ECU homecoming 2022 featured a beautiful throwback jersey combination and the Pirates did more than just look pretty in from of a crowd of over 38,000. In game that saw the Memphis defense give up their first 100 yard rusher of the season in Keaton Mitchell who carried 29 times for 149 yards, the Pirates offense was able to move the ball in a verity of ways and converted 10 of 15 on 3rd down. The Tiger offense moved the ball well through the air in big part to their tight end Caden Prieskorn who finished the day with 6 receptions, and 104 yards.
The Memphis defense forced a punt on the opening possession. It looked as if the offense would suffer a punt of their own, but on 3rd and 14 Seth Henigan hit Prieskorn for a 48-yard gain to take the ball down inside the Pirate 20. Two plays later Asa Martin ran it in from 4 yards out to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead. The Pirates looked to answer but turned the ball over on downs at the Tiger 3. The 4th down play had a great pass in the back corner of the end zone from Holton Ahlers to Isaiah Winstead but, it lead him just out of bounds.
Following a Tiger field goal that made it 10-0 the Pirates faked a punt on 4th and 24. To no ones shock it didn’t work and the Tigers took over on the Pirate 40. The Tigers capitalized in just 7 plays as Henigan hit Eddie Lewis for a 7-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 17-0.
The Pirates finally got on the board with 1:36 left in the half when Ahlers ran to the left for a 3-yard touchdown. In his colligate debut Andrew Conrad made the PAT to make it 17-7. The Pirates go the ball three plays later when Malik Fleming picked off a Henigan pass and the Pirate offense took over at the Tiger 16 with 0:47 left and two timeouts. The Pirates only needed one play for Ahlers to find Winstead for a 16-yard touchdown. This was part of a seven reception 132-yard first half for Winstead. On the PAT there was a bad snap and the Tiger retained their 17-13 lead that they took into the locker room.
On their opening possession of the 2nd half the Tigers drove down inside the Pirate 5 but had to settle for a field goal. Their next drive couldn’t have ended any worse as a Henigan pass was intercepted by Julius Wood and taken back 47-yards for the Pirate touchdown to tie the game at 20.
The Pirates opened the 4th quarter with a 16 play drive that took nearly eight minutes. It was finished off by a 22-yard field goal by Andrew Conrad his first career field goal. On the ensuing possession Chris Howard hit a 46-yard field goal to tie the game at 23 with 5:30 remaining. With 1:45 Keaton Mitchell ran it in from 1-yard out to give the Pirates a 30-23 lead. Memphis took over on their own 25 with 1:45 to go and one timeout. With 19 seconds left the Tigers tied the game at 30 and sent the Pirates into their 2nd straight overtime home game.
The first two overtimes the teams traded touchdowns. Under new NCAA rules the 3rd overtime on becomes a 2-point play. Both were successful in the 3rd overtime period. In the 4th the Pirates go the ball first and Ahlers hit CJ Johnson for the 2-point play. The Tigers Threw an incomplete pass on their play giving the Pirates a 47-45 victory.
The Pirates move to 4-3 on the season and will host UCF next week.