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Wk 8 · 2026

East Carolina Pirates at Memphis Tigers — Thu, Oct 22

Thu, Oct 22 · Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TN · ESPN2

Weather at kickoff

73°F clear
0% chance of precipitation · wind 4 mph
Forecast from Open-Meteo
American · 3-2
at
7:30pET
no line posted yet
Ratings differential MEM by 10.4
American · 5-1

What is at stake

A American game — it counts in the standings that decide that league's championship game. Run the race.

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The CFB King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 2.4 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two teams that have changed.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

East Carolina: -4.7#88
Efficiency margin
Memphis: +3.3#55
East Carolina: 27.0
Offense (pts/100)
Memphis: 35.4
East Carolina: 22.7
Defense (pts/100)
Memphis: 23.1
East Carolina: 63.2
Pace (plays/g)
Memphis: 67.7
East Carolina: 5.44
Yards / play
Memphis: 7.64
East Carolina: 4.54
Yards / play allowed
Memphis: 5.99
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The College King's 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats · 2026 per game

East Carolina: 24.8
Points / game
Memphis: 38.5
East Carolina: 22.6
Points allowed
Memphis: 20.8
East Carolina: 344
Yards / game
Memphis: 517
East Carolina: 319
Yards allowed
Memphis: 380
East Carolina: 173
Pass yds allowed
Memphis: 204
East Carolina: 147
Rush yds allowed
Memphis: 177
East Carolina: 1.60
Turnovers / game
Memphis: 0.83
From completed 2026 box scores; defensive yardage covers the regular season and conference championships.

East Carolina form

W 28-12vs RICEW 42-9vs NCCUW 20-17at ODUL 24-27vs APPL 10-48at ALA
2026 season

Memphis form

W 38-13vs UABW 59-8at CLTW 45-21vs UTML 20-38at BOISW 42-24vs ARST
2026 season

East Carolina this season

Straight up3-2 · 60% (5 games)
Against the spread2-3 · 40% (5 games)
Over / under1-4 · 20% (5 games)

Memphis this season

Straight up5-1 · 83% (6 games)
Against the spread4-2 · 67% (6 games)
Over / under4-2 · 67% (6 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 5

OpponentEast CarolinaMemphis
UAB
American
at Wk 7 · scheduled previewvs W 38-13 preview
Temple
American
vs Wk 9 · scheduled previewvs Wk 13 · scheduled preview
South Florida
American
vs Wk 10 · scheduled previewat Wk 11 · scheduled preview
Charlotte
American
at Wk 11 · scheduled previewat W 59-8 preview
Army
American
at Wk 12 · scheduled previewvs Wk 9 · scheduled preview
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, East Carolina leads 10–2 · East Carolina has won the last 3
12 meetings in 2006–2026 · average margin 6.3 points toward East Carolina
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20252025-11-15Memphis 27 — 31 East Carolinaat ECUEast Carolina
20222022-10-15Memphis 45 — 47 East Carolinaat ECUEast Carolina
20212021-11-13East Carolina 30 — 29 Memphisat MEMEast Carolina
20182018-11-03Memphis 59 — 41 East Carolinaat ECUMemphis
20172017-11-25East Carolina 13 — 70 Memphisat MEMMemphis
20122012-10-13Memphis 7 — 41 East Carolinaat ECUEast Carolina
20112011-10-15East Carolina 35 — 17 Memphisat MEMEast Carolina
20102010-09-11Memphis 27 — 49 East Carolinaat ECUEast Carolina
20092009-10-27East Carolina 38 — 19 Memphisat MEMEast Carolina
20082008-10-18Memphis 10 — 30 East Carolinaat ECUEast Carolina
20072007-11-03East Carolina 56 — 40 Memphisat MEMEast Carolina
20062006-09-16Memphis 20 — 35 East Carolinaat ECUEast Carolina

East Carolina leaders 2026 regular season

PassingMitch Griffis QB #1236/67, 425 YDS, 3 TD, 2 INT
Emory Williams QB #931/46, 386 YDS, 3 TD, 1 INT
RushingTJ Engleman Jr. RB #431 CAR, 250 YDS, 2 TD
Ashton Gray RB #332 CAR, 152 YDS
Mitch Griffis QB #1222 CAR, 75 YDS
ReceivingRay Ray Joseph Jr. WR #119 REC, 199 YDS
Jeremiah Melvin WR #1111 REC, 154 YDS, 1 TD
Dillon Lorick WR #143 REC, 87 YDS
Tyler Johnson WR #24 REC, 86 YDS
Defense
TacklesDJ Johnson Jr. LB #1129
Jackson Barker LB #125
Kevon Merrell Jr. DB #424
SacksJasiyah Robinson DL #02.5
Kieran Davis DL #52
Julien Davis LB #421
InterceptionsAyden Duncanson DB #132
Myles Pollard DB #121
Angelo Ross DB #221

Memphis leaders 2026 regular season

PassingMarcus Stokes QB #290/123, 1371 YDS, 14 TD, 3 INT
Air Noland QB #37/9, 83 YDS, 2 TD, 1 INT
RushingJaylin Carter RB #670 CAR, 513 YDS, 6 TD
Manny Covey RB #2842 CAR, 218 YDS
Dallan Hayden RB #727 CAR, 172 YDS, 1 TD
ReceivingHunter Tipton TE #019 REC, 367 YDS, 5 TD
Jermane Hayes WR #1122 REC, 242 YDS, 2 TD
Tychaun Chapman WR #112 REC, 176 YDS, 1 TD
Stonka Burnside WR #58 REC, 143 YDS, 2 TD
Defense
TacklesMike Montgomery LB #928
Zach Ruffin LB #2227
Ian Foster S #025
SacksElijah Kinsler DL #153.5
J'Mond Tapp DL #142.5
Taylor Burton DL #901.5
InterceptionsDylan Smith S #32
Ahmere Foster S #51
Ian Foster S #01
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since transferred or run out of eligibility still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game. The roster pages count bowl games too, so a player's two lines can differ by a game.