GREENVILLE – East Carolina used explosive plays through the air and a punishing ground game to dispatch Tulsa 41-27 Thursday night at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, bouncing back from last week's road loss with their most productive offensive performance of the season.

The Pirates (4-3, 2-1 American) accumulated 568 yards of total offense, 268 rushing and 300 passing, both second-best marks during Blake Harrell's tenure as head coach. ECU scored three touchdowns of 50-plus yards and committed no turnovers in front of 31,307 fans on Night of the Boneyard.

Quarterback Katin Houser completed 21 of 38 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns, connecting repeatedly with Anthony Smith on vertical routes that stretched Tulsa's secondary. Smith caught four passes for 150 yards and both scores, setting career highs in each category. His 66-yard touchdown in the first quarter came after he beat cornerback Elijah Green with a double move, hauling in Houser's pass at the Tulsa 34 and racing untouched to the end zone for a 10-0 lead.

Smith struck again in the second quarter on a 63-yard catch-and-run that extended ECU's advantage to 24-14. The two connections marked the fifth and longest touchdowns of 15-plus yards this season for the Pirates, who entered the game looking to establish a vertical passing attack.

"That was part of the game plan," Houser said. "We had some shots called out for Anthony and Yannick (Smith), and Anthony got some opportunities to go make some moves on that corner and take a shot downfield."

While the passing game provided quick strikes, ECU's running backs delivered sustained punishment. London Montgomery rushed for a career-high 125 yards on 16 carries, including a 51-yard touchdown on the opening play of the third quarter that proved decisive. After Tulsa failed on fourth down at the ECU 49, Montgomery took a handoff up the middle and found a seam, breaking into the open field for the score that pushed the lead to 31-14. The drive lasted nine seconds and one play, the shortest and fastest touchdown drive of the season for ECU.

Montgomery's performance marked the first time in 12 games the Pirates had both a 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver in the same contest. The redshirt sophomore averaged 7.8 yards per carry and recorded six runs of at least 11 yards, consistently gashing a Tulsa defense that entered allowing 147 yards per game on the ground.

Marlon Gunn Jr. contributed 60 yards on 14 carries and scored on a 1-yard plunge in the second quarter, part of a nine-play, 75-yard drive that gave ECU a 17-7 lead. T.J. Engleman Jr. added 40 yards on 10 attempts, matching the career highs he had set just one week earlier at Tulane. ECU's 53 rushing attempts averaged 5.1 yards per carry and kept Tulsa's defense on the field for extended stretches.

The Pirates scored on their opening possession when Nick Mazzie connected on a 37-yard field goal, capping an 11-play drive that consumed 2:36. ECU went 3-0 this season when scoring first. After Smith's first touchdown made it 10-0, Tulsa (2-5, 0-4 American) responded with a seven-play, 72-yard drive that ended with quarterback Baylor Hayes finding tight end Brody Foley for a 38-yard touchdown.

Hayes, a redshirt freshman making his sixth start, set career highs with 23 completions on 41 attempts for 251 yards and two touchdowns. He faced constant pressure, getting sacked five times for 30 yards in losses, but showed poise in completing passes to seven different receivers. Foley finished with six catches for 126 yards, both career highs, giving Tulsa a consistent target in the middle of the field.

After ECU extended its lead to 17-7 on Gunn's touchdown run, Tulsa answered again. Hayes led a seven-play, 78-yard drive that concluded with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Zion Booker, cutting the deficit to 17-14. The back-and-forth continued when Houser and Smith connected on their second long touchdown, restoring a 10-point cushion at 24-14.

Montgomery's 51-yard burst early in the third quarter effectively ended Tulsa's comeback hopes. The Golden Hurricane managed just a 46-yard field goal by Seth Morgan on their next possession, making it 31-17, but never seriously threatened after that. ECU added Mazzie's 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter before Houser scored on a 2-yard keeper with 5:22 remaining, capping an eight-play, 41-yard drive that made it 41-24.

