By the numbers: East Carolina's history as a 'giant killer'

Michigan Wolverines football is a 36-point favorite over East Carolina in Saturday’s season-opener, which will mark the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The Maize and Blue are ranked No. 2 in both major national polls, while the Pirates, coming off an 8-5 season and two-straight bowl appearances, are expected to take a slight step back in their sixth season under head coach Mike Houston, with DraftKings Sportsbook placing their over/under win total at 5.5.

However, the Pirates have been pesky in recent history. Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, who will serve as the team’s interim head coach Saturday with head man Jim Harbaugh suspended, called them a “giant killer.”

“I’ve seen this team for a long time and [know] what they’re capable of doing, the type of athletes they’re going to bring up here,” Minter said, noting that he watched his father, former Cincinnati head coach Rick Minter, go against ECU on a multitude of occasions when both programs were part of Conference USA.

ECU is 0-4 against the Big Ten but 30-51-1 versus the ACC, showing it can upset Power Five programs.

The Pirates lost by one point at then-No. 13 NC State in last season’s opening game and fell in a heartbreaker to South Carolina in 2021. It takes going back several seasons to find some big-time upsets, but they’re there.

The most famous stretch in recent history came in 2008, when the Pirates started the season with an overtime victory over a Virginia Tech team that wound up with a 9-4 record, then blew out No. 8 West Virginia, 24-3, the following week. There are other examples, like a 70-41 win over North Carolina in 2014 and wins over the Tar Heels and NC State in 2013. ECU is 5-12-1 and 13-19 against those two programs, respectively, and 5-5 against Duke.

Michigan, however, hasn’t fallen victim in a game against a non-Power Five / Notre Dame opponent in quite some time. Coincidentally, it was in the same 2008 season that was magical for the Pirates, with the Wolverines losing to Toledo, 13-10, Oct. 11, 2008. The Wolverines have won 30 consecutive matchups against such opponents and are an undefeated 15-0 under ninth-year head coach Harbaugh.

In addition, Michigan is 20-5-1 against opponents that are currently in the American Athletic Conference — Navy (12-5-1 ), Rice (2-0), Tulane (3-0), SMU (2-0) and Memphis (1-0) — with all five losses and the lone tie coming against the Midshipmen. ECU joined the American in 2014.

By the numbers: Michigan football vs. East Carolina

2nd Is where Michigan ranks in the AP poll, its highest preseason placement since 1991. U-M has begun the season No. 2 on four other occasions — 1991, 1986, 1977 and 1976. The Wolverines are No. 2 in the coaches poll, the highest they’ve ever checked in on those preseason rankings.

3 returning Michigan players earned first-team All-Big Ten honors last season, all on offense — senior running back Blake Corum (coaches and media), senior right guard Zak Zinter (coaches and media), graduate left guard Trevor Keegan (coaches).

6-2 Is Harbaugh’s record in season-openers as Michigan’s coach. The two losses came in his first game, at Utah in 2015, and at Notre Dame in 2018. The Maize and Blue have won their last four season-openers — 40-21 over Middle Tennessee State in 2019, 49-24 at Minnesota in 2020, 47-14 over Western Michigan in 2021 and 51-7 over Colorado State in 2022.

15-Game win streak at Michigan Stadium for the Wolverines, who also haven’t lost a game at the venue with fans in the stands since a 56-27 setback to Ohio State Nov. 30, 2019. They’ve won 28 of their last 29 games at The Big House with spectators present.

16th In the country is where ECU ranked in passing offense last season, averaging 290.5 yards per outing. The Pirates slotted 35th with 32.7 points per game and 23rd with 461.1 yards per contest. Only four offensive starters are back on the team.

25-3 Is Michigan’s record over the last two seasons, with the lone losses coming against Michigan State and Georgia in 2021 and TCU in 2022. The Wolverines have dropped just one regular-season contest during that span (MSU).

73rd Nationally is where ECU ranked in scoring defense last season, allowing 27.2 points per game. The Pirates were 91st in total defense (405.1 yards) and 130th against the pass (292.8 yards). They checked in 19th versus the run, giving up 112.5 yards per game, but faced only 32.7 rushes per contest, the 17th-fewest in the country, allowing 3.4 yards per attempt, ranking 21st nationally.

88 Michigan players have seen game action as Wolverines. The Maize and Blue return the fifth-most production in college football, per ESPN.com.