BIRMINGHAM, AL – East Carolina spent most of Thursday night looking like a team headed for its fourth consecutive victory. Instead, the Pirates watched an eight-point lead disappear in the final 35 seconds of regulation before UAB completed a stunning comeback with a 30-17 overtime victory at Protective Stadium.
The Pirates (3-3, 1-1 American) led 17-9 with less than two minutes remaining and had pinned the Blazers at their own 7-yard line. But UAB quarterback Ryder Burton engineered a 93-yard touchdown drive in just 62 seconds, then ran for the tying two-point conversion to force overtime.
UAB (4-3, 2-1) took its first lead of the night on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Burton to Roderick Robinson II in overtime. East Carolina's opportunity to answer ended when Delvon Gulley intercepted Emory Williams and returned the ball 80 yards for a touchdown, completing a 21-point unanswered scoring run.
The dramatic finish spoiled an otherwise strong defensive performance by East Carolina, which held UAB without a touchdown for more than 59 minutes and limited the Blazers to 99 rushing yards.
"We hadn't let them in the end zone all day," ECU head coach Blake Harrell said afterward. "You've got to make them go 90 yards with just a little over a minute to go. The defense needs to go win the game there and we just couldn't get the plays made that we need to make."
East Carolina appeared firmly in control early, scoring touchdowns on two of its first three possessions while its defense overwhelmed the UAB offense.
Williams directed a 13-play, 75-yard opening drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Ray Ray Joseph Jr. The Pirates converted four third downs during the possession and consumed nearly five minutes before taking a 7-0 lead.
ECU extended its advantage early in the second quarter on an unusual scoring play. Williams completed a pass to Ismael Smith Flores, who fumbled near the goal line after being hit by UAB defender Jo Pierce. Freshman Dawson Quarterman recovered the loose ball in the end zone for his first career touchdown, giving the Pirates a 14-0 advantage.
The Pirates' defense controlled much of the first half, holding UAB without a first down throughout the opening quarter for the second consecutive game. The Blazers managed just 91 yards before halftime, while ECU recorded eight tackles for loss and three sacks.
UAB finally broke through with a 41-yard field goal from Jonah Delange midway through the second quarter, trimming East Carolina's halftime lead to 14-3.
The momentum gradually shifted after intermission.
Delange connected from 26 and 50 yards in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 14-9 as East Carolina's offense struggled to sustain the early success that had produced its two touchdowns.
The Pirates answered with a 13-play, 50-yard possession that ended with Noah Perez's career-long 43-yard field goal with 9:24 remaining. The kick pushed ECU's lead to 17-9, forcing UAB to score a touchdown and two-point conversion just to tie.
East Carolina's defense then forced a turnover on downs with 5:34 remaining. The Pirates used nearly four minutes on their ensuing possession before a 33-yard pooch punt by Perez left UAB facing a long field with only 1:37 on the clock.
The Blazers were backed up even farther by a penalty, but Burton found his rhythm against a defense that had frustrated him throughout the night.
He eventually connected with Braylon McReynolds on a 17-yard touchdown pass with 35 seconds remaining. Burton followed with a successful quarterback keeper on the two-point conversion, erasing East Carolina's lead and sending the game into overtime.
Burton finished 19-of-37 passing for a career-high 262 yards and two touchdowns. CJ Smith was his primary target, catching eight passes for 119 yards.
East Carolina's offense, meanwhile, never regained its first-quarter efficiency.
Williams completed 18 of 27 passes for 126 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The Pirates finished with 317 total yards, including 191 on the ground, but scored only three points after taking their 14-0 lead.
Running back TJ Engleman Jr. provided much of the offensive production, rushing for 104 yards on a career-high 26 carries. It marked his third consecutive 100-yard performance, making him the first ECU player to accomplish that feat since Keaton Mitchell in 2022.
"It's a tough one to take," Engleman said. "I feel like we had so many opportunities to score. We've just got to clean stuff up man, bring the guys together. We've just got to go score at the end of the day."
The Pirates finished with 10 tackles for loss, marking their fourth consecutive game reaching double figures in that category. Ashton Levells-Mitchell led ECU with six tackles, while Preston Carr, J.D. Lampley and Josh Benton each recorded a sack.
UAB's defense also made several important contributions. Pierce finished with a game-high 16 tackles, while Muaaz Byard added 15. The Blazers forced three ECU fumbles, recovering one, before Gulley's interception ended the game.
For East Carolina, the loss represented a missed opportunity to build momentum in American Conference play. The Pirates held the lead for virtually the entire night, controlled possession for more than 34 minutes and outgained UAB on the ground by 92 yards.
But those advantages were not enough to overcome an offense that stalled after its fast start and a defense that could not deliver one final stop.
UAB, which trailed by 14 points early and never led during regulation, emerged with a victory that ended a seven-game losing streak against the Pirates.
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