Tulsa scored a late touchdown when Stephen Kittleman plunged in from one yard out with 14:47 left, completing an eight-play, 65-yard drive that began at the Tulsa 35 after ECU turned the ball over on downs. Morgan added a 26-yard field goal with 1:49 remaining to account for the final margin.

ECU's defense recorded 10 tackles for loss totaling 44 yards and contributed five sacks. Preston Carr established a career high with five tackles, including a sack for an 8-yard loss. Rion Roseborough tallied 1.5 sacks for 11 yards, while Zion Wilson posted a career-best six tackles with a half-sack. The Pirates held Tulsa to 6 of 19 on third-down conversions and stopped the Golden Hurricane on three fourth-down attempts.

Brock Spalding caught one pass for 30 yards, while Desirrio Riles had four receptions for 45 yards. Ten different Pirates caught at least one pass, spreading the ball across the offense. Houser now has four passes of 15-plus yards in 16 career games at ECU and has thrown for at least 250 yards in 11 of those contests.

Tulsa running back Dominic Richardson led the Golden Hurricane with 59 yards on 17 carries, while Zion Steptoe had a 32-yard run on his lone attempt. The Golden Hurricane outgained ECU in time of possession, 30:56 to 29:04, but couldn't overcome the big-play differential.

ECU improved to 10-9 all-time against Tulsa and has won two consecutive meetings. The Pirates have now surpassed 500 yards of total offense six times in 13 games under Harrell, who improved to 9-4 overall as either interim or head coach. The 568 yards represented ECU's highest output since accumulating 364 yards in the first half alone against Campbell earlier this season.

Top Performers:

• Anthony Smith (ECU): 4 receptions, 150 yards, 2 TDs (career highs)
• London Montgomery (ECU): 16 carries, 125 yards, 1 TD (all career highs)
• Katin Houser (ECU): 21-of-38 passing, 300 yards, 2 TDs; 7 carries, 22 yards, 1 TD
• Baylor Hayes (Tulsa): 23-of-41 passing, 251 yards, 2 TDs (all career highs)
• Brody Foley (Tulsa): 6 receptions, 126 yards, 1 TD (career highs)
• Marlon Gunn Jr. (ECU): 14 carries, 60 yards, 1 TD

GREENVILLE – East Carolina turned a sluggish offensive performance against BYU into distant memory with an explosive first quarter that carried the Pirates to a 28-6 victory over Army on Thursday night at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

The Pirates scored touchdowns on their first three possessions, all requiring less than three minutes each, to build a 21-0 lead before the opening quarter expired. That early barrage proved decisive against an Army team that entered averaging over 300 rushing yards per game but managed just 241 yards on 53 carries against ECU's defense.

Quarterback Katin Houser orchestrated the fast start, completing 15 of 22 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score. His 41-yard completion to Anthony Smith on the game's fourth play set the tone for ECU's first drive, which concluded with Houser's 3-yard touchdown run at the 12:05 mark.

Smith hauled in his first touchdown of the season on the Pirates' next possession, a 40-yard scoring strike that extended the lead to 14-0. The senior receiver finished with three catches for 87 yards, his 10th career touchdown and seventh as a Pirate.

ECU capped its opening-quarter scoring spree when Houser found Jayvontay Conner for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 39 seconds remaining. The drive included a 27-yard completion to Yannick Smith, part of what became nine explosive plays (15-plus yards) for the Pirates.

Army's triple-option attack, which had accumulated 82 offensive plays in each of its first three games, managed just 65 snaps against ECU. The Black Knights converted only two of 15 third-down attempts and four of nine fourth-down tries, a stark contrast to their 10-for-14 fourth-down success rate entering the game.

