East Carolina kept its American Conference championship hopes alive, knocking off Memphis 31-27 on Saturday in Greenville. The Pirates trailed late before Katin Houser engineered a six-play, 75-yard drive and fired a go-ahead 31-yard touchdown strike to Payton Mangrum with just 68 seconds left.
The victory lifts ECU to 7-3 overall and 5-1 in the American standings, good enough to remain firmly in the championship conversation with two weeks to go. Navy, which beat USF, has a half-game edge in the league race with a 6-1 mark. ECU, Tulane and North Texas each own 5-1 records. Memphis dropped to 4-3 in the American.
Houser had another stellar game, completing 23 of 34 passes for 332 yards, including chunk plays of 42 and 31 yards. He added a short rushing touchdown. Running back London Montgomery carried the ground game, piling up 106 yards and two scores on 27 carries — including a 23-yard burst that tied the game midway through the third quarter.
THE touchdown 🔥 @PaytonMangrum pic.twitter.com/rwYhfuo7Bb — ECU Football (@ECUPiratesFB) November 16, 2025
Memphis (8-3 overall) appeared to seize control when it turned a forced fumble into a 30-yard Gianni Spetic field goal for a 27-24 lead with 2:29 remaining. But Houser answered immediately, hitting Mangrum in stride on the decisive play.
The Tigers had one final shot, but ECU’s defense — led by Ayden Duncanson and Josh Benton — closed it out by denying Memphis on a pair of downfield attempts.
Key Numbers
- Total Offense: ECU 454, Memphis 457
- ECU Passing: Houser 332 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
- ECU Rushing: Montgomery 106 yards, 2 TD
- Time of Possession: ECU 35:33, Memphis 24:27
- Explosive Plays: ECU had seven plays of 20+ yards
Why This Win Matters
ECU stays within reach of Navy in the American Conference race and even with Tulane and North Texas. South Florida dropped off the pace, falling to 4-2 with its loss to Navy. The Pirates close at UTSA (5-5, 3-3) and Florida Atlantic (4-6, 3-4) the next two Saturdays.
