Ahoy, college football fans! Get ready for some serious pirate-versus-wolf action because the Military Bowl is about to get WILD! We’ve got the East Carolina Pirates sailing into battle against the NC State Wolfpack on December 28th, and this in-state showdown is gonna be straight FIRE! Sure, our Pirates hit a little rough water against Navy (happens to the best of us, right? ), but they’re still rolling in with a solid seven dubs under their belt. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack is riding high after taking down their arch-rivals UNC in an absolute BANGER (35-30, talk about clutch!). Now, before these teams start throwing down in what’s basically a good old-fashioned North Carolina family feud, let’s meet the crew who’ll be bringing all the action to your living room!
The Wolfpack (6-6) and the Pirates (7-5) will meet in Annapolis at Navy’s home field, with kickoff scheduled for 5:45 p.m. ET on ESPN. The broadcast team on ESPN will feature Jay Alter as the play-by-play announcer, Rocky Boiman as the analyst, and Alex Chappell as the sideline reporter. Well, Jay Alter joined ESPN in 2019 and has been busy calling various college sports, including football, basketball, and lacrosse. He’s also contributed to NFL coverage on ESPN Radio. Before joining ESPN, Alter served as a host and commentator for the BIG EAST Digital Network and was a weekend sports anchor for News12 in Connecticut.
Talking about Rocky Boiman, his insights will be very crucial, as he has on-field experience. The former NFL linebacker played for teams like the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts. He played college ball at Notre Dame and was drafted by the Titans in 2002. Nowadays, he’s making waves as a color commentator for ESPN College Football. Last but not least, Alex Chappell, who is no stranger to sports journalism. She covers the Washington Nationals for MASN and serves as a sideline reporter for both ESPN and SEC Network college football coverage. Growing up in Bethesda, Maryland, she comes from a sports family. As we look forward to this Military Bowl clash between NC State and East Carolina, it’s clear that fans can expect an engaging broadcast with these talented announcers at the helm.
Let’s take a look at the last meeting of both programs. Back in September 2022, East Carolina’s Owen Daffer missed a go-ahead 41-yard field goal attempt with less than 10 seconds remaining, allowing No. 13 NC State to escape Greenville with a narrow 21-20 victory. The Pirates fought hard that day but fell just short of pulling off an upset against the ranked Wolfpack. Moving forward, let’s discuss what can be expected from the game.
Well, heading into the Military Bowl, NC State has a bit of an edge in talent compared to East Carolina. It is not only because they will enter with a victory over North Carolina. But because the Pirates have lost some key players to the transfer portal, including starters Chase Sowell, Isaiah Brown-Murray, and Zakye Barker. Additionally, wide receiver Winston Wright declared for the NFL Draft and won’t be suiting up.
On the other side of the table, star wide receiver KJ Concepcion is transferring out of NC State, but the Wolfpack still have solid depth with guys like Davin Vann, Tim McKay, and Anthony Belton ready to step up. Given that NC State is already the more talented team, it’s hard to overlook these losses for East Carolina. Not just that NC State has a promising freshman quarterback in CJ Bailey, who has been one of the best first-year QBs we’ve seen this year. Standing at 6-foot-6, Bailey is tough to bring down when he takes off running, but he can also sit in the pocket and pick apart weaker defenses. Honestly, it’s surprising he hasn’t landed a big contract yet! Hence, realistically, it’s tough to see East Carolina keeping pace with NC State throughout this game.
East Carolina Pirates vs. NC State Wolfpack: Prediction
Well, heading into the Military Bowl, NC State has a bit of an edge in talent compared to East Carolina. It is not only because they will enter with a victory over North Carolina. But because the Pirates have lost some key players to the transfer portal, including starters Chase Sowell, Isaiah Brown-Murray, and Zakye Barker. Additionally, wide receiver Winston Wright declared for the NFL Draft and won’t be suiting up.
On the other side of the table, star wide receiver KJ Concepcion is transferring out of NC State, but the Wolfpack still have solid depth with guys like Davin Vann, Tim McKay, and Anthony Belton ready to step up. Given that NC State is already the more talented team, it’s hard to overlook these losses for East Carolina. Not just that NC State has a promising freshman quarterback in CJ Bailey, who has been one of the best first-year QBs we’ve seen this year. Standing at 6-foot-6, Bailey is tough to bring down when he takes off running, but he can also sit in the pocket and pick apart weaker defenses. Honestly, it’s surprising he hasn’t landed a big contract yet! Hence, realistically, it’s tough to see East Carolina keeping pace with NC State throughout this game.
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