The defensive effort limited Army quarterbacks Dewayne Coleman and Cale Hellums to a combined 6-of-12 passing for 49 yards, ECU's lowest passing yards allowed since holding Gardner-Webb to 30 yards in 2023. Coleman, who handled the majority of the snapping duties, completed 5 of 9 attempts for 36 yards while adding 51 rushing yards on 22 carries.

ECU linebacker Teagan Wilk led all defenders with nine tackles, while first-time starter DJ Johnson Jr. recorded eight tackles and a tackle for loss. Samuel Dankah contributed the Pirates' lone sack, dropping Coleman for a seven-yard loss.

Army managed its only touchdown early in the third quarter when Coleman punched in a 2-yard run to cap a 75-yard drive. The Black Knights failed on their two-point conversion attempt, leaving the deficit at 21-6.

The Pirates answered in the fourth quarter with perhaps the game's most memorable play. Facing fourth down at the Army 32-yard line, ECU lined up for a field goal attempt but executed a fake when Kyler Pearson took the snap and raced 32 yards to the end zone for his first career touchdown.

ECU's ground game complemented the passing attack with 180 yards on 50 carries. London Montgomery carried 15 times for 58 yards, while Marlon Gunn Jr. added 53 yards on 10 attempts, including a 15-yard gain late in the game.

The Pirates nearly extended their lead further but committed two turnovers deep in Army territory during the second quarter. Stephen Nnadozie intercepted a Houser pass at the Army 17, and Eric Ford forced a fumble at the 18-yard line when he deflected an option pitch.

Despite those missed opportunities, ECU controlled time of possession for 25:58 compared to Army's 34:02, an unusual statistic given the final score. The Pirates maximized their possessions with explosive plays while Army's methodical approach yielded minimal scoring chances.

The victory improved ECU to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in American Athletic Conference play, marking the sixth time the Pirates have started conference play with a victory since joining the league. Army fell to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in conference action.

For ECU, the win represented a significant bounce-back performance after managing just 271 total yards in a loss to BYU. The Pirates accumulated 431 yards against Army, surpassing 400 yards for the 10th time in 11 games under head coach Blake Harrell.

The attendance of 32,497 witnessed ECU's first home victory over a service academy since 2004, extending the Pirates' series dominance to 9-1 all-time against Army. The Black Knights, defending American Athletic Conference champions, now face an uphill battle to repeat after their slow start to conference play.

Key Performers:

• Katin Houser (ECU): 15-22, 251 yards, 2 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD
• Anthony Smith (ECU): 3 catches, 87 yards, 1 TD
• Teagan Wilk (ECU): 9 tackles (4 solo)
• Noah Short (Army): 22 carries, 127 yards
• Dewayne Coleman (Army): 22 carries, 51 yards, 1 TD; 5-9 passing, 36 yards

GREENVILLE – In a move that signals continuity and promise, East Carolina University has transformed Blake Harrell's interim leadership into a permanent appointment, crowning him as the 23rd head football coach of the Pirates program.

Harrell's journey to this moment is a testament to leadership and performance. After taking over as interim head coach on October 20, he orchestrated a remarkable turnaround, guiding the Pirates to four consecutive victories and securing bowl eligibility. The team's offensive explosion during this stretch – scoring 183 points and amassing 2,140 total yards – spoke volumes about Harrell's strategic acumen.

With a defensive background that includes successful tenures at Lenoir-Rhyne, Kennesaw State, and The Citadel, Harrell brings a proven track record of defensive excellence. His defensive units have consistently ranked among the top in their conferences, highlighting his ability to build competitive, disciplined teams.

Athletic Director Jon Gilbert's confidence in Harrell is palpable. "He excelled in all areas," Gilbert noted, praising the coach's dedication, communication skills, and ability to connect with players. Harrell's vision extends beyond the field, with a commitment to navigating the evolving landscape of college athletics, including Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities.

For Harrell, the appointment is more than a professional milestone. "Pirate Nation is second to none," he said, emphasizing his family's commitment to Greenville and the program's future.

