East Carolina vs. Tulane Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 7

Betting odds, pick and prediction for the East Carolina Pirates-Tulane Green Wave matchup on Thursday night.

The East Carolina Pirates and quarterback Katin Houser are underdogs in Week 7. / James Guillory-Imagn Images

Thursday night’s college football action features a battle between the AAC’s East Carolina Pirates and the Tulane Green Wave, two squads that are over .500 entering Week 7. 

The Pirates are coming off a win over Army in their first AAC game of the 2025 season, but they are set as seven-point underdogs on the road against Tulane. 

The Green Wave are 4-1 in the 2025 season, with their lone loss coming to one of the best teams in the country in Ole Miss. Tulane beat Tulsa by 17 points in Week 5, but it was on a bye in Week 6. 

Tulane features a run-heavy attack, led by quarterback Jake Retzlaff, who has seven rushing scores and leads the team in rushing yards through five games. Even though the Green Wave are favored, can East Carolina at least hang around on Thursday night?

Let’s dive into the odds, players to watch and my prediction for this AAC battle in Week 7. 

East Carolina vs. Tulane Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

• East Carolina +7 (-115)
• Tulane -7 (-105)

Moneyline

• East Carolina: +195
• Tulane: -238

Total

• 54.5 (Over -115/Under -105)

East Carolina vs. Tulane How to Watch

• Date: Thursday, Oct. 9
• Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: Yulman Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): ESPN
• East Carolina record: 3-2
• Tulane record: 4-1

East Carolina vs. Tulane Key Players to Watch

Jake Retzlaff, Quarterback, Tulane

Retzlaff does it all for Tulane, throwing for 820 yards and two scores this season while leading the AAC in rushing touchdowns (seven). He’s averaging 6.3 yards per carry, but he hasn’t been nearly as effective through the air, completing just 54.4 percent of his passes.

This is a tough matchup for Tulane, as East Carolina is seventh in the country in EPA/Rush on defense and the Green Wave rely mostly on the run. They are just 103rd in the country in offensive success rate on pass play.

That’s going to put some pressure on Retzlaff to make things happen through the air. He was able to throw for 242 yards in the win over Tulsa, but the week before he was held to just 56 passing yards in the loss to Ole Miss. 

East Carolina vs. Tulane Prediction and Pick

Tulane may have a better record heading into this game, but I love the Pirates to cover the spread with it sitting at the key number of seven.

East Carolina’s losses came against an ACC opponent in NC State (by seven) and against now-No. 18 BYU. The Pirates were unlikely to ever upset the Cougars, but they have handled business against inferior competition in 2025.

This is a stylistic nightmare for Tulane, which actually ranks just 68th in the country in net EPA/Play despite a 4-1 record. The Pirates, for comparison, are 27th in the country in net EPA/Play.

East Carolina has an elite run defense, allowing just 3.3 yards per carry this season while ranking seventh in EPA/Rush. That’s bad news for a Tulane team that ranks outside the top 100 in offensive success rate throwing the ball and is just 88th in the country in EPA/Pass. 

The Green Wave average 205.8 rushing yards per game this season, but I find it hard to believe that they’ll reach that number against this East Carolina defense. 

Even though the Pirates have struggled to run the ball on offense – making them a pass-heavy attack – I think their defense is good enough to keep them within a touchdown on Thursday night. 

Pick: East Carolina +7 (-115 at DraftKings)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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