G5 Football Daily

Wild Final Two Minutes Pushes East Carolina Past NC State in Military Bowl

Joe Londergan

Dec 28, 2024; Annapolis, MD, USA; East Carolina Pirates running back Rahjai Harris (47) is tickers by North Carolina State Wolfpack linebacker Sean Brown (0) during the second half of the Go Bowling Military Bowl at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Dec 28, 2024; Annapolis, MD, USA; East Carolina Pirates running back Rahjai Harris (47) is tickers by North Carolina State Wolfpack linebacker Sean Brown (0) during the second half of the Go Bowling Military Bowl at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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In Saturday's Go Bowling Millitary Bowl in Annapolis, the East Carolina Pirates looked to be in trouble early in the fourth quarter.

After holding a lead since the first quarter, the Pirates allowed quarterback CJ Bailey and running back Hollywood Smothers to rally the NC State Wolfpack with a 33-yard touchdown connection. That put NC State up 21-20 with 9:49 remaining.

The two sides traded punts and turnovers in a rain-soaked Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for the next several minutes, until ECU veteran running back Rahjai Harris broke off an 86-yard touchdown run. While the Pirates failed the two-point conversion attempt, they regained a five-point lead with 1:33 left in the game.

NC State took over at their own 42-yard line after the kickoff. Three plays later, the Pirate defense iced their win when defensive back Dontavious Nash intercepted Bailey on a tipped ball. That left just 44 seconds on the clock, which the ECU offense was able to run off in two plays.

After that interception, things escalated into multiple fights between the two sides. A referee sustained a facial injury as a result, visibly bleeding from the cheek. Several players were ejected as a result.

The win moves ECU to 8-5, capping a year marked by an impressive turnaround. The Pirates parted ways with Mike Houston after a 3-4 start, quickly naming Blake Harrell as the interim head coach and later promoting him to the full-time job. He went 5-1 leading the Pirates this season.

The 26-20 win gives the Pirates just their second bowl win since 2013.

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Joe Londergan
JOE LONDERGAN

Joe covers college sports from the Group of Five ranks and beyond. He has worked in the sports industry since 2008, earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville, and a Master's degree from Seattle University.

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