As the Pirates prepare for their upcoming bowl game, all eyes are on Harrell – a coach who has transformed an interim opportunity into a definitive leadership role.

GREENVILLE – East Carolina quarterback Katin Houser threw for a career-high 343 yards and five touchdowns as the Pirates dominated Florida Atlantic 49-14 in a Thursday night American Athletic Conference matchup at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

The Pirates (5-4, 3-2 AAC) wasted no time getting started, scoring on their opening drive when Houser connected with Chase Sowell for a 50-yard touchdown just 24 seconds into the game. That quick strike set the tone for what would become ECU’s most productive offensive performance of the season, as they accumulated 581 total yards.

“We got off to a great start putting points up early,” said ECU interim head coach Blake Harrell, who improved to 2-0 since taking over the program on October 20. “The offense and Katin, those guys are clicking over there right now. I’m so proud of them and it’s not just Katin or one player. It’s receivers, running backs, O-line, quarterback, all on the same page and having the same mindset.”

Houser continued his hot streak by finding Winston Wright Jr. for two first-quarter touchdown passes of 47 and 8 yards, helping the Pirates build a 21-0 lead. The junior quarterback has now thrown 10 touchdowns in his last two games and added a 35-yard rushing touchdown before halftime.

East Carolina’s offensive explosion included 418 first-half yards, their highest total in a half since September 2014 against North Carolina. Anthony Smith had a career night with 120 receiving yards on just three catches, including a 64-yard reception and a touchdown. It marked Smith’s second consecutive game with over 100 receiving yards.

The Pirates’ ground game complemented the aerial attack effectively, with Jhari Patterson leading the way with a career-best 61 yards on three carries. Rahjai Harris added 55 yards and a touchdown on eight attempts as ECU averaged 7 yards per rush.

Florida Atlantic (2-7, 0-5 AAC) struggled to contain ECU’s offense throughout the night, though they did manage two second-half scoring drives. The Owls’ touchdowns came on a 2-yard pass from Kasen Weisman to Jabari Smith in the second quarter and another 2-yard touchdown pass to CJ Campbell, Jr. late in the fourth quarter.

The Pirates’ defense continued its opportunistic play, forcing two interceptions. Ja’Marley Riddle recorded his third pick in the last two games, while Gavin Gibson added another interception. Linebacker Zakye Barker led the defensive effort with eight tackles, including 2.5 for loss.

Under the lights at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, a crowd of 30,573 watched as ECU improved to 4-1 at home this season. The strong fan turnout didn’t go unnoticed by Harrell.

“For our student section to show out like that, for Pirate Nation to show out like that for an ESPN nationally televised game — that was freaking awesome and our kids fed off of that,” Harrell said. “They love playing here and playing in front of Pirate Nation.”

The victory puts East Carolina one win away from bowl eligibility with three games remaining. The Pirates will look to secure that crucial sixth win next Thursday when they travel to face Tulsa.

“These guys are playing with confidence and to get these seniors to a bowl game, the way they’ve worked — it’s easy in life when things don’t go right to give up or turn away. These young men are going to finish what they started,” Harrell said. “I told them during the bye week that it’s the fourth quarter. It’s no quarter time. It’s time to go finish this thing off the right way.”

The win marked East Carolina’s third all-time victory over Florida Atlantic and improved their record to 2-0 against the Owls in Greenville. The Pirates have now forced at least one turnover in 46 of their last 52 games, continuing a trend of defensive opportunism that has helped fuel their success this season.

GREENVILLE – On an unseasonably warm September afternoon in eastern North Carolina, the East Carolina Pirates and UTSA Roadrunners clashed in a high-stakes American Athletic Conference opener. With the mercury hitting 85 degrees and a gentle southwest breeze, 41,851 fans packed Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, eager to see which team would emerge victorious in this early-season showdown.

