ECU Set for Afternoon Homecoming Kickoff vs. Charlotte on Nov. 8
GREENVILLE, N.C. — The Pirates are finally getting a Saturday afternoon in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. East Carolina’s Homecoming matchup against Charlotte will kick off at 3 p.m. ET on Nov. 8, the American Conference and ESPN+ announced Monday afternoon.
The 3 o’clock start gives fans the rare chance to enjoy a full day of tailgating before the Pirates take the field. Parking lots will open at 9 a.m., 6 hours before kickoff. With the game airing on ESPN+, ECU was able to choose its preferred start time, giving fans an ideal afternoon window to pack the stadium.
It’ll be the second straight afternoon contest for the Pirates after seven consecutive night or evening games to begin the year. ECU heads to Temple this Saturday for a 2 p.m. kick, also streaming on ESPN+.
Back-to-Back Home Games in November
Following the Homecoming matchup, ECU will host Memphis on Nov. 15 in what will serve as the team’s regular-season home finale. Kickoff time for that game is expected to be announced next week.
The Pirates enter the Temple matchup at 4–3 overall and 2–1 in American Conference play, sitting firmly in the middle of the league standings. A win in Philadelphia would keep ECU in the thick of the conference race heading into the final month of the season.
Charlotte’s Tough Season
Things haven’t gone nearly as smoothly for Charlotte (1–7, 0–5 American). The 49ers, led by first-year head coach Tim Albin, have dropped every FBS matchup this season, with their only victory coming over FCS Monmouth (42–35) in Week 3.
Since then, Charlotte has been outscored by double digits in every contest. Their latest outing, a 54–20 loss to North Texas, saw the Mean Green explode for 37 points in the second half, with quarterback Drew Mestemaker torching the 49ers for 608 passing yards.
Breaking the Drought
Despite the regional proximity, East Carolina has yet to win a football game against Charlotte. The 49ers took the first-ever meeting in Greenville (10–7) back in 2023, then rolled past the Pirates 55–24 last season in Charlotte.
This time, ECU will get its shot at redemption and do so in front of what should be a massive Homecoming crowd at Dowdy-Ficklen.