East Carolina vs Memphis Picks and Predictions for Thursday, October 22, 2026
East Carolina travels to Memphis on Thursday for an American Conference matchup at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm ET on ESPN2. The Pirates are sitting at 3-3 overall and 1-1 in conference play, putting them seventh in the standings. Memphis is fourth at 2-1 in the conference and has a 5-2 overall record. Both teams saw their three-game winning streaks come to an end last time out. East Carolina lost 30-17 in overtime to UAB, while Memphis fell 31-17 to Tulane. Find your next winner with our free NCAAF picks.
East Carolina Pirates Look to Bounce Back
East Carolina had put together a nice run before last week's trip to UAB. The Pirates beat Old Dominion 20-17, followed that with a 42-9 win over North Carolina Central and then handled Rice 28-12. That streak ended with the loss to UAB, and now East Carolina has to get things moving again. The Pirates have shown they can win lower-scoring games, but they also need more than the 17 points they managed last time out.
Emory Williams has taken care of most of the passing duties for East Carolina, completing 68 of 104 attempts for 655 yards. He's thrown seven touchdowns against two interceptions. The Pirates have gotten some good production from TJ Engleman Jr., who has 490 rushing yards and three touchdowns while picking up 6.9 yards per carry. Ray Ray Joseph Jr. has been the main target in the passing game, with 29 catches for 272 yards and three scores. Defensively, DJ Johnson Jr. has made 42 tackles, while Jasiyah Robinson has 2.5 sacks. Ayden Duncanson has also helped out with a pair of interceptions.
Injuries: No injuries are listed for East Carolina.
Memphis Tigers Have Been Tough to Stop
Memphis was riding a three-game winning streak before running into Tulane last Friday. The Tigers lost 31-17 after beating UAB 38-13, Charlotte 59-8 and UT Martin 45-21. That stretch showed how quickly Memphis can put points on the board. The Tigers scored at least 38 in all three victories, although they couldn't keep that pace against Tulane. Now they're back at home, where the offense will look to get rolling again. The running game has been a big part of their success.
Marcus Stokes has passed for 1,841 yards and 18 touchdowns, with six interceptions. He's also rushed for 200 yards. Jaylin Carter has been a handful for defenses, piling up 780 rushing yards and eight touchdowns at 7.0 yards per carry. Tight end Hunter Tipton leads Memphis with 380 receiving yards and five touchdowns, while Stonka Burnside has added 341 yards. The defense has gotten contributions from Mike Montgomery, who has 47 tackles, and Elijah Kinsler, who has 4.5 sacks. Dylan Smith has three interceptions.
Injuries: B. Kluse is questionable.
Key To The Game
East Carolina needs to keep Carter from breaking off long runs and make Memphis work for every yard. The Pirates have relied on Engleman to move the ball, but Memphis has more production through the air and on the ground. If Stokes gets time to throw, East Carolina could have trouble keeping up. The Pirates need to keep the score close and avoid giving Memphis extra possessions.
East Carolina vs Memphis Pick
- Memphis -10.5
Memphis has won three of its past four games, and its offense has been more productive than East Carolina's. Stokes has thrown 18 touchdown passes, while Carter has rushed for 780 yards and eight scores. The Pirates have won three of four as well, but their offense stalled against UAB. Memphis has more options with the ball and gets this game at home. The Tigers are the pick on Thursday.
East Carolina vs Memphis Over/Under Pick
- Over 53.5
Memphis has scored 38 points or more in three of its past four games, including 59 against Charlotte. East Carolina scored 42 against North Carolina Central but was held to 17 by UAB last time out. The Tigers have the bigger passing numbers, and Carter can pick up yards quickly on the ground. That gives Memphis plenty of ways to score. With those threats in mind, the over is the pick.