The game began with UTSA's defense flexing its muscles, forcing a quick three-and-out from ECU's offense. However, the tide turned rapidly when UTSA's running back Robert Henry fumbled on their first possession, giving ECU prime field position. The Pirates capitalized with a short field goal, drawing first blood.

UTSA's offense, led by quarterback Owen McCown, responded swiftly. A 66-yard bomb to Willie McCoy set up a game-tying field goal, knotting the score at 3-3. The first quarter continued its back-and-forth nature, with UTSA striking next. McCown orchestrated an impressive 80-yard drive, capped off by a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Oscar Cardenas, giving the Roadrunners a 10-3 lead.

As the second quarter unfolded, both defenses tightened their grip. UTSA's Martavius French and Jamal Ligon wreaked havoc in the ECU backfield, while ECU's Michael Edwards III disrupted the Roadrunners' passing game with timely pass breakups. The Pirates' offense struggled to find rhythm, but their special teams came through with a clutch field goal, narrowing the gap to 13-10 just before halftime.

The third quarter saw a dramatic shift in momentum. ECU's quarterback Jake Garcia, who had been stifled for much of the first half, suddenly found his groove. He connected with Winston Wright Jr. on a 40-yard touchdown strike, giving ECU its first lead of the game at 17-13. The Pirates' defense, energized by the offensive explosion, forced a quick three-and-out.

Garcia wasn't done yet. Later in the quarter, he uncorked a 53-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Smith, extending ECU's lead to 24-13. The home crowd erupted, sensing a potential upset in the making.

A resilient UTSA squad refused to go quietly. Early in the fourth quarter, running back Brandon High broke free for a scintillating 66-yard touchdown run, breathing new life into the Roadrunners and cutting the deficit to 27-20.

The game's final minutes were a test of nerves for both teams. UTSA's defense, led by Zah Frazier's two interceptions, gave the Roadrunners multiple chances to equalize. However, ECU's defense rose to the occasion each time, with Omar Rogers and Andrew Wilson-Lamp each snagging crucial interceptions of their own.

In the end, ECU's Noah Perez sealed the victory with a 24-yard field goal in the waning seconds, securing a hard-fought 30-20 win for the Pirates. The victory marked ECU's first conference opener win since 2021 and sent Greenville into party mode.

Despite the loss, UTSA showed flashes of brilliance. McCown finished with 251 passing yards and a touchdown, while High's 92 rushing yards on just seven carries hinted at his explosive potential. For ECU, Garcia overcame a slow start to throw for 294 yards and two touchdowns, with Chase Sowell leading the receiving corps with 67 yards on four catches.

The game was a defensive showcase as well, with both teams forcing multiple turnovers. ECU's Michael Edwards III was a standout, recording nine tackles, including 1.5 for loss, and two pass breakups. UTSA's Martavius French matched that intensity with eight tackles and a tackle for loss.

Next Week

Both teams are on the road next week as UTSA travels to Houston to take on Rice while East Carolina makes it first ever appearance at Charlotte’s Jerry Richardson Stadium in an Old North State clash.

GREENVILLE – The thirteenth-ranked NC State Wolfpack survived on Saturday afternoon after a failed comeback attempt by the host East Carolina Pirates. A record crowd of 51,711 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium watched the Wolfpack power out to a 21-7 halftime lead before the Pirates scored thirteen unanswered points in the second half to come up just short.

After an ECU third-quarter touchdown made it a one-score game, a goal-line stand by the Pirates defense gave the home fans hope for the comeback. Seven minutes later, the Pirates offense, led by signal caller Holton Ahlers, found the end zone in hopes of tying the game up, but the PAT was wide and the Wolfpack was clinging to a one-point lead. The Pirates defense stepped up again, forcing a punt, and the ECU offense got in NC State territory with just a few seconds left but the potential game-winning field goal was wide and the Wolfpack escaped with the one-point win.

