East Carolina scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull away from Rice for a 28-12 win Saturday at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, snapping the Owls’ brief lead and extending their losing streak to five games.
Rice took a 9-7 lead midway through the third quarter on Tyvonn Byars’ 23-yard touchdown run, but the extra point was blocked. Byars finished with 111 yards on 14 carries, leading the Owls’ ground game, though Rice managed just 69 yards passing. East Carolina responded with a late third-quarter touchdown and three quick scores early in the fourth that sealed the victory.
Ray Ray Joseph Jr. caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Emory Williams with 4:37 left in the third quarter to give East Carolina a 14-9 lead, capping a 17-play, 75-yard drive. Early in the fourth, T.J. Engleman Jr. broke free on a 43-yard run to extend the Pirates’ lead to 21-9.
Just over a minute later, Julien Davis intercepted Rice quarterback Jacurri Brown, returning the ball to the Owls’ 20-yard line. On the next series, Williams scored on a 12-yard run, pushing East Carolina’s advantage to 28-9 with 12:47 left in the game.
Rice managed a late 44-yard field goal by Bauchiero, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap. The Owls finished with 233 total yards, including 164 rushing yards, while East Carolina amassed 376 yards, led by 234 rushing yards on 41 carries.
Rice’s passing struggled, completing just four of 14 attempts for 69 yards with one interception, while East Carolina’s Williams completed 19 of 31 passes for 143 yards without turnovers. The Pirates also benefited from a more balanced attack and better time of possession, holding the ball for just over 30 minutes to Rice’s 29:45.
Rice coach Scott Abell saw his team drop its fifth consecutive game, leaving the Owls at 1-5 overall and 0-2 in American Athletic Conference play. East Carolina improved to 3-2 and 1-0 in the conference, winning its third straight after starting the season 0-2.
Rice will return home next Saturday to face Tulsa at 3:30 p.m. The Owls will look to snap their losing streak after a promising start that included a season-opening win against Houston Christian.
Attendance at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium was 33,968. The game featured a mix of big plays and special teams moments, including Rice’s blocked extra point and a missed 38-yard field goal by East Carolina’s Perez.
The Pirates’ rushing attack was paced by Engleman’s 136 yards on 14 carries, with Williams adding 23 yards on six rushes. Rice’s Byars was the standout for the Owls, whose passing game was limited to short gains and struggled to find rhythm against East Carolina’s defense.
Rice’s quarterback duties were split, with Ochoa completing two of four passes for 48 yards and Brown completing two of 10 for 21 yards before his costly interception late in the third quarter.
East Carolina’s defense forced one turnover and limited Rice’s offense, contributing to the Pirates’ late surge. The Owls’ inability to hold their lead and capitalize on opportunities proved decisive in the game’s final stages.
According to Yahoo Sports.
