Oct. 13
East Carolina 45 ... UTEP 42 OT
UTEP got a 45--yard field goal from Jose Martinez in overtime,
but ECU QB Rob Kass plunged in for a one-yard score to pull off a
wild win. The Miners appeared to have the game won, as Marcus Thomas
tore off a 31-yard touchdown run with 34 seconds to play, but the
Pirates put it into overtime on a 34-yard Juwon Crowell touchdown
catch with no time left on the clock. The two teams traded scores
throughout, with Thomas starting things off with a 42-yard scoring
catch, and ECU taking an early lead with a 50-yard Van Eskridge
fumble recovery for a score. In the third quarter, ECU came up with
a few haymakers, getting a 57-yard Dwayne Harris touchdown run and
an 80-yard Jamar Bryant touchdown catch to go up ten. But UTEP would
respond with the third of Martinez's four field goals and a 17-yard
Jeff Moturi touchdown grab early in the fourth before the fireworks
at the end. UTEP cranked out 589 yards of total offense, while ECU
came up with 507.
Player of the
game:
In a losing
cause, UTEP QB Trevor Vittatoe completed 38 of 55 passes for 409
yards and three touchdowns with an interception
Stat Leaders: East Carolina - Passing: Rob Kass,
18-32, 219 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Chris Johnson, 23-126. Receiving: Jamar
Bryant, 7-133, 1 TD
UTEP - Passing: Trevor Vittatoe, 38-55, 409 yds,
3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Marcus Thomas, 22-103, 1 TD. Receiving: Jeff
Moturi, 12-113, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
If this wasn't a charmed season before,
it is now. With the way Rob Kass led the team to a late touchdown to
force overtime against UTEP, and with the scoring run to win it,
this is a hot team that has control of the Conference USA race with
all the lightweights ahead. Now the tough part is over. If ECU is as
good as it's been playing, at least offensively, it should be able
to roll through UAB, Memphis, Marshall and Tulane without breathing
hard. However, getting more from the secondary would be nice.
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