The 2021 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Pirates, led by third-year head coach Mike Houston, play their home games at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium as members of the American Athletic Conference.
After compiling a 7–5 regular season record, the Pirates received a bid to the Military Bowl, where they were due to face the Boston College Eagles. On December 26, the Eagles withdrew from the game, due to COVID-19 issues; the bowl was subsequently canceled.
Preseason
American Athletic Conference preseason media poll The American Athletic Conference preseason media poll was released at the virtual media day held August 4, 2021. Cincinnati, who finished the 2020 season ranked No. 8 nationally, was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the 2021 preseason media poll.
Media poll 1 Cincinnati 262 (22) 2 UCF 241 (2) 3 SMU 188 4 Houston 181 5 Memphis 168 6 Tulsa 153 7 Tulane 132 т-8 East Carolina 85 т-8 Navy 85 10 Temple 46 11 South Florida 43
Schedule
Notes This game was initially scheduled for ESPNU at 4PM ET, but moved to 9:20PM ET on ESPNews because of a rain delay.
Game summaries
Vs. Appalachian State
Statistics Appalachian StateEast Carolina First downs 25 20 Total yards 485 381 Rushing yards 226 86 Passing yards 259 295 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 31:55 28:05
Team Category Player StatisticsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 20/27, 259 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Nate Noel 15 carries, 126 yards Receiving Thomas Hennigan 4 receptions, 114 yards, 1 TDEast Carolina Passing Holton Ahlers 22/40, 295 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Keaton Mitchell 4 carries, 50 yards Receiving Keaton Mitchell 5 receptions, 79 yards, 1 TD
Vs. South Carolina
At Marshall
Statistics East CarolinaMarshall First downs 27 24 Total yards 563 648 Rushing yards 168 215 Passing yards 395 433 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 30:19 29:41
Team Category Player StatisticsEast Carolina Passing Holton Ahlers 30/48, 368 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Keaton Mitchell 14 carries, 135 yards, 1 TD Receiving Shane Calhoun 8 receptions, 114 yards, 1 TDMarshall Passing Grant Wells 24/39, 433 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs Rushing Rasheen Ali 24 carries, 189 yards, 3 TDs Receiving Corey Gammage 8 receptions, 180 yards
Charleston Southern
Statistics Charleston SouthernEast Carolina First downs 34 14 Total yards 536 388 Rushing yards 131 150 Passing yards 405 238 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 31:27 28:33
Team Category Player StatisticsCharleston Southern Passing Jack Chambers 38/61, 405 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT Rushing JD Moore 14 car, 58 yds, 1 TD Receiving Garris Schwarting 8 rec, 94 ydsEast Carolina Passing Holton Ahlers 17/26, 238 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Keaton Mitchell 13 car, 125 yds, 1 TD Receiving C. J. Johnson 3 rec, 95 yds, 1 TD
Tulane
Statistics TulaneEast Carolina First downs 19 25 Total yards 404 612 Rushing yards 124 310 Passing yards 280 302 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 25:41 34:19
Team Category Player StatisticsTulane Passing Michael Pratt 22/36, 268 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT Rushing Cameron Carroll 9 car, 80 yds, 1 TD Receiving Duece Watts 4 rec, 79 ydsEast Carolina Passing Holton Ahlers 21/32, 288 yds, 2 TD Rushing Keaton Mitchell 15 car, 222 yds, 2 TD Receiving Tyler Snead 4 rec, 78 yds, 1 TD
At UCF
Statistics East CarolinaUCF First downs 21 16 Total yards 360 359 Rushing yards 141 165 Passing yards 219 194 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 32:42 27:18
Team Category Player StatisticsEast Carolina Passing Holton Ahlers 20/32, 219 yards, TD, INT Rushing Rahjai Harris 13 carries, 73 yards Receiving Tyler Snead 6 receptions, 82 yardsUCF Passing Mikey Keene 23/35, 194 yards, INT Rushing Johnny Richardson 16 carries, 104 yards, TD Receiving Ryan O'Keefe 10 receptions, 73 yards
At Houston
Statistics East CarolinaHouston First downs 20 16 Total yards 360 256 Rushing yards 82 87 Passing yards 278 169 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 29:13 30:47
Team Category Player StatisticsEast Carolina Passing Holton Ahlers 23/37, 278 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Keaton Mitchell 11 rushes, 38 yards Receiving Tyler Snead 7 receptions, 114 yardsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 19/29, 169 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Alton McCaskill 12 rushes, 60 yards, 1 TD Receiving Christian Trahan 6 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD
South Florida
Statistics South FloridaEast Carolina First downs 19 30 Total yards 391 471 Rushing yards 199 251 Passing yards 192 220 Turnovers 4 3 Time of possession 21:38 38:22
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Florida Passing Katravis Marsh 15/30, 192 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Kelley Joiner 12 carries, 103 yards Receiving Xavier Weaver 5 receptions, 91 yards, TDEast Carolina Passing Holton Ahlers 21/35, 220 yards, TD Rushing Rahjai Harris 22 carries, 100 yards, TD Receiving C. J. Johnson 5 receptions, 84 yards
Temple
Statistics TempleEast Carolina First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Turnovers Time of possession
Team Category Player StatisticsTemple Passing Rushing Receiving East Carolina Passing Rushing Receiving
At Memphis
Statistics East CarolinaMemphis First downs 32 16 Total yards 502 341 Rushing yards 185 108 Passing yards 317 233 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 42:47 32:13
Team Category Player StatisticsEast Carolina Passing Holton Ahlers 29/46, 317 yards, 2 INT Rushing Keaton Mitchell 17 carries, 81 yards, TD Receiving Tyler Snead 13 receptions, 113 yardsMemphis Passing Seth Henigan 15/26, 233 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Seth Henigan 12 carries, 61 yards Receiving Eddie Lewis 3 receptions, 93 yards, TD
At Navy
Statistics East CarolinaNavy First downs 24 17 Total yards 563 382 Rushing yards 158 345 Passing yards 405 37 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 32:40 27:20
Team Category Player StatisticsEast Carolina Passing Holton Ahlers 27/32, 405 yards, 3 TD Rushing Keaton Mitchell 18 carries, 94 yards, TD Receiving Tyler Snead 5 receptions, 137 yards, 2 TDNavy Passing Tai Lavatai 4/4, 37 yards, 2 TD Rushing Carlinos Acie 6 carries, 155 yards, TD Receiving Mychal Copper 2 receptions, 31 yards, TD
No. 4 Cincinnati
Statistics CincinnatiEast Carolina First downs 20 19 Total yards 444 282 Rushing yards 143 54 Passing yards 301 228 Time of possession 27:42 32:18
Team Category Player StatisticsCincinnati Passing Desmond Ridder 17/28, 301 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Jerome Ford 20 carries, 85 yards, 1 TD Receiving Alec Pierce 8 receptions, 136 yards, 1 TDECU Passing Holton Ahlers 19/38, 228 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Keaton Mitchell 17 carries, 55 yards Receiving Tyler Snead 6 receptions, 91 yards
References