Another Thursday night, yet another East Carolina football game.
The East Carolina Pirates played their third-consecutive Thursday night matchup and fourth of the season, hosting the Tulsa Golden Hurricane
with the all-time series knotted up at 9-9. The favored Pirates shattered that tie and handled business in a 41-27 wire-to-wire victory, remaining in the hunt in a loaded American Conference race.
East Carolina branded itself in 2025 as a domineering defense, entering Thursday at 15th in the FBS in fewest points allowed per game at 15.5. However, the conference matchup vs. Tulsa unexpectedly turned into an offensive-oriented affair as ECU racked up 568 yards compared to the Golden Hurricane’s 398. Tulsa’s 27 points were the second-most allowed by the Pirates all season and the most scored by the Golden Hurricane’s 122nd-ranked scoring offense against FBS competition.
The Pirates were subject to slow starts this year, averaging 8.2 first half points in five outings against FBS teams. However, ECU’s offense wasted little time entering a rhythm with 24 points generated from its first five possessions — one field goal and three touchdowns. Quarterback Katin Houser, who logged his third 300-yard game of the year, established an unbreakable rapport with vertical threat wide receiver Anthony Smith. The 6’3”, 189 pound Smith broke loose for deep shots of 66 and 63 yards in the first half, scoring a pair of touchdowns in a season-best 150-yard outing.
Every time it seemed like the Pirates were comfortable, Tulsa’s offense struck back with a dose of tight end Brody Foley. Foley notched a 38-yard touchdown in the first quarter to respond to a 10-0 ECU lead. The junior tight end then fueled a Tulsa run in the third quarter, slicing a 31-14 deficit into 31-24 thanks to several significant pickups. Despite the unfavorable result, Foley racked up 126 yards on six receptions in the most prolific receiving performance by any Golden Hurricane all year.
Tulsa trailed by one touchdown with 14:47 remaining, but East Carolina offered a calm and collected finishing effort to gain separation. The Pirates cushioned their lead with a short Nick Mazzie field goal and then the defense doubled down, sacking Tulsa quarterback Baylor Hayes on a fourth-and-long from midfield. That turnover on downs fueled the game-sealing drive as Marlon Gunn Jr. and Houser took turns running the ball until Houser landed in the end zone.
The run game was a positive development for the Pirates on Thursday night. Prior to the matchup, no ECU rusher reached 60 yards individually in an outing, and the team’s season-high on the ground stood at just 204 in a shutout victory over Coastal Carolina. But against Tulsa, London Montgomery fired off for 125 yards, while Gunn add 60 as an effective complementary piece. ECU shattered its season-best with 268 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in its most balanced offensive performance of 2025.
Despite allowing nearly double its season average, East Carolina’s defense still shined with copious amounts of backfield pressure. The Pirates produced five sacks and 10 tackles for loss in a concerted effort, stopping three Tulsa fourth down attempts in the second half to emerge victorious.
East Carolina (4-3, 2-1 American) regains plus-.500 status in both the conference and overall standings. The Pirates’ long stretch of Thursday night games is finally over as they take an elongated bye week before traveling to Temple on Nov. 1.
Tulsa (2-5, 0-4 American) remains in search of its first conference victory under first-year head coach Tre Lamb. The Golden Hurricane have faced a gauntlet of American opponents thus far, and they’ll hope for better execution at home Oct. 25 when Temple makes the long trek west.
