By the time ECU begins play as a Big East football member in 2014, the league will resemble the Conference USA of 2012.

It turns out that the Pirates will be changing addresses while maintaining much the same competitive company. But be that as it may, the school and its thousands of loyal, long-suffering fans won with Tuesday’s news of the pending relocation.

To have been left behind in the gutted Conference USA lineup when Central Florida, Houston, Memphis, Southern Methodist and Tulane were moving on to the Big East would have been demoralizing and costly.

Big East television money will be considerably less than the SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and ACC but still more than ECU could have made as the primary bread winner in the diluted Conference USA.

And as much and as often as the Big East has shunned ECU over the years, the league will benefit more from the Pirates’ football presence than any of the other Conference USA newcomers.

Cable television market size and ESPN are the driving forces behind all expansion and realignment, which is why ECU has been skipped over so many times.

But at some point the college football business model has to place at least a degree of emphasis on the actual product and game atmosphere. That’s where ECU will bring more to the Big East table that it takes.

The Pirates will arrive with the Big East’s largest fan base, the league’s best traveling fans and a program that should win seven or more games each season even while tackling aggressive non-league schedules.

For now, ECU athletic director Terry Holland faces the challenge of finding homes for other sports, but that problem could be resolved easier than it sounds now. If _ as expected _ the Big East loses Louisville, Cincinnati and Connecticut to other leagues, an all-sports option could fall ECU’s way fairly fast.

In a perfect world, federal and state lawmakers would have enough common sense to restore geographic and academic sanity to college sports and conference affiliations nationwide.

The current dynamic works in such a manner that taxpayers are bankrolling athletic plants that are being used by television companies to rake in billions of dollars.

No school or group of fans have been more abused by those strong-arm conference and cable networks over the years than ECU.

Tuesday, the Pirates finally caught a long overdue break.  

Tudor: 919-829-8946

•UNC (6-4) at Virginia (4-6), Thursday 7:30

The ACC really wants Virginia to win this game and go to Virginia Tech next week with a chance to fill a bowl slot. But since the ACC wants a Virginia win, the only logical conclusion is that it won’t happen.

Heels, 28-24.

•N.C. State (6-4) at Clemson (9-1), Saturday 3:30

The ACC really needs Clemson to win this game and stay alive in the chase for a second BCS big-game spot. In this case, the ACC will get what it needs _ in part because State ruined Clemson’s 2011 hot run.

Tigers, 42-28.

•ECU (6-4) at Tulane (2-8), Saturday 3:30

Was upsetting Houston two weeks ago in Greenville a defining moment for Pirates in the Ruffin McNeill era? Very possible. An 8-4 regular season and mid-level bowl bid is there for taking and the future with Shane Carden at quarterback suddenly looks promising. But the defense still has to show up.

Pirates, 34-24.

•Duke (6-4) at Georgia Tech (5-5), Saturday 3:30

Vad Lee played the role of Vlad the Impaler at UNC but won’t lead a 68-point output two straight weeks against teams from his hometown area. The good news for the Jackets is that 68 won’t be needed.

Tech, 31-24.

•South Florida (3-6) at Miami (5-5), Saturday 3

Skip Holtz’ stock is slipping fast, but Miami may have lost its will to fight after the stinging loss at Virginia. A win over the Hurricanes isn’t a big deal any longer, but USF fans might still find it marginally impressive.

Bulls, 17-14.

•Wake Forest (5-5) at Notre Dame (10-0), Saturday 3:30

The Irish will be looking ahead to Southern Cal (for the third straight week), but it won’t help the Deacons any more than it did Boston College.

Irish, 28-10.

•Central Florida (8-2) at Tulsa (8-2), Saturday noon

A Tulsa win keeps ECU mathematically alive in the Conference USA East. But barring help from the NCAA and/or Alabama-Birmingham, the Pirates will have to sit home and watch a repeat of this meeting on Dec. 1.

Tulsa, 38-35.

•Rutgers (8-1) at Cincinnati (7-2), Saturday noon

Cincy isn’t ranked and Rutgers is only 22^rd, but what wouldn't the ACC give to have a late-season game this interesting? What’s more, Louisville is still the likely Big East favorite.

Bearcats, 28-27.

•Last week: Ouch. 2-3. Season 47-19.

