2020 East Carolina Pirates football team

The 2020 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Pirates, led by second-year head coach Mike Houston, played their home games at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium as members of the American Athletic Conference.

2020 East Carolina Pirates football
ConferenceAmerican Athletic Conference
2020 record3–6 (3–5 The American)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDonnie Kirkpatrick (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorBlake Harrell (1st season)
Home stadiumDowdy–Ficklen Stadium
(Capacity: 50,000)
2020 American Athletic Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 8 Cincinnati y$  6 –0     9 –1  
Tulsa y  6 –0     6 –3  
Memphis  5 –3     8 –3  
UCF  5 –3     6 –4  
SMU  4 –3     7 –3  
Houston  3 –3     3 –5  
Navy  3 –4     3 –7  
Tulane  3 –5     6 –6  
East Carolina  3 –5     3 –6  
Temple  1 –6     1 –6  
South Florida  0 –7     1 –8  
Championship: Cincinnati 27, Tulsa 24
  • $ – Conference champion
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll.

Previous season
Main article: 2019 East Carolina Pirates football team

The Pirates finished the 2019 season 4–8, 1–7 in AAC play to finish in fifth place in the East Division.

Schedule

East Carolina had games scheduled against Marshall, Norfolk State, and South Carolina, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2][3]

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 26Noon No. 13 UCF
ABCL 28–51305
October 3Noonat Georgia State*
ESPNUL 29–493,823
October 107:00 p.m.at South Florida
ESPN+W 44–246,799
October 17NoonNavy
  • Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
  • Greenville, NC
ESPN2L 23–273,500
October 308:00 p.m.at Tulsa
ESPN2L 30–340
November 7NoonTulane
  • Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
  • Greenville, NC
ESPN+L 21–383,500
November 137:30 p.m.at No. 7 Cincinnati
ESPN2L 17–550
November 21Noonat Temple
ESPN+W 28–30
November 28NoonSMU
  • Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
  • Greenville, NC
ESPN+W 52–383,500
Schedule Source:[4][5]

Game summaries

UCF
Central Florida at East Carolina
1 234Total
• No. 13 Knights 10 171410 51
Pirates 7 0714 28
  • Date: September 26, 2020
  • Location: Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
    Greeville, NC
  • Game start: 12:05 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 58 minutes
  • Game attendance: 350
  • Game weather: 79 °F (26 °C) • Weather: Mostly cloudy • Wind: 0 MPH
  • Referee: Luke Richmond
  • TV announcers (ABC): Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Mike Golic Sr. (color) and Paul Carcaterra (sideline)
         
See also: 2020 UCF Knights football team
Pregame lineOver/under
UCF –27.577[6]
StatisticsUCFEast Carolina
First downs2925
Total yards632459
Rushing yards224244
Passing yards408215
Turnovers04
Time of possession26:5233:08
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
UCFPassingDillon Gabriel32/47, 408 yards, 4 TDs
RushingGreg McCrae16 carries, 83 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingJohnny Richardson9 receptions, 150 yards, 2 TDs
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers14/29, 215 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
RushingKeaton Mitchell8 carries, 66 yards
ReceivingAudie Omotosho3 receptions, 56 yards

at Georgia State
East Carolina at Georgia State
1 234Total
Pirates 7 6313 29
• Panthers 21 14014 49
  • Date: October 3, 2020
  • Location: Center Parc Stadium
    Atlanta, GA
  • Game start: 12:02 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 28 minutes
  • Game attendance: 3,823
  • Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: 6 W MPH
  • Referee: Marshall Lewis
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Mike Couzens (play–by–play) and Dustin Fox (analyst)
         
