FINAL: East Carolina 48, Charlotte 22
Katin Houser threw two touchdown passes and rushed for two scores, helping East Carolina beat Charlotte 48-22 on Saturday afternoon at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, NC. The Pirates won for the first time ever in three tries against the 49ers, jumping out to a 28-0 first-half lead and cruising home to their sixth win of the season.
🏟️ Game Information
East Carolina 48, Charlotte 22
Date: November 8, 2025
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Records:
- East Carolina 6-3, 4-1 American
- Charlotte 1-8, 0-6 American
🎯 Key Moments
East Carolina scored on its first two offensive possessions, then TaMir Brown returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown, helping the Pirates build a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
Charlotte did not pick up a first down until the 11:44 mark of the second quarter
A razzle-dazzle play where backup quarterback Mike Wright Jr. handed off to starting QB Katin Houser, who then threw back to Wright, set up a TD that pushed the lead to 28-0 in the second quarter.
Nick Mazzie kicked field goals from 40 and 50 yards for the Pirates.
⭐ Stars of the Game
- TaMir Brown (ECU) – Jumped in front of a Grayson Loftis pass in the first quarter and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown
- Landon Montgomery (ECU) – Rushed for 85 yards and one touchdown, averaging 7.7 yards per attempt.
- Katin Houser (ECU) – Threw for 224 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 26 yards and two more scores
📊 By The Numbers
- East Carolina finished with 407 total yards, the 13th time reaching 400 in 15 games under coach Blake Harrell
- ECU piled up 29 first downs, holding Charlotte to 13
- Katin Houser (ECU) – 26-of-41 passing, 224 yards, 2 TDs
- Grayson Loftis (Charlotte) – 20-of-31 passing, 279 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
- Landon Montgomery (ECU) – 11 carries, 85 yards, 1 TD
- Sean Brown (Charlotte) – 7 catches, 119 yards, 1 TD
- Javen Nicholas (Charlotte) – 3 catches, 90 yards, 2 TDs
- Zion Wilson (ECU) – 4 tackles, 2.0 tackles-for-loss, 1 sack
📌 Why It Matters
East Carolina won on homecoming, got bowl eligible for the fourth time in five years, and beat its newest in-state rival for the first time ever after suffering embarrassing losses in 2023 and 2024.
The Pirates improved to 4-1 in the American Conference standings, keeping alive hopes to make a run at the league title with key games against Memphis and UTSA on deck.
Charlotte continued its season struggles under first-year coach Tim Albin, who is still looking for his first win against an FBS opponent. The 49ers were overwhelmed from the start, and while they were able to add some points and yards in the second half, it was too little too late.
⏭️ What’s Next
- East Carolina: Hosts Memphis on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 4 p.m.
- Charlotte: Hosts UTSA on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 12 p.m.
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