East Carolina, which returns to postseason play after missing out on a bowl last year, will attempt to snap a three game bowl skid later today when it meets Louisiana-Lafayette in the 2012 New Orleans Bowl (12:00pm start time, ESPN). The latest 2012 New Orleans Bowl Odds have the Ragin Cajuns listed as a -5 against the spread favorite and the Over/Under at 65.5 points. The Pirates drawing +175 on the moneyline ($100 wins $175) to win their fourth game in a row.

East Carolina finished with nine wins in back to back seasons during the final two years of Skip Holtz tenure, but it did not approach that number its first two years of under Ruffin McNeill.

Third time was, indeed, the charm for the former Pirate player, though, as this year’s squad finished up the regular season with an 8-4 record. East Carolina caught fire at the season’s midway point, posting a 5-1 record in the season’s second half.

Still, the Pirates have a number of detractors tossing money at Louisiana-Lafayette. The basis for their actions: the fact that ECU did not beat a single winning FBS team all season long.

Conversely, the Ragin Cajuns, who also compiled an 8-4 regular season record, knocked off two winning squads in Louisiana-Monroe and Western Kentucky. Louisiana-Lafayette, which tallied a 4-1 record in its last five games, also held its own in a late season showdown with No. 3 Florida. The Ragin Cajuns lost 27-20 at the Swamp after limiting the Gators to 16 first downs and 311 total yards.

2012 New Orleans Bowl East Carolina vs Louisiana-Lafayette Odds:

East Carolina Pirates +5 (-110), Over 65.5 (-110), +175 (Moneyline)

Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns -5 (-110), Under 65.5 (-110), -210 (Moneyline)

College Football Free Picks: East Carolina vs UL- Lafayette
What college football bettors need to know about East Carolina Pirates vs UL- Lafayette Ragin Cajuns on Saturday (12/22/12) - a free pick from Pregame.com's Bryan Leonard, with Marco D'Angelo and host Scott Spreitzer.

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