Homecoming couldn’t have gone better for ECU. With a convincing win in the first conference game of the season the Pirates set the tone for the rest of the season. The key to the game was a balanced attack. As a team ECU threw for 302 yards and had 310 on the ground. The big story was Keaton Mitchell who had 222 yards and two touchdowns on 15 rushing attempts.
The game started out hot. The Pirates put up 17 points in the first quarter. The attack was lead by Mitchell who had four carries for 134 yards which included a 68-yard touchdown run in the first quarter alone. In the second quarter the Pirates picked up right where they left off. On a gutsy call on fourth and 2 from their own 48, Ahlers found Tyler Snead for a 52-yard score. The Pirates took a 31-7 lead into the locker room.
Tulane’s halftime adjustments seemed to work, as their first two drives of the second half totaled 166 yards and 16 points and just like that the deficit was trimmed to just eight, 31-23 East Carolina. The Pirates answered by going 75-yards in ten plays and the 1-yard Rahjai Harris touchdown run brought the game to 38-23. In the closing minutes the Green Wave was looking to make a comeback and Ja’Quan McMillian came through with yet another clutch Interception to seal the deal. The Pirates scored again late and finished it off with a 52-29 victory.
East Carolina ends the day 3-2 and 1-0 in AAC play. They head to UCF next week who is coming off a tough loss at NAVY. The Pirates hope to keep the momentum going as they go for their fourth straight win.