Pirates Crush Temple 45–14 Behind 600+ Yards of Offense
East Carolina made its long-awaited return to Saturday football count — and then some.
The Pirates dominated all phases in a 45–14 blowout of Temple at Lincoln Financial Field, improving to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the American Conference.
Behind another efficient performance from Katin Houser, a punishing three-headed backfield, and a defense that slammed the door in the second half, ECU controlled the game from start to finish.
Total Team Domination
This was as complete a performance as the Pirates have had under Blake Harrell. ECU rolled up 614 total yards to Temple’s 233 — a 381-yard advantage — and averaged 8.2 yards per play compared to the Owls’ 4.2.
The Pirates were balanced throughout, posting 358 rushing yards and 256 passing, while scoring touchdowns on seven of 15 drives.
Rushing yards: ECU 358 | Temple 82
Passing yards: ECU 256 | Temple 151
First downs: ECU 26 | Temple 11
3rd Downs: ECU 6-of-12 | Temple 3-of-12
Red Zone: ECU 4-for-4 (4 TDs) | Temple 1-for-2
East Carolina ran 75 plays to Temple’s 55, controlled possession (31:27 to 28:33), and finished a perfect 2-for-2 on fourth down.
Houser Leads Another Efficient Outing
Quarterback Katin Houser continued his stellar play, completing 19-of-24 passes (79%) for 256 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
He was sharp, spreading the ball around to 10 different receivers and hitting deep shots that stretched the Owls’ secondary.
Yannick Smith had a breakout game, catching five passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns, including a 59-yard strike that gave ECU full control heading into halftime.
Anthony Smith added 58 receiving yards and a 45-yard rushing touchdown to set the early tone.
Ground Game Can’t Be Stopped
The Pirates’ ground attack shredded Temple’s front for 358 yards on 51 carries, averaging 7.0 yards per rush.
London Montgomery: 14 carries, 84 yards, 1 TD
TJ Engleman Jr.: 8 carries, 77 yards
Marlon Gunn Jr.: 10 carries, 64 yards, 1 TD
Mike Wright Jr.: 15-yard rushing TD
Anthony Smith: 45-yard rushing TD
And one of the highlights of the season came courtesy of defensive lineman Rion Roseborough, who lined up in the backfield on 4th-and-1 and rumbled 21 yards for a first down — sending the Pirate sideline into chaos.
“I’ve been asking for the ball,” Roseborough said. “I was just excited to help my team any way I could. I was just thinking, get this first down. I was looking to the sideline and letting them know I can make a tackle in the field.”
Head coach Blake Harrell smiled when asked about the play postgame.
“He has gotten better since last spring when he came from Towson,” Harrell said. “Not only on defense but on special teams. It’s exciting for him.”
Defensive Dominance and a Second-Half Shutout
Temple was completely bottled up after halftime. The Owls finished with just 82 rushing yards and 151 passing, managing 11 total first downs while failing to score in the second half.
ECU’s defense recorded eight tackles for loss, two sacks, and one interception from Ja’Marley Riddle, while holding Temple to 3-of-12 on third downs.
“I think Evan Simon and their OC — we got a pick but should have had a couple more,” Harrell said. “I told them we need to buckle down, and they did that.”
Roseborough, who helped anchor the defensive front, said the group takes pride in its identity.
“Coach Aldridge holds us to a standard every day,” he said. “We want to shut them out every time.”
O-Line Growth and Consistency
Even without injured starter Bryce Weaver, the Pirates’ offensive front looked dominant once again. The unit didn’t allow a sack and paved the way for the team’s best rushing output of the season.
“I think it’s tremendous,” Harrell said. “We have five guys, even with Bryce out, they’re getting more comfortable. Early in the season we were working different guys in there.”
Harrell on the Road Win and the Bye
The Pirates hadn’t played in 16 days since beating Tulsa, but looked sharp from the start.
“Anytime you can come on the road, it’s pretty special,” Harrell said. “They talked about it in our locker room, and that gave us a little motivation.”
On the long layoff:
“I wasn’t concerned about that based on the way we practiced during the week,” he added.
Mazzie Stays Perfect, Special Teams Solid
Kicker Nick Mazzie continued his perfect season, drilling a 46-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and going 6-for-6 on extra points. Punter Ryan Leavy was called upon just once, while Kyler Pearson added a 25-yard kickoff return.
November Push Begins Now
Harrell knows this is when championship teams separate themselves.
“We talked about it — the games in September and October are huge, but in November, you play the biggest games,” Harrell said. “Next week it’s homecoming, and not only is it big for that, but who we play. We have a countdown for each game, but we also have a countdown for them.”
Next up, the Pirates return to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for Homecoming against Charlotte on Nov. 8 at 3 p.m. ET (ESPN+).