•Florida State (8-1) at Virginia Tech (4-5), Thursday 7:30

Too bad we can’t turn the clock back to August. This looked like a heck of game back then. Now the Hokies can hope to spoil a party and stay alive in the bowl hunt. They are 4-0 in Blacksburg, but that’s 4-0 going on 4-1.

Noles, 24-14.

•Georgia Tech (4-5) at UNC (6-3), Saturday 12:30

The Tar Heels had an open date to prepare for the dive, keep, pitch, end-around routine. Meanwhile, the Jackets don’t execute the deep seam and flag pass routes that have punished Carolina’s defense.

Heels, 28-20.

•Wake Forest (5-4) at N.C. State (5-4), Saturday 3

You have to assume it’s now or never time for the Wolfpack. Next, you have to assume Wake has spent the week preparing a cover-4, umbrella defensive backfield scheme. Finally, you have to assume State has spent the week devising a mid-range passing strategy to combat cover-4.

So, it comes down to which team can do just enough in the run game and shows up with a pulse.

I’ve got to believe State will hang on at least for one more week. Pack, 24-21.

•Miami (5-4) at Virginia (3-6), Saturday noon

The Hurricanes aren’t very good and may never be again but I don’t think they’re going to lose another regular-season game and will wind up facing Florida State in Charlotte unless they declare themselves ineligible.

Miami, 27-17.

•Kansas State (9-0) at TCU (6-3), Saturday 7

Wildcat quarterback Collin Klein is from Loveland, Colo., which may explain why Heisman voters are falling in love with his season. It’s been a heck of a ride, but he's banged up and logically the Wildcats just  cannot be a 12-0 team.

Frogmen, 42-38.

•Last week: 5 up, 2 down. Season 45-16.

•Virginia (2-6) at N.C. State (5-3), Saturday 12:30

It’ll be interesting to check the pulse of all things Wuf _ fans, players, coaches, administration _ in Carter-Finley.

At UNC last week, Tom O’Brien asked his team “Are you finished?” The same question indirectly will be put to the fans.

Mike London and his staff have had an extra week to get ready and it should show, but it’s difficult to imagine that Virginia’s offense has been fixed so fast. State, 28-20.

•Houston (4-4) at ECU (5-4), Saturday noon

It’s not surprising that the Pirates are an underdog to a team that started the season 0-3, but ECU coach Ruffin McNeill might consider staying in the locker room if his team loses its second straight in Greenville.

Pirates, 37-28.

•Clemson (7-1) at Duke (6-3), Saturday 7

A problem for Duke might be N.C. State. It was in November of last year that the Tigers arrived in the Triangle on a hot streak and overlooked the Wolfpack.

Clem&kid, 42-27.

•Virginia Tech (4-4) at Miami (4-4), Thursday 7:30

It’s the Bummer Bowl for the Beamers, who are nose to nose to nose with Michigan and Arkansas as the most disappointing team of the season to date.

With Florida State up next, VT is looking at 6-6 with a loss to the Tropical Depressions. No way. Hokies, 27-24.

•Boston College (2-6) at Wake Forest (4-4), Saturday 3:30

If the Deacons can’t stop the nosedive in this one, they probably won’t win again this season. Wake, 24-14.

•Alabama (8-0) at LSU (7-1), Saturday, 8

Bama’s offense gets more dangerous by the week, primarily because AJ McCarron (high on my Heisman list) has not thrown an interception all season. Meanwhile, it’s hard to forget that 10-6 loss that the Tigers suffered at Florida.

Tide, 24-21.

•Oregon (8-0) at Southern Cal (6-2), Saturday 7

Southern Cal’s defense simply has to be better than it played last week (39-36 loss at Arizona), which Oregon shut out (49-0) on Sept. 22.

It makes sense to pick the Trojans, but I’m just not sold on Lane Kiffin. Quack Quack, 28-27.

•Last week: 6 up, 2 down. Season 40-14.

•CLEMSON (6-1) at Wake Forest (4-3), Thursday 7:30

In preseason, this game had upset written all over it. But between injuries and suspensions, the Deacons are drifting aimlessly. Wake keeps it interesting for a while but not all night. Tigs, 34-24.

•N.C. STATE (5-2) at UNC (5-3), Saturday, 12:30

Larry Fedora’s been counting the days. More pertinent is the likelihood that Gio Bernard’s been counting the ways to the end zone.

Don’t expect a series instant classic but do expect the law of averages to finally come into play. Tar Heels, 27-21.