Coaches Corner

NC State Head Coach Dave Doeren

"First, give East Carolina a lot of credit. We were up 21-7 and their kids fought. The most disappointing part for us is not scoring at the goal line and the other opportunities that we didn't come up with points. There's a lot to look at on film. It always starts with the schemes that we're running, seeing how we're coaching things, looking at guys that are running the plays and where we can get better and we will get a lot better. The one thing I can't do is change our record tomorrow. We're 1-0 and we're excited. The last time I was here, we lost 33-30 so it feels good to leave with a win. You've got to give Coach Houston and his staff at ECU a lot of credit. They did a great job today."

East Carolina Head Coach Mike Houston

"There's not a whole lot to say. Kids fought their tails off. They inspire me with the way they play. Our preparation coming into this game, we were very confident this morning. I know nobody outside of Greenville gave us much of a chance, but those kids never doubted. We should have won the ballgame. We outplayed them. We dominated them physically in the second half. I just hurt for those kids in that locker room right now. They've brought this program from the depths back to what it was today. That stadium today was incredible. Our fan base is incredible, and we all deserve to have a win today. I'm just sorry we're not sitting here celebrating one."

 

Notable North Carolinians

Thayer Thomas (Heritage) – the graduate wide receiver had four catches for fifty-eight yards and a touchdown

Jaylon Scott (Shelby) – the junior linebacker had eight tackles, including five solo stops

Holton Ahlers (Conley) – the senior quarterback completed 24 of 40 attempts for 255 yards with two touchdowns

 

Next Week

NC State (1-0) hosts Charleston Southern in their home debut at Carter-Finley Stadium while East Carolina (0-1) hosts Old Dominion (1-0), who is fresh off a Power 5 upset of Virginia Tech.

 

GREENVILLE – It was Senior Day at ECU on Saturday afternoon. The hometown Pirates were graduating fifteen players in Coach Mike Houston’s first season at the helm. It was not the goodbye that the home team was hoping for as the visiting Tulsa Golden Hurricane amassed 669 total yards on their way to a 49-24 defeat of the Pirates.

After ECU punted on their first possession, Tulsa responded immediately with a 64-yard Shamari Brooks run to get the Golden Hurricane in the red zone. The Pirates defense stiffened up and eventually stuffed Tulsa on a fourth down and one for a loss of four yards. The ECU offense couldn’t take advantage of the momentum, though, and punted it back to the visitors.

It took until ECU’s fourth drive of the game before they found any momentum offensively. Utilizing a series of Ahlers tosses and Demetrius Mauney runs, the Pirates were able to break open the scoring with a 51-yard field goal. Tulsa immediately responded when Zach Smith found Sam Crawford, who raced sixty-six yards down the right sideline to retake the lead and awaken the Golden Hurricane offense.

Tulsa added two more Zach Smith touchdowns in the first half, one a 29-yard pass to Keylon Stokes and the other a four-yard toss to Keenen Johnson. The Johnson touchdown was particularly heartbreaking for the ECU faithful as it was the exclamation point on ten-play, ninety-two-yard drive. The seventeen-point margin carried into the second half.

ECU thought they had turned the momentum when Davondre Robinson picked off a Tulsa pass on the third play of the half, but a Pirate fumble on the ensuing play gave the ball right back to the Golden Hurricane. Four plays later, Tulsa freshman running back TK Wilkerson scooted in from ten yards out and the home team found themselves facing a four-score deficit for the first time in over a month.

Ahlers and the Pirates finally found pay dirt midway through the third quarter, capping a twelve play, seventy-five-yard drive with a three-yard pass to Blake Proehl in the back corner of the end zone. It was the first of two scoring passes on the day for the sophomore signal-caller. Keylon Stokes forty-one-yard kickoff return helped Tulsa get back in scoring position quickly and when Zach Smith connected with Shamari Brooks for his fourth touchdown of the day, it was out of reach for the Pirates.


