UAB is the common opponent, and it shows the gap between these two. Memphis beat the Blazers 38-13 at home. East Carolina went to Birmingham and was tied with them after regulation. The schedule matters too. ECU played Thursday and gets a full week before this Thursday game. Memphis played Friday in New Orleans, so it gets a day less to recover, though it's back home.
North Carolina Central42-9
UT Martin45-21
East Carolina's offense is the question. Outside the 42 it put on North Carolina Central, the Pirates scored 24, 20, 28 and 17 in their other recent games. That's enough to beat Old Dominion and Rice. Against a Memphis team that has scored 38 or more 3 times in its last 5, it probably isn't. The Pirates' defense kept a decent UAB team under control for most of a night before the end. It will need to do that again, and also hold up through the last 5 minutes this time.
For Memphis, the question is whether that 2nd quarter in New Orleans was a one-time collapse or a sign of something. The Tigers are 5-2 and 2-1 in the American. Their 2 losses came on the road against Boise State and Tulane, and they've won their home games easily. The forecast is 75 and clear with a 4-mph wind, so weather won't be an excuse for either team. Neither club is ranked, but the loser falls further back in the conference race. The winner gets to put last week behind it.