Staff photo by Chris SewardGREENVILLE — West Virginia was no match for East Carolina, neither was history.
ECU notched the biggest win in program history, at least according to the national rankings, with a 24-3 victory over No. 8 West Virginia on Saturday at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
The win over the eighth-ranked team was the highest-ranked opponent ECU has beaten.
Quarterback Patrick Pinkney was superb on Saturday and Jonathan Williams ran for two touchdowns to give ECU its third straight win over a ranked team and two to start the 2008 season.
ECU's win over No. 9 Miami in 1999, a game played in Raleigh, stood as the highest-ranked opponent the Pirates had previously beaten.
With back-to-back wins over then-No. 17 Virginia Tech and West Virginia, the Pirates are in position for more history. If they can play the next 11 games as well as they did Saturday, the Pirates will be BCS-bowl bound.
Any questions about whether ECU's season-opening win over Virginia Tech was a function of the Hokies being bad or ECU being good were answered in spades.
Pinkney was nearly perfect in completing 22 of 28 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown.
ECU's defense held West Virginia's potent spread-option in check, limiting the Neers to 181 yards on the ground and 248 of total offense.
Two turnovers undid WVU in the first half, the second fumble led to an ECU touchdown at the end of the first half to give ECU a 17-3 halftime advantage.
Williams' 1-yard touchdown, his second of the game, gave ECU 24-3 lead after ECU's first possession of the second half.
Pinkney led the Pirates on a scoring drive on the first series and last of the first half.
Williams' 5-yard touchdown run capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive, which was highlighted by Pinkney's 35-yard pass to Jamar Bryant.
Ben Ryan's 42-yard field at 9:14 in the second quarter extended the Pirates' lead to 10-0.
A 34-yard run by Noel Devine set up a 26-yard field goal by WVU's Pat McAfee, which made it 10-3. That would be WVU's only output of the game.
Pat White, a Heisman Trophy favorite, finished 67 yards passing (11 of 18) and 93 rushing.
A late fumble in the second quarter led to Pickney's hook-up with Alex Taylor with 47 seconds left in the half to put ECU up 17-3.
On ECU's first drive of the second half, the Pirates went 86 yards on 12 plays to just about bury a once-proud but uninspired WVU team.
It was sunny and clear in Greenville for the national showcase on ESPN despite the predicted threat of Tropical Storm Hanna.
The forecast for the next 11 games is just as clear.
Comments
Pirate pride!
Mon, 09/08/2008 - 12:50 — Purple-Pride (not verified)Kudos to Pirate Nation. As an ex-drum major of the Marching Pirates of the Liberty bowls years 94-95; I must admit..."I've never seen such precision in Pirate football!"
This team appears to be a dream team; attitude, team-work, vision and showing no fear! Arrrgh! As Pirates are known for defense, the offense and the skills of Patrick Pinkney were impressive.
The key now is to listen to coach Holtz and staff clearly. Pirates need to focus 1-0 each week and REMAIN GROUNDED and FOCUSED! Practice each week like it's against the #1 NCAA team. Since most of the teams ahead are not nationally ranked yet, Pirates need to TRAMPLE and demolish to remain on the charts, making it a 1-0 each week for the rest of the season!
With all mentioned and considared above; I sense this ECU team could be the perfect pick for Big East NCAA Football, conference champs and a BSC Bowl!
Congrats Pirates!! I found my pride from college days esculating to high hopes of justification for the Pirate program! Arrrgh! Go Pirates!
ACC vs. East Carolina
Sun, 09/07/2008 - 03:09 — Frank D Reyes (not verified)Even if ECU does not go to a BCS bowl this year, we can claim a victory by winning the ACC bowl. Yeah, for the past five years, ECU has beaten Virginia Tech, UNC, NC State, Duke and Virginia.
Coverage
Sat, 09/06/2008 - 23:41 — bartonhayesI haven't heard anyone else address this, so I'll ask you.
By the way -- great coverage of ECU's victory today, and its progress toward a bowl game. The goal may not be a national championship, but the Pirates deserve the accolades. Kudos to them and to you for the coverage.
Here's my question: What would another college sports team from eastern North Carolina have to do to get coverage of its pursuit of a championship, even a national championship? I'm thinking specifically of the Mount Olive College Trojans, who won their division of the College World Series this year, but feel free to substitute any other college team that's within the same driving distance from the N&O's Raleigh headquarters as ECU and MOC are. I saw an item in the N&O once the Trojans won that title, but I don't remember any coverage of the local and regional victories that led to it.
One follow-up question: Will the N&O send reporters to cover ECU's away games as they get closer to a bowl?
Thanks.
And, go Pirates!
my only regret
Sat, 09/06/2008 - 23:39 — ken smith sr. (not verified)I just hate the heels aren't on u schedule this year, ater all the yearsthey ran scared, until forced to play us!!!
Congratulations Pirate Nation
Sat, 09/06/2008 - 22:28 — Anonymous (not verified)It was a great day for football and D-F Stadium was rocking! I tried a little friendly humor after the game but the WVU were not feeling it :) GO PIRATES!!
12 games left
Sat, 09/06/2008 - 22:15 — pittsburgh pirate (not verified)regular season, conf championship, BCS bowl? GO pirates
Hurricanes and Pirates
Sat, 09/06/2008 - 20:05 — Anonymous (not verified)Does anyone else find it ironic that ECU's two biggest wins have come on the heels of hurricanes? Miami after Floyd in '99 and now WVU after Hanna.
Sorry if this may sound
Sat, 09/06/2008 - 21:59 — Anonymous (not verified)Sorry if this may sound like I am overreacting but as someone greatly affected by Floyd I feel an urge to say this, however trivial. Hanna is/was not a hurricane, not even close. You can't compare Hanna to Floyd or even the following football victories. Floyd was devastating to Greenville and many ECU students. The Miami win was like saying in your face Floyd.
The Carolinas have a major football program again
Sat, 09/06/2008 - 19:46 — cltbobcatsfanThis time it is coming from out east. The proof is on national tv and on tape. Counting the last bowl game ECU has defeated 3 ranked teams in a row. This is good for the Carolinas and great for East Carolina.
Correction
Sat, 09/06/2008 - 19:17 — Anonymous (not verified)Good Article. My only suggestion is to correct your comments around how many games are left for ECU. Twice you say that ECU has 12 games REMAINING. There are actually only 10 games left.
Fuzzy math
Sat, 09/06/2008 - 22:16 — jpg (author)Including the C-USA title game, there are 11 games left. I changed it to note that.
thanks
— JPG