See also: 2020 Georgia State Panthers football team
Pregame lineOver/under
ECU –1.570[7]
StatisticsEast CarolinaGeorgia State
First downs1921
Total yards286485
Rushing yards50247
Passing yards236238
Turnovers33
Time of possession33:0526:55
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers29/50, 236 yards, 3 INTs
RushingTyler Snead1 carry, 31 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingTyler Snead11 receptions, 105 yards
Georgia StatePassingCornelious Brown18/28, 238 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
RushingDestin Coates23 carries, 113 yards, 2 TDs
ReceivingSam Pinckney7 receptions, 134 yards, 2 TDs

at South Florida
East Carolina at South Florida
1 234Total
• Pirates 17 1476 44
Bulls 7 1000 17
        
See also: 2020 South Florida Bulls football team
Pregame lineOver/under
USF –5.558[8]
StatisticsEast CarolinaSouth Florida
First downs2122
Total yards432398
Rushing yards21092
Passing yards222306
Turnovers02
Time of possession35:3624:24
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers17/26, 222 yards, 3 TDs
RushingRahjai Harris19 carries, 115 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingC. J. Johnson3 receptions, 99 yards, 2 TDs
South FloridaPassingJordan McCloud26/35, 298 yards
RushingJohnny Ford8 carries, 44 yards, 2 TDs
ReceivingLatrell Williams8 receptions, 93 yards
Navy at East Carolina
1 234Total
• Midshipmen 7 6140 27
Pirates 6 7010 23
  • Date: October 17, 2020
  • Location: Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
    Greeville, NC
  • Game start: 12:01 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 18 minutes
  • Game attendance: 3,500
  • Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C) • Weather: Mostly Sunny • Wind: NNE 10 MPH
  • Referee: Edwin Lee
  • TV announcers (ESPN2): Lincoln Rose (play–by–play) and Keith Moreland (analyst)
     
See also: 2020 Navy Midshipmen football team
Pregame lineOver/under
NAVY –3.555.5[9]
StatisticsNavyEast Carolina
First downs1719
Total yards318372
Rushing yards288268
Passing yards30104
Turnovers22
Time of possession31:2928:31
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
NavyPassingDalen Morris3/4, 30 yards, 1 INT
RushingNelson Smith17 carries, 157 yards, 2 TDs
ReceivingRyan Mitchell1 reception, 14 yards
East CarolinaPassingMason Garcia10/20, 104 yards
RushingRahjai Harris22 carries, 172 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingTyler Snead4 receptions, 39 yards

at Tulsa
East Carolina at Tulsa
1 234Total
Pirates 7 10310 30
• Golden Hurricane 3 01714 34
  • Date: October 30, 2020
  • Location: Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium
    Tulsa, OK
  • Game start: 8:00 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:40
  • Game attendance: 0
  • Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C) • Weather: Clear • Wind: SSW 5 MPH
  • Referee: A. Calabarese
  • TV announcers (ESPN2): Clay Matvick (play–by–play) Rocky Boiman (analyst)
        
See also: 2020 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team
Pregame lineOver/under
TUL –1759.5[10]
StatisticsEast CarolinaTulsa
First downs2725
Total yards456428
Rushing yards126175
Passing yards330253
Turnovers33
Time of possession35:0924:51
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers38/50, 330 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
RushingRahjai Harris21 carries, 118 yards
ReceivingTyler Snead16 receptions, 108 yards, 1 TD
TulsaPassingZach Smith19/37, 253 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
RushingT.K. Wilkerson18 carries, 89 yards, 2 TDs
ReceivingKeylon Stokes6 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD

Tulane
Tulane at East Carolina
1 234Total
• Green Wave 7 14107 38
Pirates 7 0014 21
  • Date: November 7, 2020
  • Location: Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
    Greenville, NC
  • Game start: 12:05 a.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3 hours and 11 minutes
  • Game attendance: 3,500
  • Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C) • Weather: Mostly Clear • Wind: E 5 MPH
  • Referee: Luke Richmond
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Evan Lepler (play–by–play) and Jay Sonnhalter (analyst)
     
