2021 East Carolina Pirates football
ConferenceAmerican Athletic Conference
Record7–5 (5–3 The American)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDonnie Kirkpatrick (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorBlake Harrell (2nd season)
Home stadiumDowdy–Ficklen Stadium
2021 American Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
No. 4 Cincinnati y$^  8 0   13 1  
No. 17 Houston y  8 0   12 2  
UCF  5 3   9 4  
East Carolina  5 3   7 5  
Tulsa  5 3   7 6  
SMU  4 4   8 4  
Memphis  3 5   6 6  
Navy  3 5   4 8  
Tulane  1 7   2 10  
South Florida  1 7   2 10  
Temple  1 7   3 9  
Championship: Cincinnati 35, Houston 20
  • ^ College Football Playoff participant
  • $ Conference champion
  • y Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2021 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Pirates, led by third-year head coach Mike Houston, play their home games at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium as members of the American Athletic Conference.

After compiling a 7–5 regular season record, the Pirates received a bid to the Military Bowl,[1] where they were due to face the Boston College Eagles. On December 26, the Eagles withdrew from the game, due to COVID-19 issues; the bowl was subsequently canceled.[2]

Preseason

American Athletic Conference preseason media poll

The American Athletic Conference preseason media poll was released at the virtual media day held August 4, 2021.[3] Cincinnati, who finished the 2020 season ranked No. 8 nationally, was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the 2021 preseason media poll.

Media poll
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1Cincinnati262 (22)
2UCF241 (2)
3SMU188
4Houston181
5Memphis168
6Tulsa153
7Tulane132
т-8East Carolina85
т-8Navy85
10Temple46
11South Florida43

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 27:30 p.m.vs. Appalachian State*ESPNUL 19–3336,752
September 1112:00 p.m.South Carolina*ESPN2L 17–2040,816
September 186:00 p.m.at Marshall*CBSSN FacebookW 42–3824,833
September 256:00 p.m.Charleston Southern*
  • Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
  • Greenville, NC
ESPN+W 31–2839,218
October 23:30 p.m.Tulanedagger
  • Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
  • Greenville, NC
ESPN+W 52–2933,475
October 96:00 p.m.at UCFESPN+L 16–2041,649
October 239:20 p.m.at HoustonESPNews αL 24–31 OT22,925
October 287:30 p.m.South Florida
  • Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
  • Greenville, NC
ESPNW 29–1432,015
November 63:00 p.m.Temple
  • Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
  • Greenville, NC
ESPN+W 45–332,817
November 1311:00 a.m.at MemphisESPN+W 30–29 OT28,431
November 203:30 p.m.at NavyCBSSNW 38–3528,001
November 263:30 p.m.No. 4 Cincinnati
  • Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
  • Greenville, NC
ABCL 13–3538,014
December 272:30 p.m.vs. Boston College*
  • Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
  • Annapolis, MD (Military Bowl)
ESPN Canceled_

[4]

Notes

This game was initially scheduled for ESPNU at 4PM ET, but moved to 9:20PM ET on ESPNews because of a rain delay.

Game summaries

Vs. Appalachian State

Appalachian State vs. East Carolina
1 234Total
Mountaineers 14 676 33
Pirates 6 0310 19
  • Date: September 2, 2021
  • Location: Bank of America Stadium
    Charlotte, NC
  • Game start: 7:33 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 23 minutes
  • Game attendance: 36,752
  • Game weather: 77 °F (25 °C) • Weather: Clear • Wind: S 8 MPH
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Mike Couzens (play-by-play) and Dustin Fox (analyst)
      
Over/under
APP –9.056
StatisticsAppalachian StateEast Carolina
First downs2520
Total yards485381
Rushing yards22686
Passing yards259295
Turnovers12
Time of possession31:5528:05
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Appalachian StatePassingChase Brice20/27, 259 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
RushingNate Noel15 carries, 126 yards
ReceivingThomas Hennigan4 receptions, 114 yards, 1 TD
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers22/40, 295 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
RushingKeaton Mitchell4 carries, 50 yards
ReceivingKeaton Mitchell5 receptions, 79 yards, 1 TD

Vs. South Carolina

Game Two – South Carolina Gamecocks (1–0) at East Carolina Pirates (0-1)
Period 1 2 34Total
South Carolina 0 7 7620
East Carolina 7 7 0317

at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium • Greenville, North Carolina

