Pirates Pin Memphis In OT = Bowl Eligible

Saturday, November 13

Memphis, Tenn.

12 Noon

East Carolina University

6-4 , 4-2

Memphis

5-5 , 2-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

East Carolina

Memphis

November 13, 2021 | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

Game Book | ECU Notes

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – East Carolina will be bowling this season, but the long-awaited trip didn't come without some sweaty-palm, nail-biting drama on a cold, blustery Saturday afternoon at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

Coach Mike Houston's comeback kids staged yet another late-game rally then warded off a two-point attempt by Memphis in overtime to secure a 30-29 victory and a sixth win on the season. The third consecutive American Athletic Conference win not only guarantees the first non-losing season since 2014 but makes the Pirates (6-4, 4-2 AAC) eligible for its first bowl trip since Ruffin McNeill took his penultimate team to the 2015 Birmingham Bowl.

Houston won seven games in his first two years of a major program rebuild after replacing Scottie Montgomery and had his sights set on this season for getting the Pirates back in postseason play.

"When I took the job three years ago, I kind of wrote down some goals. One of the top goals was to get us back bow eligible, and I kind of put a date on it," an emotional Houston said minutes after Saturday's win. "We made it. It was this year. I felt like that was reasonable for us to get the program where we should be competing for bowl games."

Perhaps no one felt more gratification than fourth-year junior quarterback Holton Ahlers, who grew up in Greenville, came to the ECU with a mission to turn the program around but had languished through three disappointing seasons. He did his part against the Tigers (5-5, 2-4 AAC), throwing for 313 yards, rushing for 46 and scoring one touchdown.

"I can't explain it," Ahlers said. "This is the best feeling I've ever had in my life. I'm just so blessed to be a part of this program, be a part of Greenville and this team. It's just a bunch a fighters. To be a part of something like this, to be part of the change, I'm just so blessed."

Despite dominating in virtually every aspect of the game the entire afternoon, the Pirates missed opportunity after opportunity and found themselves in need of a clutch late-game drive to erase a 20-16 deficit.

Ahlers calmly directed a 16-play, 75-yard drive that consumed 6:57, converting one fourth down and two third downs before Rahjai Harris bulled in from the 2 with just 1:29 to play. Ahlers completed 4 of 5 passes on the drive, including a crucial 6-yard toss to Tyler Snead (13 catches, 113 yards) on fourth-and-1 from the ECU 34. His 16-yard scramble after a first-down sack also sparked the drive.

"There is no bigger a pressure situation than that," Houston said. "You're down. Your season and your goals are on the line. We talk about it constantly, and it's just one play at a time. Get the play called, communicate, get lined up and then do your job."

Memphis and true freshman quarterback Seth Henigan countered with their own late-game heroics, converting a pair of fourth downs and reaching the ECU 6 before David Kemp booted a 24-yard field goal as time expired for a 23-23 tie. Kemp missed one extra point in the first half and narrowly guided another over the crossbar.

ECU, which fell at Houston in overtime earlier this season, scored on the second play of the extra period when freshman Keaton Mitchell cut outside and darted down the sideline for a 24-yard score, his 12th play of 20 yards or more this season. Mitchell finished with 81 yards rushing, moving him within 17 yards of 1,000 for the year.

The Tigers also scored on their second play of the extra period when Rorigues Clark broke off a 20-yard run – the Tigers' longest of the day. Memphis third-year head coach Ryan Silverfield then opted to go for the win, but Henigan felt immediate pressure as he rolled to his left and his pass was batted down.

Silverfield said "flashbacks" to the missed extra point influenced his decision.

"I told my guys all along that we were going to be aggressive," Silverfield said. "I think that's where we're at right now with where we want to be. With a lack of a run game, you put yourself in inopportune situations in overtime when you've got the 25-yard line and in, it condenses the passing game. All of that went through my thoughts."

Houston used a timeout after the Tigers' touchdown to not only ice the Memphis kicker but prepare for a possible two-point conversion.

"The kicker's struggled all year, which is why I called the timeout, to give him a little more time to think about it," Houston said. "The first thing we told them when they came over to the sideline was don't be surprised if they go for two right here. We had the perfect call, our kids played it well, and they did a great job right there in the end zone of not allowing a jump ball."

The final totals told anything but a close contest. ECU owned a decided advantage in plays (102-53), first downs (32-15), time if possession (42:47-17:13) and total yards (502-341).

ECU owned decided advantages in plays (55-21), first downs (18-4), time of possession (21:03-8:57) and total yards (283-152). That did not translate to the scoreboard due to missed opportunities in the red zone and six sacks recorded by an aggressive Memphis defense.

The Pirates led just 16-13 at half despite three trips inside the 10-yard line, settling for a total of nine points on three Owen Daffer field goals.

After Jacobi Francis picked off Ahlers on ECU's first series – one of his two interceptions on the day – set up the Tigers' first score and a 7-0 lead, the Pirates scored on each of their next four possessions to close out the half. Third-down conversions – an uncanny 11 of 15 in the first half and 18 of 26 on the day – and the physical running of Ahlers fueled sustained four drives of at least nine plays and no shorter than 65 yards.

But after Ahlers scored on a 2-yard run to tie it at 7-7, ECU could not find the end zone the rest of the half and walked away with field goals of 21, 24 and 29 yards. Daffer's 24-yarder came after the Pirates reached the 6 but failed to gain another yard. ECU then converted five third downs on an impressive 19-play, 65-yard drive that chewed up more than 8 minutes and reached the 2. A second-down sack by Jaylon Allen resulted in an 8-yard loss, then a third-down pass fell incomplete.

ECU came up empty on three consecutive passes after reaching the 3 on the next series, and Daffer's kick made it 16-13.

While ECU methodically churned out yardage, Memphis did its damage in quick hits and scored on a 75-yard pass from Henigan to Eddie Lewis for a 13-13 tie in the second quarter, but Kemp missed his attempt to give Memphis the lead.

The Tigers took a 20-16 lead on Henigan's 2-yard pass to Sean Dykes with 2:49 showing in the third period.

That set the stage for a bowl-worthy comeback and victory, clinching one of Houston's goals.

"I'm very grateful to be here," he said. "It's what I wanted to do when I took the job. I believe in East Carolina University, I believe in what this program can be. … There's no other place I'd rather be."