<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3Cj46U_0vnVSUTy00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3Cj46U_0vnVSUTy00" width="1180" height="618" >After seeing leads slip each of the last two weeks in losses, East Carolina's football team fell behind early on Saturday, before rallying with 24 unanswered points, and eventually holding off visiting UTSA, 30-20, inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to open league action 1-0. ECU (3-2, 1-0 AAC) did get an early field goal off a turnover, but saw the Roadrunners (2-3, 0-1) score three straight times to take a 13-3 edge. But the Pirates - who blew a 16-0 lead to App State in a 21-19 loss and a 17-0 start at Liberty in a 35-24 setback - found a way to come up with the big answer this time. Quarterback <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Jake-Garcia-46053996">Jake Garcia</a> had a 3-yard touchdown run at the end of the first half, and threw a 40-yard score to <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Winston-Wright-Jr-46039156">Winston Wright</a> in the early stages of the second quarter, before a 53-yard touchdown pass to <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Anthony-Smith-46084529">Anthony Smith</a> with 49 seconds left in the third quarter turned a 10-point deficit into a 24-13 lead late in the third quarter.Akron transfer Noah Perez, kicking with <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Andrew-Conrad-46115531">Andrew Conrad</a> injured, made two clutch second-half field goals to help put the game away, including the game-clincher with 12 seconds left to push the edge to two scores. Perez finished 3-for-3 with made kicks of 21, 42, and 24. He also made all three extra points. Luke Larsen punted eight times for 312 yards, with three downed inside the 20, including a key kick late to pin UTSA inside its own 5.ECU's offense, which had an explosion of sorts in the second and third quarters, went quiet in the fourth quarter. The Pirates finished the game with seven consecutive series without a first down. But the defense kept coming through, again and again. Outside of one 66-yard touchdown run allowed on fourth and one, the Pirates were dominant in the second half, forcing three turnovers on downs, and picking off two passes in the fourth quarter alone."They like to call themselves the best defense in the league," ECU head coach Mike Houston said of his defensive unit. "If you're going to call yourself that, you have to step up in those situations."Garcia completed 17-of-35 passes for 294 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also ran for a score. The offense fell off in the fourth quarter after a mid-game explosion, which will be a point of emphasis for improvement going forward. The Pirates finished with 341 total yards, compared to UTSA's 456. The Roadrunners ran 89 plays. ECU ran 71. The Pirates struggled running the football, carrying the ball 36 times for 47 net yards. <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Rahjai-Harris-45573003">Rahjai Harris</a> was limited to 60 yards on 25 carries. <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Javious-Bond-46129943">Javious Bond</a> did not play due to injury, and <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Marlon-Gunn-Jr-46101240">Marlon Gunn</a> and <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/London-Montgomery-46128292">London Montgomery</a> only had one carry apiece."It kind of feels like we just got by, and I don't like that," Garcia said. "I'm a competitor. We need to finish, and we will."Chase Sowell led ECU with four catches with 67 yards. Wright had three catches for 56 yards and a score. Smith has two grabs for 65 yards and a touchdown. Michael Edwards III led ECU's defense with nine tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. The Pirates picked off UTSA quarterback Owen McCown twice, with Omar Rogers and Andrew Wilson-Lamp each snagging picks in the fourth quarter. Rogers added six tackles."The coaches preached all week about finish, finish, finish," Rogers said. "We had confidence when we took the field that we were going to do that."</div></body>

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ECU defeats UTSA, 30-20, to open league play

After seeing leads slip each of the last two weeks in losses, East Carolina's football team fell behind early on Saturday, before rallying with 24 unanswered points, and eventually holding off visiting UTSA, 30-20, inside Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to open league action 1-0. ECU (3-2, 1-0 AAC) did get an early...

ECU defeats UTSA, 30-20, to open league play

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