GREENVILLE – East Carolina secured its fourth bowl appearance in five years with a 48-22 win over Charlotte on Saturday at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, avenging consecutive losses to the 49ers while staying in contention for the American Conference championship game.
The Pirates (6-3, 4-1 American) built a 28-0 lead before Charlotte (1-8, 0-6 American) finally broke through offensively, matching season highs with 21 first-quarter points and 35 first-half points. ECU totaled 407 yards of offense while holding Charlotte to just 40 rushing yards, the second straight week the 49ers have struggled to establish any ground game.
"Those last two years really bothers you," said ECU head coach Blake Harrell, referencing Charlotte's 13-10 victory in 2023 and 55-24 win in 2024. "Last year was not fun, so we had that thought in our mind."
The Pirates controlled the game from the opening kickoff, marching 65 yards on 12 plays on their first possession. London Montgomery capped the drive with a seven-yard touchdown run, his fifth of the season and seventh of his career. Montgomery finished with 85 yards on 11 carries and added 13 receiving yards for 98 all-purpose yards.
ECU extended its lead to 14-0 on its second possession when quarterback Katin Houser connected with Anthony Smith on a three-yard touchdown pass. The score came after Charlotte was flagged for offside on fourth down as the Pirates lined up for a field goal attempt, giving ECU new life at the three-yard line.
The rout appeared complete when defensive back TyMir Brown intercepted a Grayson Loftis pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown with 1:22 remaining in the first quarter. Brown jumped an out route and had nothing but green grass ahead of him for his first career interception.
"I couldn't even tell you what I was thinking at the moment," Brown said. "It just happened so fast."
Charlotte finally crossed midfield early in the second quarter after Derrick Eley returned a kickoff 36 yards to the 49ers' 46-yard line. That drive eventually stalled at the ECU 20 when Jariel Cobb was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-one, but it provided a spark for Charlotte's offense.
The 49ers forced a fumble on ECU's next possession when Kadin Schmitz stripped the ball from Houser at the ECU 49. Shay Taylor recovered for Charlotte, setting up the team's first score. Four plays later, Loftis found Javen Nicholas for a 46-yard touchdown strike, cutting ECU's lead to 28-7 with 6:52 remaining in the half.
Nicholas hauled in three catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns, becoming just the second player in program history to record multiple touchdown receptions in consecutive games. CJ Crawford accomplished the feat during Charlotte's inaugural 2013 season.
"We had no running game all game and it's hard to play quarterback when you can't run the football," said Charlotte head coach Tim Albin. "He kept battling and we got some points on the board."
ECU responded with an eight-play, 68-yard drive, with Houser scoring on a one-yard keeper for his second rushing touchdown of the game and sixth of the season. The Pirates quarterback finished 26-of-41 passing for 224 yards and two touchdowns while adding 26 yards and two scores on the ground.
Charlotte showed resilience before halftime, driving 75 yards in 53 seconds after ECU's score. Loftis completed passes of 27 and 46 yards to Sean Brown to set up first-and-goal at the two-yard line. After Cobb lost two yards on first down, Loftis hit Brown for a four-yard touchdown with 1:31 left in the half, making it 35-14.
Brown caught seven passes for a career-high 119 yards and his first receiving touchdown of the season. The junior receiver recorded his second career 100-yard receiving game after finishing with exactly 100 yards against UAB in last season's finale.
"[Loftis] had a pick-six when the ball was a little behind that they returned for a touchdown but he kept battling," Albin said. "A couple of positives, offensively, in the second quarter."
The 49ers opened the second half with possession but went for it on fourth down at their own 34-yard line. The gamble failed, giving ECU excellent field position. The Pirates drove to the Charlotte 22 before settling for a 40-yard field goal by Nick Mazzie, extending the lead to 38-14.
Charlotte answered immediately with a five-play, 75-yard drive that took just over two minutes. Loftis found Nicholas for a 43-yard touchdown, and the Niners successfully converted a two-point attempt when Loftis connected with Brown. The conversion was Charlotte's fifth of the season, setting a program record and matching the most by any FBS team this year.
