GREENVILLE – Andrew Conrad had not attempted a field goal in a game since 2024. On Friday night, East Carolina called on the veteran kicker from 55 yards out with two seconds remaining and a chance to beat South Florida.

He delivered twice.

Conrad connected on a career-long field goal as time expired, lifting East Carolina to a 20-17 victory over South Florida and sending fans pouring onto the field at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

The dramatic finish capped a night in which the Pirates lost three offensive starters to injuries, turned to their backup quarterback and erased an early deficit against a South Florida team that entered with six victories.

East Carolina improved to 5-4 overall and 3-2 in American Conference play, moving within one victory of bowl eligibility. South Florida fell to 6-3 and 2-3 in the conference.

The winning kick came with an unusual twist. South Florida coach Brian Hartline called timeout just before Conrad's first attempt, but the kicker followed through and sent the ball between the uprights. After the timeout, Conrad lined up again and delivered the same result.

"I knew when I hit it, it had a very solid chance of going in," Conrad said.

Conrad, a Kernersville native in his fifth season with the Pirates, had previously made a 52-yard field goal. His last game-winning kick came from 33 yards against BYU in October 2022.

The opportunity Friday came after East Carolina took possession at its own 14-yard line with 1:42 remaining and the score tied at 17.

Backup quarterback Emory Williams directed a 10-play, 49-yard drive, converting a third down with a completion to Jason Dickerson before finding Ray Ray Joseph Jr. for 14 yards. A pass interference penalty and an 18-yard reception by Ashton Gray helped move the Pirates into field-goal range.

East Carolina coach Blake Harrell said the decision to use Conrad rather than Noah Perez came down to distance. Perez had already connected from 44 yards earlier in the game, but Conrad was the choice for the longer attempt.

The winning drive completed a comeback that required significant adjustments after East Carolina's offense was hit hard by injuries.

Offensive lineman Karson Jones left in the first quarter, followed by starting quarterback Mitch Griffis after a hard hit late in the period. Leading rusher TJ Engleman Jr. suffered a lower-leg injury early in the second quarter.

Williams entered in relief and completed 19 of 27 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Both scoring passes went to Landon Sides, who finished with 14 receptions for 126 yards.

The Pirates trailed 10-3 late in the first half after South Florida quarterback Luke Kromenhoek connected with Brysin Rodgers for a 26-yard touchdown in the opening quarter and Nico Gramatica added a 30-yard field goal.

Williams changed the momentum with a four-play, 65-yard drive in just 40 seconds, finding Sides for a 15-yard touchdown with 31 seconds remaining before halftime.

The connection struck again midway through the third quarter when Williams hit Sides for an 8-yard touchdown, giving East Carolina its first lead at 17-10.

South Florida answered in the fourth quarter. Jason Collins Jr. scored on a 1-yard run with 9:42 remaining, tying the game at 17 and setting up the final sequence.

The Bulls had opportunities throughout the night but struggled to sustain drives against East Carolina's defense. South Florida converted just one of 10 third-down attempts and finished with 329 yards of offense.

Kromenhoek completed 17 of 21 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown, while D.J. Crowther rushed for 111 yards on 17 carries. South Florida also failed on its only fourth-down attempt, with Torin Brazell stopping Kromenhoek on a fourth-and-3 play at the East Carolina 29 in the third quarter.

The Pirates recorded three sacks and 10 tackles for loss, while Gray provided offensive balance with 101 rushing yards on 18 carries.

"You have a guy go down, the next guy steps in and makes big plays," Harrell said. "There never was a doubt on our sideline."

The victory marked East Carolina's fourth consecutive win over South Florida and continued the Pirates' success in close, low-scoring games under Harrell.

For Conrad, the finish carried additional meaning after spending the season without a field-goal attempt. His first kick of the night turned out to be the final play of the game.

East Carolina now turns its attention to an in-state conference matchup at Charlotte, where the Pirates will have an opportunity to secure their sixth victory and become bowl eligible.