See also: 2020 Tulane Green Wave football team
Pregame lineOver/under
TULN –3.563.5[11]
StatisticsTulaneEast Carolina
First downs2420
Total yards493386
Rushing yards27735
Passing yards216351
Turnovers11
Time of possession30:5929:01
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
TulanePassingMichael Pratt22/34, 216 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
RushingCameron Carroll6 carries, 129 yards, 2 TDs
ReceivingDeuce Watts5 receptions, 57 yards, 2 TDs
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers27/43, 351 yards, 3 TDs
RushingRahjai Harris13 carries, 27 yards
ReceivingBlake Proehl13 receptions, 182 yards, 2 TDs

at Cincinnati
East Carolina at Cincinnati
1 234Total
Pirates 0 1007 17
• No. 7 Bearcats 7 28713 55
       
See also: 2020 Cincinnati Bearcats football team
Pregame lineOver/under
CIN –27.556.5[12]
StatisticsEast CarolinaCincinnati
First downs2329
Total yards293653
Rushing yards206299
Passing yards87354
Turnovers41
Time of possession29:5030:10
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers9/20, 87 yards, 3 INTs
RushingKeaton Mitchell17 carries, 124 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingKeaton Mitchell1 reception, 26 yards
CincinnatiPassingDesmond Ridder24/31, 327 yards, 3 TDs
RushingDesmond Ridder8 carries, 75 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingTre Tucker4 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TD

at Temple
East Carolina at Temple
1 234Total
• Pirates 7 1470 28
Owls 0 030 3
  • Date: November 21, 2020
  • Location: Lincoln Financial Field
    Philadelphia, PA
  • Game start: 12:50 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 2 hours and 48 minutes
  • Game attendance: 100
  • Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C) • Weather: Mostly Sunny • Wind: NW 6 MPH
  • Referee: Hank Johns
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Dave Leno (play–by–play) and Ken Dunek (analyst)
  
See also: 2020 Temple Owls football team
Pregame lineOver/under
ECU –753[13]
StatisticsEast CarolinaTemple
First downs1610
Total yards447235
Rushing yards265140
Passing yards18295
Turnovers23
Time of possession25:0634:54
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
East CarolinaPassingHolton Ahlers11/22, 182 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
RushingKeaton Mitchell13 carries, 103 yards
ReceivingC. J. Johnson3 receptions, 86 yards, 1 TD
TemplePassingKamal Gray10/21, 95 yards, 2 INTs
RushingTayvon Ruley14 carries, 48 yards
ReceivingDavid Martin–Robinson1 reception, 30 yards

SMU
Southern Methodist at East Carolina
1 234Total
Mustangs 7 01714 38
• Pirates 21 2407 52
See also: 2020 SMU Mustangs football team
Pregame lineOver/under
  
StatisticsSMUEast Carolina
First downs  
Total yards  
Rushing yards  
Passing yards  
Turnovers  
Time of possession  
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
SMUPassing  
Rushing  
Receiving  
East CarolinaPassing  
Rushing  
Receiving  

References
  1. "MEAC suspends all fall sports for indefinite period". ESPN.com. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  2. Talty, John. "SEC moves to conference-only 2020 schedule, pushes back start of season". AL.com. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  3. "ECU-Marshall football game canceled ahead of plane crash 50th anniversary". WITN.com. November 5, 2020. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  4. "2020 Football Schedule". East Carolina University Athletics. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  5. "2020 East Carolina Pirates Schedule". ESPN. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  6. "UCF Knights vs East Carolina Pirates". Odds Shark. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  7. "East Carolina Pirates vs Georgia State Panthers". Odds Shark. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  8. "East Carolina Pirates vs USF Bulls". Odds Shark. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  9. "Navy Midshipmen vs East Carolina Pirates". Odds Shark. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  10. "East Carolina vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane". Sportsline. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  11. "Tulane Green Wave vs East Carolina Pirates". Odds Shark. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  12. "East Carolina Pirates vs Cincinnati Bearcats". Odds Shark. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  13. "East Carolina Pirates vs Temple Owls". Odds Shark. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
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