•NAVY (4-3) at ECU (5-3), Saturday 3:30

If it turns out to be a field-position, slugfest sort of game, the Pirates will lose. Navy has too many wishbone rushing options and punter Pablo Beltran (46-yard average) may be the best in the nation.

But since the game is in what’s left of Dowdy-Ficklen, ECU should be able to set the tempo. Bucs, 28-24.

•DUKE (6-2) at FLORIDA STATE (7-1), Saturday 3:30

FSU’s offense wasn’t overwhelming with Chris Thompson averaging 7.5 yards per rush. It’ll be outright average without him, but not enough to give the Bowl Devils a serious upset shot.

Noles, 31-14.

•FLORIDA (7-0) vs. GEORGIA (6-1), Saturday 3:30

Is the SEC really going to have two undefeated teams in the league championship game?

After the World’s Largest blah blah, the Swamp People have Missouri, Louisiana-Lafayette, Jacksonville State and a trip to FSU. It’s time for dem Dawgs to take a bite out of Mike Slive’s ego. UGa, 24-23.

•NOTRE DAME (7-0) at OKLAHOMA (5-1), Saturday 8

Were this game in South Bend, the Irish would be favored with only Pitt, Boston College and Wake Forest to play before going to Southern Cal.

But at night in Norman, it just doesn’t compute. Sooners, 28-20.

•OHIO STATE (8-0) at  PENN STATE (5-2), Saturday 5:30

If Bill O’Brien wins this game, which is very possible, he won’t have to worry about finding another job the moment the season ends. Lions give it a go but come up short. TOSU, 23-17.

•MISS. STATE (7-0) at ALABAMA (7-0), Saturday 8:30

Tide’s due for a scare and with LSU and Bama playing next week in Baton Rouge, the timing’s near perfect for the Bulldogs. It’s tempting but it’s also in Tuscaloosa.

Tide, 20-14.

•Last week 6 hits, 1 whiff. Season 34-12

•UNC (4-2) at Duke (5-2), Saturday 7 p.m.

Almost everything, including the betting line, points to the Tar Heels. But strange as it sounds, this feels like a statement game for Duke.

Duke. Statement. Football?

I’m going with a hunch on the Blue Devils, but it’s more like a flying leap. If the offensive line can’t give Sean Renfree and/or Anthony Boone time to hunt, Carolina’s defensive front will crash and trash. On the other hand, the Heels have to cover Connor Vernon and Jamison Crowder.

The Cameron Crazies venture outside for air and Duke responds, 28-27.

•N.C. State (4-2) at Maryland (4-2), 3:30 p.m.

The Bill Parcells Rule holds that you are what your record says you are, but that just doesn’t sound right when you say it about the Terps.

Give Randy Edsall credit for finding a way, but the way has been found against William & Mary, Temple, Wake Forest and Virginia.

Normally, this would be a classic letdown situation for the Wolfpack, but the open date after the emotional experience against Florida State has to help. Pack, 28-17.

•ECU (4-3) at Alabama-Birmingham (1-5), Saturday 7 p.m.

ECU has to hope the Blazer team that scared Ohio State on Sept. 22 remains AWOL, but that’s likely.

Pirate quarterback Shane Carden has been sacked 18 times and has thrown five interceptions, but seems to be settling into the job. ECU, 24-21.

•Wake Forest (3-3) at Virginia (2-5), Saturday 12:30 p.m.

The ACC’s version of who’s on first pits two of the most confusing _ and internally confused _ teams south of the New York A-Rods.

Wake coach Jim Grobe virtually has had to purge his roster in a mid-season attempt to get the players’ attention, and Virginia’s Mike London has a clinical case of two quarterbacks = zero quarterbacks.

It’s more like a coin flip, but give me the Deacs, 20-17.

•Virginia Tech (4-3) at Clemson (5-1), Saturday noon

For an above-average team, Clemson is surrendering 203 yards rushing per game, which should give Frank Beamer and his peeps something to work with. But not enough.

Tigers, 35-28.

•Florida State (6-1) at Miami (4-3), Saturday 8 p.m.

If fans can’t find the Sun Life Stadium entrance for a shot at the Seminoles, maybe it’s time for Miami to start looking for a convenient sand lot in Coral Gables.

Seminoles win the game and the gate, 27-10.

•South Carolina (6-1) at Florida (6-0), Saturday 3:30 p.m.

At 5-0 in the SEC, the Gators can almost see Atlanta from their house and with non-league games remaining Louisiana-Lafayette and Jacksonville State, a 12-0 regular season isn’t totally out of the question.