Houser put the game away with an 11-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, capping a six-play, 75-yard drive that restored ECU's 23-point advantage at 45-22. The scoring drive showcased Montgomery's explosiveness, as he broke off runs of 17 and 13 yards to set up Houser's score.
Mazzie added a 50-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, his second-longest career kick behind a 52-yarder at New Hampshire in 2024. The senior kicker finished a perfect 6-for-6 on extra points and 2-for-2 on field goals for a career-high 12 points. He is now 30-for-30 on extra points and 11-of-12 on field goals this season.
ECU's defense stifled Charlotte's ground game throughout the afternoon, holding the 49ers to 40 net rushing yards on 28 attempts. Loftis was sacked four times and rushed for minus-14 yards on seven carries. The Pirates recorded nine tackles for loss totaling 28 yards.
Zion Wilson led the defensive effort with four tackles, including two tackles for loss totaling five yards and a quarterback hurry. Dameon Wilson added five tackles with one tackle for loss, while Chance Graves recorded four tackles and ECU's lone sack for eight yards.
Jackson Barker registered his first career sack and recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter when Kieran Davis forced Cobb to cough up the ball at the Charlotte 42. Davis recorded his first career forced fumble on the play.
Loftis completed 20-of-31 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns for Charlotte, marking his second consecutive game exceeding 250 passing yards. The performance was the 24th time in program history a Charlotte quarterback has thrown for three or more touchdowns in a game.
The Pirates totaled 29 first downs, tying a season high, while holding Charlotte to just 13. ECU ran 88 offensive plays to Charlotte's 64 and controlled possession for 34:02 to 25:58.
"I told our guys at halftime we were up 21, and we weren't happy with ourselves," Harrell said. "We weren't satisfied, and that's because we have raised the bar. We've got to put our foot on the gas and go finish that thing and go be a good football team."
Anthony Smith caught eight passes for 69 yards and a touchdown, extending his reception streak to 17 games. He has caught at least one pass in 21 of 22 games at ECU and now has 11 career touchdowns for the Pirates. Yannick Smith added six catches for 59 yards and a touchdown, his fifth scoring reception of the season.
With the victory, Harrell improved to 11-4 overall and 8-2 in conference play since taking over as head coach during the 2024 season. His winning percentage ranks second among ECU head coaches through their first 15 games.
The win keeps ECU in a five-team logjam atop the American Athletic Conference standings. The Pirates have scored 40 or more points in three consecutive games and have rushed for at least 160 yards in five straight contests.
Charlotte's only bright spot beyond the passing game came from linebacker Jorel Liverpool, who recorded a sack on ECU's first defensive series for his first as a Niner. Schmitz forced his second fumble of the season and third turnover overall, team-high marks in both categories.
The 49ers return home next Saturday to face UTSA in their final home game of the season, with Senior Day ceremonies scheduled before the noon kickoff. ECU continues its season with road games remaining as it pursues a spot in the American Athletic Conference championship game.
TOP PERFORMERS
East Carolina:
- QB Katin Houser: 26-41 passing, 224 yards, 2 TDs; 11 rushes, 26 yards, 2 TDs
- RB London Montgomery: 11 rushes, 85 yards, 1 TD; 3 catches, 13 yards
- WR Anthony Smith: 8 catches, 69 yards, 1 TD
- DB TyMir Brown: 45-yard interception return for TD
- K Nick Mazzie: 6-6 PATs, 2-2 FGs (40, 50 yards), 12 points
Charlotte:
- QB Grayson Loftis: 20-31 passing, 279 yards, 3 TDs
- WR Sean Brown: 7 catches, 119 yards, 1 TD
- WR Javen Nicholas: 3 catches, 90 yards, 2 TDs
- KR Derrick Eley: 3 returns, 63 yards (long of 36)
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