East Carolina Pirates
Football
Pirate Nation turned up the volume and ECU delivered, outlasting Memphis in a thriller at Dowdy-Ficklen.
Katin Houser Grayson Loftis Anthony Smith E. Jai Mason Ja’marley Riddle Reid Williford 1st Half Summary ECU’s opening drive is a demoralizing 12 play 65 yard 4:53 second TD drive capped off by a 7-yard TD run up the middle by London Montgomery After a stalled first drive, brought on by a relentless Pirate pass rush, ECU mounts another TD drive ending in a 3-yard TD pass from Houser to TE A. Smith After a failed 4 th down conversion for the Pirates, ECU’s T. Brown intercepts Loftis and returns it 45 yards for a pick 6 to put the Pirates up 21-0 in the first quarter. A 1-yard QB sneak up the middle ends an 8 play 68-yard TD drive for the Pirates. ECU leads the 49ers 28-0 with 12 min to go in the first half. Following a fumble by Pirate QB Katin Houser, Charlotte goes for it on 4 th down at the ECU 46-yard line. Throwing up a prayer from Loftis to J. Nicholas, the 49ers get themselves on the board for the first time 28-7 with 7 min to go in the half. ECU answers with a 14 play 75-yard TD drive, capped off by an 8-yard TD pass from Houser to Y. Smith to make it 35-7 lead with 2:30 left to go in the half. Lead by 2 heroic catches by the 49ers receiver S. Brown, UNCC showing fight, snapping back with a quick 7 play drive taking up less than a minute off the clock. Driving the ball 75-yards to narrow the lead ultimately ending the half with a little momentum, but a mountain to go. 2 nd Half Summary The 3 rd quarter starts off slow as the 49ers turn the ball over on downs, resulting in a 40-yard FG for the Pirates following a 6 play 12-yard drive. Putting ECU up 38-14 with 11 min to go in the 3 rd quarter. Charlotte gains a little momentum following an explosive 43-yard TD pass from Loftis to J. Nicholas. Going for two and narrowing the lead to 16 points with 9 min left to go in the 3 rd quarter. ECU’s potent offense answers with a 6 play 75-yard drive, capped off with an 11- yard TD run up the middle by Houser. The score is 45-22 with 6 and a half min to go in the 3 rd quarter. Key Takeaways Despite the relentless effort by the 49ers, East Carolina essentially did whatever they wanted to do in this game, evident by the 10 first downs in the 1 st quarter alone. The Pirates seemed to overmatch UNCC from the opening drive. UNC Charlotte QB Grayson Loftis had no time to throw the majority of the game as he was hurried on almost every snap. On the offensive side of the ball for the Pirates, Houser had another dominate day putting up video game numbers against a 49ers defense that seemed to be one step behind the entire game. The Niners surged in the second half, but the Pirates ended the game with a convincing win and a final score of 48-22. The 49ers are having a rough season under first year HC Tim Albin. A stark contrast from 2-time MAC Coach of the year, Albin’s MAC championship title season with Ohio in 2024. The 49ers are 1-8 (0-6), having yet to win a conference game up to this point in the season. UNCC left the CUSA to join the American Conference in 2023 after remerging as an FCS Independent for a short stint in 2013. Since joining the American Conference, the 49ers are 6-16 in conference play. UNCC gets another shot at a conference win next Saturday, taking on UTSA at home airing on ESPN+. UNCC is still developing their young football program but with Albin at the helm, they have a HC with a championship pedigree. Time will tell if the combination will be able to compete for an American Conference Title. ECU on the other hand is still in the hunt this year after Tulane’s upset against previous conference front runner, Memphis Tigers . The now bowl eligible Pirates 6-3 (4-1), are in a 4-way tie for second place in the American conference. Setting up for a dramatic finish with 3 games left to go in the season. The Pirates host the Memphis Tigers next Saturday at 4 pm airing on ESPNU.
ECU Outlasts Tulsa Behind Houser’s 300-Yard Night, 41–27 ​ GREENVILLE, N.C. — Quarterback Katin Houser threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns, while running back London Montgomery rushed for 125 yards and a score, powering East Carolina to a 41–27 win over Tulsa on Thursday night. The Pirates improved to 4–3 overall and 2–1 in the AAC, riding a combination of explosive plays and timely defensive stops. ​ First Half: Big Plays Set the Pace ECU jumped out early with a balanced attack, highlighted by Houser connecting with wideout Anthony Smith. Smith hauled in four catches for 150 yards and two first-half touchdowns, helping the Pirates take a 24–14 lead into the break. Tulsa stayed in striking distance behind quarterback Baylor Hayes, who completed 23 of 41 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Brody Foley led all Tulsa receivers with six catches for 126 yards and a score. ​ Second Half: ECU Pulls Away On the opening possession of the second half, Montgomery exploded for a 51-yard touchdown run, extending ECU’s lead to 31–14. Tulsa responded with a mini-comeback, scoring 10 straight points — a 46-yard field goal by Seth Morgan and a 1-yard touchdown run from Stephen Kittleman — cutting the deficit to 31–24 late in the third quarter. ​ Fourth Quarter: Defense and Big Plays Seal Victory ECU regained control with a 61-yard drive capped by Andrew Conrad’s 32-yard field goal, pushing the lead to 34–24 with just over ten minutes remaining. On Tulsa’s next drive, Rion Roseborough sacked Hayes on fourth down, effectively ending the Golden Hurricane’s comeback hopes. Houser then put the game away with a 2-yard rushing touchdown, making it 41–24. Montgomery added a late score, finishing with 125 yards and another touchdown, cementing the Pirates’ victory. ​ Final Take East Carolina’s balanced offensive attack, combined with key defensive stops, proved too much for Tulsa. Houser’s 300-yard passing night and Montgomery’s breakout performance highlighted a Pirates team that continues to build momentum in the AAC.
Tulane continued its strong season with a hard-fought win over East Carolina on Saturday at Yulman Stadium. The Green Wave leaned on a balanced offensive attack and timely defense to secure the victory in front of their home crowd. Early in the game, Tulane set the tone with a quick scoring drive, capped by an efficient touchdown pass that energized the stands. ECU responded with a few key plays of their own, including a long run that briefly swung momentum in their favor. The second half saw Tulane’s defense tighten up, forcing turnovers and limiting big plays. The Green Wave’s offense controlled the tempo down the stretch, using their ground game to eat up the clock and keep the Pirates off the field. In the end, Tulane’s consistency and composure made the difference. The win adds another notch in their conference record and keeps them in the hunt for a top spot in the standings.