But after coming close last week at LSU, it’s time for the Gamecocks to win a big one on the road. Visors 23, Gators 21.

•Last week 5 smiles, 1 frown. Season 28-11.

At age 30 and in reasonably sound health by NFL quarterback standards, Philip Rivers should have four or five more productive seasons ahead _ if not with the San Diego Chargers, then another team.

But during the second half of Monday’s 35-24 loss to visiting Denver, the former N.C. State star for the first time looked old and uncomfortable on a football field.

Rivers always has thrown a lot of interceptions _ 20 last season, four Monday, nine so far this season and 86 during his 102 games as a Charger starter. But there was something about the way Rivers labored through the second half against the Broncos and Peyton Manning, 36, that went beyond turnovers, misreads and an oft-leaky offensive line.

With a 24-0 halftime lead and the hometown audience unusually upbeat, Rivers came across as being overwhelmed and wound up playing the worst game of his career and the team absorbing the most disappointing loss since Norv Turner was hired in 2007.

Now 3-3, the Chargers are 20-18 since winning the American Conference West in 2009.

The season’s not over nor the cause hopeless, of course. Ten other teams are 3-3 and there’s not a team with a winning record in the AFC West. But the fan base was souring on Turner even before Monday’s collapse.

And for the first time, Rivers looked more like a problem than a solution for a franchise suddenly facing the possibility of a fourth straight season out of the playoffs.

•UNC (4-2) at Miami (4-2), Saturday 2:30

Assuming Miami is better than Duke _ hmm _ the Hurricanes can extend their ACC Coastal lead to something in the 4-furlong range with a win.

At 3-0 and with both Techs flunking chemistry in the same semester, the division is so lean and leaky that even with Florida State just ahead, the lame-duck Tar Heels could equate to Charlotte’s Welcome Wagon for Miami.

Even so, it’s difficult to imagine the Miami defense keeping Saint Bernard on the porch. Heels, 42-31. Would Al Golden think about giving his old buddy Al Groh … naw.

•Duke (5-1) at Virginia Tech (3-3), Saturday 12:30

As late as last year _ when the Hokies were almost the Hokies and the Blue Devils were the Blue Devils  _ this series hasn’t exactly been a laugher for Virginia Tech.

Now that it looks a little bit different on paper, Frank Beamer will be able to get his players’ attention. Hokies, 28-13.

•Maryland  (3-2) at Virginia (2-4),  Saturday, 3:00

This one has a game/set/match feel for the lifeless Wahoos.

But here’s an interesting question: If Mike London isn’t for real and Frank Beamer is fading, who rules recruiting in northern and eastern Virginia? Certainly not Randy Edsall.

Cavs figure it out for at least one afternoon, 20-14.

•Memphis (1-4) at ECU (3-3), Saturday 4:30

The Pirates have a decent chance to go 5-1 on the back side.

And of course, they’re capable of going 1-5, too.

Either way, this one has to be a lock. Bucs, 30-14.

•South Carolina (6-0) at LSU (5-1), Saturday 8:00

As one former South Carolina coach _ Lou Holtz _used to say: “When all is said and done, there’s a lot more said than done.”

That line pretty much sums up Steve Spurrier’s SEC big-game pattern.

The good news this time is that Spurrier and the Gamecocks can lose this one and stay alive _ but only if they can win next week at (da-dum) Florida.

I think that’s the direction this road goes, too. Tigers, 17-16.

•West Virginia (5-0) at Texas Tech (4-1), 3:30

It’s got to be time for something really wild to happen in a West Virginia game.

R’Raiders, 45-44.

•Last week 4 hits, 3 misses. Season 23-10.

•Florida State (5-0) at N.C. State (3-2), Saturday 8 p.m.

Logically, this game is all for show from the Wolfpack’s perspective.

Barring a startling turn of developments, State’s season will hinge not on what happens against the Seminoles but what happens during the next four games against Maryland, UNC, Virginia and Wake Forest.

It’s clear now that the Wolfpack is going to have to play out its string using a base-to-base strategy. The defense is too porous to assume anything else is possible.

Noles, 34-17.

•Virginia Tech (3-2) at UNC (3-2), Saturday 12:30 p.m.

It’s possible the Hokies could go undefeated in the ACC and winless against the Big East.

