-touchdown campaign, Martin already boasts 241 yards through two games and he’s only needed 26 touches to produce that number. Sione Moa and Jovesa Damuni will also provide support as the secondary backs in an effective running scheme, spearheaded by a sturdy o-line returning four players that logged at least six starts in 2024.
The receivers haven’t accrued too much production through two blowouts, but Chase Roberts returns as the main option after landing 854 receiving yards on 52 catches in 2024. Another player showing early promise is tight end Carsen Ryan. Now on the other side of the Holy War rivalry, Ryan ranks second on BYU in receptions (5) and receiving yards (83) — serving as one of three Cougars with a receiving touchdown.
Defensively, BYU ranks first in a multitude of statistics after defeating its opponents 96-3. The competition hasn’t been the stiffest nor sample size the largest, but BYU consistently shows the ability to get off the field. No team ranks higher than the Cougars in third down defense, yielding conversions on just 11.5 percent of opponent tries.
Stanford, the more formidable of BYU’s two opponents, converted just 2-of-13 attempts and failed to establish a single drive exceeding 20 yards until the fourth quarter. BYU suffocated the Cardinal to 19 rushing yards on 24 attempts, thanks to three sacks and eight tackles for loss while also limiting their passing game to a 17-of-32 showing with 142 yards and two interceptions.
Key names to watch on this vaunted Cougar defense include Jack Kelly and Isaiah Glasker. Kelly starred from the outside linebacker spot last season with a team-high 5.0 sacks to go along with 51 tackles and 10 tackles for loss. Meanwhile, the other outside linebacker Glasker ranked atop BYU in tackles (70) and tackles for loss (15) while checking in behind Kelly with 3.5 sacks. This linebacker tandem aims to completely eliminate ECU’s rushing attack and muddying up the Pirates’ strong passing game, similar to what NC State did in the first half Week 1.
BYU ranks first in run defense allowing 7.0 yards per game and fourth in pass defense with a per game allotment of 99.0 yards. The secondary will be tested vertically throughout this matchup, and BYU must make plays in deep zone coverage. It will be an important matchup for safety Tanner Wall, who recorded a team-best three interceptions as a starter in the 2024 defense.
East Carolina Pirates outlook
East Carolina (2-1, 0-1 American) is one nightmare first half away from a stellar 3-0 résumé. The Pirates stumbled out of the gate this season in a rivalry at NC State, trailing 17-0 immediately from the jump. ECU withered away at that deficit and fell just nine yards short of a tying, or potentially game-winning, touchdown in Raleigh.
Since that moment, ECU hasn’t let an opponent celebrate in the end zone. ECU pulverized FCS Campbell and Coastal Carolina by a combined score of 94-3, recording a 38-point shutout in the latter matchup — its first time blanking an FBS opponent since 2000. The Pirates have hit their stride on both sides of the ball, just like they did when finishing 5-1 last season under former interim, now current head coach Blake Harrell.
One element that keeps the Pirates dangerous is the passing potential of Katin Houser. Houser took over the starting reins in midseason last year and transformed the trajectory of the season. In his second year as ECU’s starter, he looks even more polished, ranking sixth in the FBS with 973 passing yards on a stellar 71.6 completion rate. Interceptions were the kryptonite of ECU’s offense last year, as the Pirates tossed more picks than anyone in the country. However, Houser has noticeably eradicated that trend from the offense this year, delivering five touchdowns to one interception across three weeks.
The wealth is distributed throughout the ECU offense which sees four receivers above 130 yards on the season. The Smiths — Anthony and Yannick — were focal points of the group last year and remain so in 2025. Anthony Smith is the more explosive threat, averaging 19.5 yards per catch last year while Yannick Smith is a go-to on quick slants and screens to keep the offense afloat. Two other returning Pirates — wide receiver Brock Spalding and tight end Jayvontay Conner — are also frequented targets, exponentially amplifying their production from the prior year.
Although the run game was expected to be a strength of the team with three Doak Walker Award preseason watchlist candidates, ECU hasn’t seen a 60-yard rusher this year. Parker Jenkins and London Montgomery look to jump-start their seasons behind an offensive line which has been especially tremendous in pass protection, allowing one sack on Houser’s 117 dropbacks.
ECU is traditionally renowned for its offensive play opposed to defensive tenacity, but this year’s Pirates squad is getting it done on both ends. Perhaps, the defense has been even stronger after allowing three points across its last nine quarters.
It all starts with stonewalling the run game. East Carolina is seventh in the country surrendering 58.7 rushing yards per game, and even star NC State running back Hollywood Smothers (140 and 164 rushing yards in his last two games) faced the heat, held to 76 yards on a 3.5 average. The Pirates are incredibly gap sound and thrived with tackles for loss production last year and are doing the same in 2025, ranking fifth nationally with 9.3 per game. It’s a very concerted effort with 11 different players (10 linemen/linebackers and one defensive back) generating multiple TFLs.
Stars to watch on this unit include outside linebacker Ryheem Craig who is expected to lead the pass rush, as well as free safety Ja’Marley Riddle who leads the team with 14 tackles and three pass breakups while also responsible for ECU’s longest interception return. Speaking of turnover production, nobody is better at it. ECU is tied for first in the FBS with eight takeaways, and when factoring in the offense’s ball security, the Pirates stand on the mountaintop as the only program to field a turnover margin as great at +7.
Prediction
It’s two elite run defenses pitted against each other, but BYU and East Carolina are both a step up in each other’s competition than the teams they’ve decimated the past two outings. The Cougars won their last two games 96-3 and the Pirates comparably won theirs 94-3, inflating the defenses’ statistical rankings as of late.
Offensively, BYU will lean heavily on its high-powered run game, taking some of the responsibility off its true freshman quarterback until East Carolina provides an effective counter. Meanwhile, ECU should rely heavier on the aerial attack given Katin Houser’s recent success and the slew of established options he has at his disposal.
This game should feature plenty more points than both squads are used to seeing this year. But when it comes to picking a winner, the deciding factor won’t necessarily be offense or defense. Look to special teams where BYU kicker Will Ferrin is a perfect 6-of-6 with a long of 56 yards while ECU has often struggled with field goals, sinking just 2-of-4 this year after finishing 9-of-12 from 20-39 yards a year ago.
Prediction: BYU 30, East Carolina 28