Game information
First quarter
  • (14:49) ECU – Jsi Hatfield 75-yard pass from Tyler Snead (Owen Daffer Kick). East Carolina 7-0. Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:11.
Second quarter
  • (11:53) ECU – Holton Ahlers 3-yard run (Owen Daffer Kick). East Carolina 14-0. Drive: 2 plays, 13 yards, 0:45.
  • (1:00) SC – Damani Staley 63-yard interception return (Parker White Kick). East Carolina 14-7.
Third quarter
  • (0:46) SC – Dakereon Joyner 13-yard pass from Zeb Noland (Parker White Kick). Tied 14-14. Drive: 5 plays, 72 yards, 1:14.
Fourth quarter
  • (8:46) ECU – Owen Daffer 26-yard field goal. East Carolina 17-14. Drive: 14 plays, 67 yards, 7:00.
  • (6:46) SC – Parker White 39-yard field goal. Tied 17-17. Drive: 5 plays, 12 yards, 2:00.
  • (0:00) SC – Parker White 36-yard field goal. South Carolina 20-17. Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards, 4:54.
Statistics SC ECU
First downs1512
Plays–yards63–32563–268
Rushes–yards100116
Passing yards225152
Passing: comp–att–int13–24–112–25–2
Time of possession18:5741:03
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
SC PassingZeb Noland13/24, 225 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
RushingJuJu McDowell11 carries, 71 yards
ReceivingJosh Vann5 receptions, 127 yards
ECU PassingHolton Ahlers11/24, 77 yards, 2 INT
RushingRahjai Harris14 carries, 70 yards
ReceivingJsi Hatfield2 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD

At Marshall

East Carolina at Marshall
1 234Total
Pirates 7 14021 42
Thundering Herd 10 14140 38
  • Date: September 18, 2021
  • Location: Joan C. Edwards Stadium
    Huntington, WV
  • Game start: 6:05 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 36 minutes
  • Game attendance: 24,833
  • Game weather: 85 °F (29 °C) • Weather: Sunny
  • Referee: Luke Richard
  • TV announcers (CBS Sports Network): Michael Grady (play–by–play), Corey Chavous (analyst), and Justin Walters (sideline reporter)
        
Pregame line Over/under
MRSH –10.058
StatisticsEast CarolinaMarshall
First downs2724
Total yards563648
Rushing yards168215
Passing yards395433
Turnovers13
Time of possession30:1929:41
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers30/48, 368 yards, 2 TDs
RushingKeaton Mitchell14 carries, 135 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingShane Calhoun8 receptions, 114 yards, 1 TD
MarshallPassingGrant Wells24/39, 433 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
RushingRasheen Ali24 carries, 189 yards, 3 TDs
ReceivingCorey Gammage8 receptions, 180 yards

Charleston Southern

Charleston Southern at East Carolina
1 234Total
Buccaneers 14 0014 28
Pirates 0 2470 31
  • Date: September 25, 2021
  • Location: Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
    Greenville, NC
  • Game start: 6:05 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 4 hours and 33 minutes
  • Game attendance: 39,218
  • Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C) • Weather: Sunny
  • Referee: Edwin Lee
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Connor Onion (play–by–play) and Stanford Routt (analyst)
     
Pregame line Over/under
ECU –24.559
StatisticsCharleston SouthernEast Carolina
First downs3414
Total yards536388
Rushing yards131150
Passing yards405238
Turnovers12
Time of possession31:2728:33
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Charleston SouthernPassingJack Chambers38/61, 405 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
RushingJD Moore14 car, 58 yds, 1 TD
ReceivingGarris Schwarting8 rec, 94 yds
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers17/26, 238 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
RushingKeaton Mitchell13 car, 125 yds, 1 TD
ReceivingC.J. Johnson3 rec, 95 yds, 1 TD

Tulane

Tulane at East Carolina
1 234Total
Green Wave 0 7166 29
Pirates 17 14021 52
  • Date: October 2, 2021
  • Location: Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
    Greenville, NC
  • Game start: 3:30 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time:  
  • Game attendance: 33,475
  • Game weather: • Weather: TBD • Wind: TBD
  • Referee:  
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Mark Neely and Barrett Brooks
        
Pregame line Over/under
TULN –3.064.5
StatisticsTulaneEast Carolina
First downs1925
Total yards404612
Rushing yards124310
Passing yards280302
Turnovers40
Time of possession25:4134:19
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
TulanePassingMichael Pratt22/36, 268 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT
RushingCameron Carroll9 car, 80 yds, 1 TD
ReceivingDuece Watts4 rec, 79 yds
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers21/32, 288 yds, 2 TD
RushingKeaton Mitchell15 car, 222 yds, 2 TD
ReceivingTyler Snead4 rec, 78 yds, 1 TD

At UCF

East Carolina at Central Florida
1 234Total
Pirates 0 3103 16
Knights 0 3710 20
  • Date: October 9, 2021
  • Location: Bounce House
    Orlando, FL
  • Game start: 6:00 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time:  
  • Game attendance:  
  • Game weather: • Weather: TBD • Wind: TBD
  • Referee:  
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Courtney Lyle and Brandon Weeden
Over/under
  
StatisticsEast CarolinaUCF
First downs  
Total yards  
Rushing yards  
Passing yards  
Turnovers  
Time of possession  
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
East CarolinaPassing  
Rushing  
Receiving  
UCFPassing  
Rushing  
Receiving  

At Houston

East Carolina at Houston
1 234OTTotal
Pirates 10 00140 24
Cougars 17 7007 31
  • Date: October 23, 2021
  • Location: TDECU Stadium
    Houston, TX
  • Game start: 4:00 p.m. EDT (Kicked at 9:20 p.m. – delayed 5 hours and 20 minutes to kickoff due to lightning)
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 27 minutes
  • Game attendance: 22,925
  • Game weather: 71 °F (22 °C) • Weather: Cloudy • Wind: SE 9 MPH
  • Referee: Edwin Lee
  • TV announcers (ESPNews): Kevin Brown (play-by-play) and Hutson Mason (analyst)
     