It’s also possible _ unlikely as it sounds _ that the Hokies could have a  miserable season on all fronts. After UNC and Duke next, the following three games are against Clemson, Miami and Florida State.

In other words, it’s must-win time and time again in Beamertown.

I just cannot bring myself to believe they won’t Tom-up. VaTech, 20-17.

•Virginia (2-3) at Duke (4-1), Saturday 3 p.m.

The most remarkable thing about the Blue Devils’ win at Wake Forest last week was that Duke was darn near handing out purple heart badges before the game started.

The most remarkable thing about Virginia’s 2-3 record is that it should be 1-4. The Cavs were freakishly fortunate in that 17-16 win over Penn State.

Duke, 31-30, and the Belk Bowl dream lives on.

•ECU (3-2) at Central Florida (2-2), Thursday 8 p.m.

The Knights obviously should win this one with ease, which is why they’re 14-point favorites.

But it’s not as simple as it looks and particularly by Conference USA standards. With the Pirate offense in a state of duh, the tempo could be more like the Big 10 of 1982 than the wacky arcade atmosphere normally associated with CUSA.

UCF still wins, 24-17, but only if the Pirates don’t get off to hot start. Bucs can take a huge East lead with a win and with UCF in NCAA jail.

•Wake Forest (3-2) at Maryland (2-2), Saturday 3:30 p.m.

OK, so here we are mid season and the Terps’ Randy Edsall,  Duke’s David Cutcliffe and Miami’s Al Golden are the frontrunners in the race for ACC coach of the year.

Let’s see, Mike London of Virginia won last season …

Deacs, 28-24, even though Maryland did limit West Virginia to a lot less than 70 points.

•Miami (4-1) at Notre Dame (4-0), Saturday 7:30 p.m.

The craziest part of all this is that the Irish have a lot of winnable games ahead _ Stanford, BYU, Pitt, BC and Wake.

The hard outs will be at Oklahoma and at Southern Cal. Neither side can possibly be  for real but Notre Dame is closer than the Canes. Gold Caps,  23-14.

•Georgia Tech (2-3) at Clemson (4-1),  Saturday 3:30 p.m.

Stand by for one of the wildest games of the season. Tigs, 41-39

•Last week: 3 wins, 2 losses. Season 19-7.

•N.C. State (3-1) at Miami (3-1), Saturday noon

Last week’s win at Georgia Tech, coupled with Kansas State’s upset over Oklahoma, makes the Hurricanes look better on paper but doesn’t change the fact that they are giving up 452 yards per game.

The big question is whether State’s offensive line has improved enough over the past three weeks to allow Mike Glennon to find the openings that should be there.

Miami is favored by a few points, but I’m not a believer yet. Pack, 31-28.

•Idaho (0-4) at UNC (2-2), Saturday 3:30

Vandals vs. Scandals?

Actually, this is probably a fairly important dress rehearsal for the Tar Heel offense. Starting with Virginia Tech next week, the schedule obviously gets more demanding.

Heels, 45-14.

•Duke (3-1) at Wake Forest (3-1), Saturday 12:30

For all of the feel-good bowl chatter going on in Duke’s camp, the Deacons still should have a slight edge and could benefit from another near sellout.

There should be an over/under line on the number of combined catches by Duke’s Conner Vernon and Wake’s Mike Campanaro.   Ten each wouldn’t be farfetched.

Assuming both offenses put up four touchdowns, it’ll likely be decided by special teams production.

Deacs, 34-31.

•Texas-El Paso (1-3) at ECU (2-2), Saturday 7

With losses to Oklahoma, Mississippi and Wisconsin, the Miners have faced a nasty non-league school.

The Pirates know the feeling on that front, but their effort at UNC last week was miserable. It was one of the program’s ugliest performances since the John Thompson disaster.

Meanwhile, UTEP put up 26 points at Wisconsin.

A loss in this one and the mates will be rumbling in the galleon.

Bucs get the benefit of the doubt _ for now. ECU, 23-21.

•Texas (3-0) at Oklahoma State (2-1), Saturday 7:50

This one could be a big step on the way back up for Mack Brown. The high-scoring Cowboys have won 20 of their last 25 Big 12 home games.

Texas’ next three games are against No. 9 West Virginia, No. 16 Oklahoma and No. 25 Baylor.

Logically, the Horns are still probably a year away but you have to assume Brown, at age 61, is floor-boarding it. Texas, 31-30.

•Last week 5 hits, no errors. Season 16-5.