Pirates Hammer FAU 42–3 to Close the Regular Season at 8–4
East Carolina could not have scripted a better response to last week’s disappointment. From the opening kickoff at Howard Schnellenberger Field, the Pirates came out angry, focused, and ready to punch first — and they never stopped swinging.
ECU dominated FAU 42–3 to finish the regular season 8–4 overall and 6–2 in the American, marking the program’s best AAC finish since joining the league and the first eight-win season since 2014.
And after the way last week went, head coach Blake Harrell made sure the message all week was simple: respond.
“Great day for the Pirates. Win number eight,” Harrell said. “Just so proud of our young men… what makes them really special is the way they come together. We talked about it all week — how we respond in life is the type of man we are — and these guys responded.”
The Early Punch: ECU Scores First (Again)
The Pirates improved to 8–0 when scoring first, and it was clear early that Harrell made the right call taking the ball after winning the toss.
Marlon Gunn Jr. ran like a man possessed on the opening drive. He broke tackles, lowered shoulders, and dragged defenders for extra yards, setting the tone with a physical, 13-play, 75-yard march. He capped it with a 1-yard score to make it 7–0.
On the very next play, the defense struck.
Jordy Lowery ripped the ball out of FAU star Easton Messer’s hands, and Jasiyah Robinson pounced on it. One snap later, Katin Houser hit Desirrio Riles on a 27-yard touchdown. Ten seconds of game time had produced 14 ECU points.
The avalanche was officially on.
Houser added a 22-yard touchdown to Brock Spalding minutes later, and the Pirates were up 21–0 before FAU ever got its footing.
Gunn Runs Like a Senior With One Shot Left
No one embodied ECU’s urgency more than Marlon Gunn Jr.
He finished with a career-high 130 yards on only 14 carries, averaging 9.3 yards per rush.
After the game, Gunn said he wanted to empty the tank in his final regular-season game.
“I'm a senior and I've got one more,” Gunn said.
“I'm going to leave it all on the line… Every run I had, I'm like, ‘Look, you're not tackling me. I'm going forward every time.’”
He also said he could tell FAU’s defense was wearing down.
“You're just looking at their body language… if their hands are on their hips, how hard they’re breathing,” he said. “If I see somebody is tired, I’m about to run straight through them.”
Harrell couldn’t have been more proud.
“You're talking about a guy that's played all four years here… and his last regular season game to go over 100 yards — that’s pretty special,” Harrell said. “So proud of him.”
Houser Bounces Back With Command
After last week’s frustration in San Antonio, Katin Houser responded exactly how ECU needed. He finished 20-of-29 for 258 yards and two touchdowns, adding two more scores on the ground.
Harrell share a special moment with him postgame.
“I owe Katin everything. Pirate Nation owes Katin a lot,” Harrell said.
“The passion he has for this game and for Pirate Nation is unbelievable.”
Houser looked confident, decisive, and was in complete sync with his weapons — especially tight end Desirrio Riles (7 catches, 87 yards, TD) and Spalding (76 yards, TD).
Pure Defensive Domination
FAU came into the game flying high. They’d dropped 45 points and over 600 yards on UConn last week. ECU? They’d just given up 58 to UTSA.
Everything on paper suggested a shootout.
ECU’s defense made sure it wasn’t.
The Pirates held FAU to three total points and 296 yards, intercepting three passes and recovering two fumbles. Caden Veltkamp — one of the nation’s top passers — looked uncomfortable all afternoon.
Teagan Wilk, Angelo Ross, and Ja’Marley Riddle all grabbed picks. Riddle and Robinson logged fumble recoveries. Zion Wilson added two sacks on Senior Day, and ECU piled up four sacks and nine TFLs.
Harrell praised the defensive effort immediately.
“To go out and play that way today is pretty special,” Harrell said. “Much better tackling, kept the ball in front, and created turnovers. They were outstanding.”
An Emotional Finish for the Seniors
Harrell made sure to take time postgame to recognize what this senior class has endured and overcome.
“For these seniors to finish their last regular season game with a win… it’s pretty special,” he said. “Eight wins, best AAC record we’ve ever had — that’s because of them.”
The Pirates now head to a bowl game with a chance to win nine games for the first time in a decade and secure back-to-back bowl wins.
The Final Word
This was exactly the response ECU needed.
Fast start. Physical. Locked in. No letting off the gas.
And Harrell couldn’t have said it better:
“It gives us juice going into bowl season. Now let’s go get win number nine.”