Pregame line Over/under
HOU –13.557
StatisticsEast CarolinaHouston
First downs2016
Total yards360256
Rushing yards8287
Passing yards278169
Turnovers31
Time of possession29:1330:47
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers23/37, 278 yards, 2 TDs
RushingKeaton Mitchell11 rushes, 38 yards
ReceivingTyler Snead7 receptions, 114 yards
HoustonPassingClayton Tune19/29, 169 yards, 2 TDs
RushingAlton McCaskill12 rushes, 60 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingChristian Trahan6 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD

South Florida

South Florida at East Carolina
1 2Total
Bulls 0
Pirates 0
Over/under
  
StatisticsSouth FloridaEast Carolina
First downs  
Total yards  
Rushing yards  
Passing yards  
Turnovers  
Time of possession  
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
South FloridaPassing  
Rushing  
Receiving  
East CarolinaPassing  
Rushing  
Receiving  

Temple

Temple at East Carolina
1 2Total
Owls 0
Pirates 0
  • Date: November 6, 2021
  • Location: Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
    Greenville, NC
  • Game start: TBD EDT
  • Elapsed time:  
  • Game attendance:  
  • Game weather: • Weather: TBD • Wind: TBD
  • Referee:  
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Courtney Lyle, Brandon Weeden
Over/under
  
StatisticsTempleEast Carolina
First downs  
Total yards  
Rushing yards  
Passing yards  
Turnovers  
Time of possession  
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
TemplePassing  
Rushing  
Receiving  
East CarolinaPassing  
Rushing  
Receiving  

At Memphis

East Carolina at Memphis
1 2Total
Pirates 0
Tigers 0
  • Date: November 13, 2021
  • Location: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
    Memphis, TN
  • Game start: TBD EST
  • Elapsed time:  
  • Game attendance:  
  • Game weather: • Weather: TBD • Wind: TBD
  • Referee:  
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Richard Cross, Brandon Weeden
Over/under
  
StatisticsEast CarolinaMemphis
First downs  
Total yards  
Rushing yards  
Passing yards  
Turnovers  
Time of possession  
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
East CarolinaPassing  
Rushing  
Receiving  
MemphisPassing  
Rushing  
Receiving  

At Navy

East Carolina at Navy
1 234Total
Pirates 14 10014 38
Midshipmen 7 14014 35
  • Date: November 20, 2021
  • Location: Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
    Annapolis, MD
  • Game start: 3:30 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours, 10 minutes
  • Game attendance: 28,001
  • Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C) • Weather: Chilly, clear skies • Wind: S 10–25 MPH
  • Referee: Luke Richmond
  • TV announcers (CBSSN): John Sadak (play-by-play), Randy Cross (analyst) & Sheehan Stanwick Burch (sideline)
         
Pregame line Over/under
ECU –3.546.5
StatisticsEast CarolinaNavy
First downs2417
Total yards563382
Rushing yards158345
Passing yards40537
Turnovers00
Time of possession32:4027:20
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers27/32, 405 yards, 3 TD
RushingKeaton Mitchell18 carries, 94 yards, TD
ReceivingTyler Snead5 receptions, 137 yards, 2 TD
NavyPassingTai Lavatai4/4, 37 yards, 2 TD
RushingCarlinos Acie6 carries, 155 yards, TD
ReceivingMychal Copper2 receptions, 31 yards, TD

No. 4 Cincinnati

Cincinnati at East Carolina
1 234Total
No. 4 Bearcats 0 21014 35
Pirates 3 037 13
  • Date: November 26, 2021
  • Location: Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
    Greenville, NC
  • Game start: 3:50 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 23 minutes
  • Game attendance: 38,014
  • Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: NW 20 MPH
  • Referee: Hank Johns
  • TV announcers (ABC): Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst) and Paul Carcaterra (sideline)
    
Pregame line Over/under
−14.556.5
StatisticsCincinnatiEast Carolina
First downs2019
Total yards444282
Rushing yards14354
Passing yards301228
Time of possession27:4232:18
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
CincinnatiPassingDesmond Ridder17/28, 301 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
RushingJerome Ford20 carries, 85 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingAlec Pierce8 receptions, 136 yards, 1 TD
ECUPassingHolton Ahlers19/38, 228 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
RushingKeaton Mitchell17 carries, 55 yards
ReceivingTyler Snead6 receptions, 91 yards

References

  1. "East Carolina To Play In 2021 Military Bowl". ecupirates.com (Press release). November 27, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  2. Adelson, Andrea (December 26, 2021). "Military, Fenway Bowls Canceled Because of COVID-19 Issues". ESPN. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  3. "Cincinnati Chosen as Favorite in American Preseason Media Poll". theAmerican.org. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  4. "2021 East Carolina Football Schedule". FBS Schedules. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
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