Top 5 East Carolina Football Teams of All Time
( ECU Sports Information )
Throughout its history, East Carolina football has seen flashes of national prominence, thrilling upsets, and memorable postseason success. From Peach Bowl heroics to conference championships, several Pirate squads have etched their names into the program’s lore. Here's our breakdown of the Top 5 ECU Football Teams of All Time:
#1: 1991 ECU Pirates (11-1, Peach Bowl Champions, Final AP Ranking: No. 9)
Arguably the greatest team in school history, the 1991 Pirates captured national attention by winning 11 straight games after a season-opening loss to Illinois. Led by quarterback Jeff Blake, ECU took down South Carolina, No. 15 Syracuse, No. 23 Pitt, and earned big road wins at Southern Miss and Virginia Tech.
The magical run culminated in the Peach Bowl against in-state rival NC State. Down 34-17 entering the fourth quarter, ECU staged a stunning comeback. Blake’s touchdown pass to tight end Luke Fisher gave the Pirates a 37-34 lead. NC State's final field goal attempt missed wide right, and ECU claimed the Peach Bowl and a top-10 national finish.
#2: 1995 ECU Pirates (9-3, Liberty Bowl Champions, Final AP Ranking: No. 23)
The 1995 squad rebounded from a tough start, including a season-opening loss at Tennessee to a young Peyton Manning, to win six straight games and finish the season with one of the best stretches in program history. ECU's second-half surge was sparked by wins over Temple, Southern Miss, Army, Tulsa, and Memphis.
The Pirates capped off the season with a gritty 19-13 win over Stanford in the Liberty Bowl, locking up a top-25 ranking and marking one of the best bowl wins in school history under coach Steve Logan.
#3: 1983 ECU Pirates (8-3, Final AP Ranking: No. 20)
Despite no bowl appearance, the 1983 Pirates compiled one of the most impressive résumés in school history. All eight wins came against FBS opponents, with marquee victories on the road against NC State, Missouri, Temple, and Southern Miss.
The losses? Three heartbreakers to college football powerhouses a 47-46 thriller at No. 7 Florida State, a 24-17 battle at No. 6 Florida, and a narrow 12-7 defeat at eventual national champion No. 5 Miami. Head coach Ed Emory's squad played just four home games all year and still managed a top-20 finish.
#4: 2013 ECU Pirates (10-3, St. Petersburg Bowl Champions)
Ruffin McNeill’s best year at the helm came in 2013, when ECU reached the 10-win mark for just the second time in school history. The Pirates pulled off the program's first-ever sweep of in-state rivals NC State and North Carolina in the same season.
Although a Conference USA title slipped away, the team closed with a dominant bowl win over Ohio in the Beef O'Brady’s Bowl (now the Gasparilla Bowl). Quarterback Shane Carden and star wide receiver Justin Hardy helped define the explosive offense and set the tone for future success under McNeill.
#5: 2008 ECU Pirates (9-5, Conference USA Champions)
Skip Holtz’s 2008 team delivered fireworks early and finished strong. The Pirates stunned the nation by opening the season with a blocked punt touchdown to beat No. 17 Virginia Tech in Charlotte, then followed that up with a 24-3 dismantling of No. 8 West Virginia in Greenville.
Though the middle of the season brought adversity, ECU bounced back to win the C-USA title with a 27-24 win at Tulsa, forcing seven turnovers. The Liberty Bowl against Kentucky ended in disappointment, but the memorable wins and conference championship make this team one of ECU’s all-time greats.