Football
GREENVILLE, NC –
Competitions against seven qualifying tournaments, a home match against Southeastern Conference member South Carolina and a neutral match on Thursday night against the Appalachian State are featured on East Carolina’s 2021 football calendar released on Thursday by American Athletic Conference.After the Pirates began their campaign on September 2 by renewing their 89-year-old series and 31 games with the Mountaineers at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, the Gamecocks will make their fourth general visit – and the first since 1997 – to Dowdy- Ficklen Stadium on September 11th.
The ECU will also open the AAC game at home for the second consecutive year, when it will host Tulane in Greenville on October 2 and continue to host South Florida (28/30 October), Temple (4/6 November) and defending champion Cincinnati (November 26/27). The Pirates’ conference schedule consists of trips to UCF (October 9), Houston (October 23), Memphis (November 13) and Navy (November 20).
In addition to the eight East Carolina league tilts and the aforementioned meetings against the Appalachian State and South Carolina, other non-conference games previously announced in Marshall (September 18) and against Charleston Southern (September 25) complete the rest of the list.
American and its main television partner – ESPN – initially targeted three ECU home dates among their possible initial broadcast selections. Pirates disputes against the Bulls or Owls can be moved to early Thursday evening, while the final against the Bearcats has the opportunity to be played on a Friday. Final transmission determinations will be made after they are completed by the league office and the network.
The 2021 schedule offers a lot of balance, as the two halves are divided equally with three home matches and three away matches that precede and follow a mid-season farewell week (October 16). While Pirates will play two of the first three competitions and two of the last three on the road, the head coach Mike HoustonThe third season also features a more favorable period, with four of the six matches at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium between September 25 and November 6.
In all, East Carolina will face five opponents who played bowling games in 2020 on the road this fall, which includes Mountaineers, Thundering Herd, Knights, Cougars and Tigers. On the other hand, the Bearcats and Green Wave represent the post-season eliminated pair that will visit Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
The East Carolina league debut against Tulane also highlights the school game day designation selections as the annual Homecoming event.
“We appreciate the expectations that come with the opportunity that this schedule offers,” said Houston. “It’s exciting to start a new season at an NFL stadium, with South Carolina at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium and the exposure that the American Conference and ESPN continue to provide for our program, university and Pirate Nation. The schedule offers us a chance to compete, challenge and conquest, which reflect the objectives we have established. “
Tickets for the 2021 season will go on sale from March 1st. While pricing options remain the same as last year ($ 99 to $ 300, depending on location), additional information and promotional resources will soon be available through the ECU Online Box Office and on all ECU Athletics social media platforms.
IN SHORT
East Carolina opponents in 2021 posted a combined record of 55-54 (0.505) in 2020. The Pirates’ four non-conference opponents were 18-14 (0.563), while the eight AAC squads recorded a total of 37-40 (0.481) mark. Four programs had seven or more victories during the shortened pandemic season, which includes Cincinnati (9), Appalachian State (9), Memphis (8) and Marshall (7).
BOWL EXPERIENCE
In all, the ECU slate features competitions against seven teams (five AAC) who played bowl games a year ago – Appalachian State (Myrtle Beach), Marshall (Camellia), Tulane (Famous Idaho Potato), UCF (RoofClaim.com Boca Raton), Houston (New Mexico), Memphis (Montgomery) and Cincinnati (Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl).
FINAL RANKINGS
Only one opponent of 21 was classified in the two main university football polls (Associated Press / USA Today Amway Coaches) to end the 2020 season – Cincinnati (8/8).
THE SEC, SOUTH CAROLINA
The meeting against South Carolina at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium will mark the ECU’s seventh clash against an opponent from the Southeast Conference since 2011 (and the first since the difficult 20-15 decision loss to Gamecocks in 2016). South Carolina is the only current SEC member who has played against Pirates in Greenville, winning two of the previous three fights. East Carolina Head Coach Mike Houston he also has a personal 1-0 record against Gamecocks after The Citadel’s 23-22 victory in Columbia on November 21, 2015, when he led the Bulldogs program.
THE QUEEN CITY
East Carolina’s defeat against the Appalachian State at Bank of America Stadium will be the Pirates’ (3-2) sixth trip to Charlotte for a neutral local dispute after victories over NC State (1996), West Virginia (1999) and Virginia Tech (2008) along with setbacks for NC State (2004) and South Carolina (2011). The ECU’s victory over the Hokies drew a record college football crowd at the time of 72,169.
EXTRAORDINARY ANYONE?
East Carolina and Marshall certainly enjoyed a competitive series, which resulted in overtime in two of the last three games (and in three of the last six games dating back to 2008). The Pirates and Herd also shared two double overtime thrillers – 2001 (64-61 Marshall / Mobile Bowl) and 2012 (65-59 East Carolina).
NEW CHIEF COACHES
Pirates will face three teams with new coaches in 2021 – South Carolina (Shane Beamer), Marshall (Charles Huff) and UCF (Gus Malzahn).
HOME HOUSE AND OTHER CELEBRATORY “DAYS”
The welcome festivities will be on full display when the ECU receives Tulane on October 2nd. Other game day designations, in chronological order, include Pirate Club Weekend (South Carolina / September 11), Family Weekend and Paint It Gold Day (Charleston Southern / September 25), Purple Painting Day (USF / 28 on October 30), Military Appreciation Day (Temple / November 4-6) and Elderly Day (Cincinnati / November 26-27).
STARTING, ENDING THE LEAGUE, PLAY AT HOME
East Carolina’s AAC debut against Tulane will mark the second consecutive year that the Pirates start playing in the league at home, while the end of the regular season against Cincinnati is the third consecutive campaign in which the ECU will end its list at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
EXACTLY HALF SEASON
East Carolina celebrates its farewell week on October 16, which follows the first six competitions and precedes the last six fights of the regular season.
AMERICAN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
The American Conference will hold its championship game on December 4. The title match will be played on the home field of the team with the best classification (in order of completion of the regular season).
KICKOFF TIMES
Kickoff times for the first three weeks and possible AAC games outside the ECU Saturdays will be announced in May, while the rest will be through the traditional 12-day / 6-day process.