Notable North Carolinians
Holton Ahlers (Conley) – the sophomore threw for three scores and led the team in rushing
CJ Johnson (Conley) – the receiving half of the “Conley Connection” amasses 141 yards on six catches and one touchdown
Blake Proehl (Providence) – the sophomore receiver from Charlotte scored two touchdowns on the day

Noteworthy notes
After a run of six straight ECU wins in the series since 2008, Tulsa has now won the last two games between the two AAC foes.
The winning team in this series has scored at least 44 points in six of the last seven games in the series.
Tulsa quarterback Zach Smith was 21- of 30 on the day for 331 yards and five touchdowns. This was part of a very balanced attack for the Golden Hurricane who rushed for 338 yards.


Next Week
Both teams’ seasons are complete, and they will finish with matching 4-8 records.

GREENVILLE – ECU has added a home game against William & Mary to complete its 2019 non-conference football schedule according to an announcement by director of athletics Jon Gilbert on Wednesday.

The contest, which is set to be played Sept. 21 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, will be the 18th overall meeting between the one-time Southern Conference rivals who faced each other annually for 13-straight seasons from 1971 to 1983.



“One of our top priorities over the past month has been to finalize our 2019 schedule and we accomplished that today by adding a sixth home game with William & Mary,” Gilbert said. “We had talks with several FCS and FBS schools over the past month about scheduling a game. We began discussions with William & Mary’s administration earlier this month about partnering together and we are excited to have the Tribe visit Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium this September.

“We hope to receive our conference dates in the near future and then we will be able to release the full schedule with season tickets going on sale February 20. This is an exciting time for Pirate Football and I know Coach Houston, our staff and players can’t wait to get started with spring practice.”

ECU owns a 12-4-1 lead in the series, but the two programs haven't played since the Pirates used David Garrard's three touchdown passes and Leonard Henry's 111 rushing yards to defeat the Tribe 38-23 on Sept. 22, 2001 in front of 40,179 fans, which ranked as the fifth-largest crowd in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium history at the time. Of the 17 previous meetings, nine have been played in Greenville - six resulting in ECU victories.

Both programs feature first-year head coaches after the appointments of Mike London (Nov. 19) and Mike Houston (Dec. 3) to lead the Tribe and Pirates, respectively.

ECU was 3-9 last fall and stood fifth in the American Athletic Conference’s East Division with a 1-7 ledger before hiring Houston from James Madison, where he guided the Dukes to a 37-6 record, three-straight Football Championship Subdivision playoff appearances, two title game showings and the 2016 national championship. During Houston's tenure with JMU in the Colonial Athletic Association, he owned a 3-0 all-time mark against William & Mary.

The Tribe posted a 4-6 record in 2018, which included a 3-4 clip in the CAA. William & Mary, which has faced at least one Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent each season since 1998, also plays at Atlantic Coast Conference member Virginia this fall.

In addition to the Tribe, ECU's 2019 non-conference slate features previously announced games against NC State (road) on Aug. 31, Gardner-Webb (home) on Sept. 7 and Old Dominion (road) on Sept. 28. All dates are subject to change based on future television programming needs.

It’s Homecoming on the ECU campus as the Pirates welcome defending American Athletic Conference champion UCF to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Saturday. After falling to Houston last week to open a three-game homestand, ECU hopes to improve its AAC home record in October to 5-4 when it meets the Knights in Greenville for the 10th time in series history. The Pirates will also be looking to post their 13th-straight Homecoming victory when they battle UCF.

Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium

ECU’s all-time record at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium is 187-100 (.652). The Pirates opened the facility on Sept. 21, 1963, with a 20-10 win over Brian Piccolo and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in front of 17,000 fans and celebrated the stadium’s 50th anniversary in 2013. Before a 2-5 record last year and 3-3 marks in both 2015 and 2016, ECU was 5-1 in 2014, 2013 and 2012 (15-3) and won a combined 10 of 12 home matchups in 2009 (6-1) and 2008 (4-1). Overall, ECU is in search of its 40th winning campaign at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium this fall.

