ECU Football: Can Holton Ahlers lead Pirates to postseason in 2020?

How will ECU football fare in 2020?

These predictions are obviously being made with the assumption of no injuries and nothing COVID-19 related affecting the season.

• Game 1: vs. Marshall (L) — The Thundering Herd are an experienced team and will be competing for the C-USA title and will be too much, even at home for the Pirates.
• Game 2: at South Carolina (L) — The Gamecocks are not the best SEC squad but they will be too talented for the Pirates and give them another early season loss.
• Game 3: vs. Norfolk State (W) — ECU gets there first win of the season against the FCS program Norfolk State.
• Game 4: vs. UCF Knights (L) — UCF is the premier AAC program in the country and are looking to get back to a New Year’s Six bowl.
• Game 5: at Georgia State (W) — This is a bit of a tossup, but I think the Pirates’ offense is good enough to steal a win on the road.
• Game 6: at USF (L) — The Bulls are under a new head coach but have talent and should be able to compete in the AAC sooner than later.
• Game 7: vs. Navy (W) — This will be a tough game, but Navy is losing QB Malcolm Perry and other impactful starters and I think that will be enough to get the win at home.
• Game 8: at Tulsa (W) — Another game that is a pure toss-up, but I think the Pirates have the better quarterback.
• Game 9: vs. Tulane (L) — Willie Fritz is one of the most underrated coaches in the country and Tulane will be a tough out, even at home.
• Game 10: at Cincinnati (L) — Cincinnati has the potential to represent the Group of Five in the New Year’s Six bowl and are too talented and well-coached for East Carolina.
• Game 11: at Temple (L) — Another tough road game for the Pirates and it is against a team that could win the conference in 2020.
• Game 12: vs. SMU (L) — The season will end on a sour note as they lose to the Mustangs again. It’s hard to see the Pirates defense stopping SMU even once in this one.

Final Record: 4-8, 2-6 AAC

The schedule is tough because they face two of the supposed contenders in the conference, Temple and SMU on the road and they also take on UCF. South Carolina and Marshall will be tough non-conference foes. The offense can score on any team they face, but the defense makes it hard to trust them to win many tough games.