The arrival of new defensive coordinator David Blackwell has quickly resulted in impressively improved numbers for the Pirates so far this season. When comparing total yards per game allowed from 2017 (541.7) to 2018 (351.2), ECU’s improvement clip of 201.5 yards per game ranks first nationally. Of the Pirates opponents’ 82 offensive possessions this year, ECU’s defense has forced “three & outs” on 36 occasions (43.9 percent and 6.0 per game).

Since joining the AAC in 2014, the Pirates lead the league in passing yards per game over a combined four-plus-year period despite utilizing seven starting quarterbacks, three offensive coordinators and two head coaches. Trevon Brown currently stands sixth among all active FBS receivers in reception yards per game (66.5 ypg), while also ranking 8th in yards (2,329), 14th in TD grabs (18) and 19th in catches (151). Additionally, his 2,329 receiving yards tops all American Athletic Conference pass catchers heading into the UCF tilt. Along with serving as an FBS-best last week, Brown’s 13 receptions vs. Houston also marked a single-game high for an AAC receiver this season (and 5th-highest nationally). Lastly, his 153 yards against the Cougars ranks fourth among league WRs in 2018.

GREENVILLE – North Carolina A&T is no stranger to tough competition. In 2013, the Aggies defeated Appalachian State during the Mountaineers' FBS transition. In 2016, Kent State was knocked off in a four-overtime thriller. Last season, Mac McCain's pick-six sealed the deal at Charlotte. Today at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, the defending HBCU national champions took down the East Carolina Pirates of the American Athletic Conference. When the final horn sounded, North Carolina A&T players, coaches, and fans were celebrating a 28-23 victory and the program's fourteenth win in a row, tops in the nation.

After the first of Jake Verity's three field goals opened the scoring, A&T's Mac McCain picked off a pass in the end zone and raced down the field for the fourth pick-six in his short fourteen-game career. Blake Proehl (Providence) and Deondre Farrier hauled in two short scores to give ECU a 17-7 lead. Answering back before the half, Lamar Raynard (High Point Andrews) found Zachary Leslie (Burns) to cut the deficit to three. Raynard later left the game with an injured hand, but that did not stop the Aggie offense as backup quarterback Kylil Carter came in and threw for two scores, including the go-ahead TD with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter.

First-year NC A&T Head Coach Sam Washington was excited about the win. “I’m a proud coach, a proud parent. Those kids bust their butts. They believe start to finish. They persevere. We knew that adversity would come. I tell them all the time that it’s not about adversity, it’s about how you handle adversity. I thought they did a very fine job of it today.”

One bright spot for the Pirates was the play of first-time starter Reid Herring at quarterback. Hailing from Raleigh's Millbrook High School, the sophomore signal caller threw for over three hundred yards and two scores on Sunday afternoon.

Looking ahead to next week, North Carolina A&T (2-0) plays its first home game of the season at newly minted BB&T Stadium against Gardner-Webb (1-0) while East Carolina (0-1) hosts in-state FBS rival North Carolina (0-1).

Jerry Richardson Stadium - Charlotte will host ECU here in 2024

Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium - ECU will host Charlotte here in 2025

What the Coaches Said:

Notable North Carolinians:

Next Week:

Darius Pinnix

Derrell Scott

• Qualified for 10 bowl appearances since 2000 (three-straight, eight of the last nine years)
• Has won 27 of the last 32 games when scoring 30 or more points
• Has lost 17-straight games when scoring 20 or less points (19-14 vs. UCF in ‘09/last win)
• Has won 18 of the last 20 games when gaining 200 or more rushing yards
• Has won 27 of the last 28 games when leading at the half
• Has won 11 of the last 14, 15 of the last 19 (and 19 of the last 24) home games
• Has won 13 of the last 17 conference home games
• Has never lost (5-0) when playing on Nov. 28 in program history