East Carolina Edges South Florida 20-17 on Last Second 55 Yard Field Goal

Friday Night Lights Dramatic Win for East Carolina

East Carolina pulled off a dramatic 20-17 victory over South Florida on Friday night, as Andrew Conrad connected on a 55 yard field goal with just two seconds remaining to lift the Pirates to a Week 10 American Conference win. Conrad’s clutch kick capped a tightly contested matchup between two of the conference’s top defensive teams, with East Carolina finding just enough offense to secure an important road victory.

The Pirates (5-4, 3-2 American Conference) finished with 361 total yards while holding the Bulls (6-3, 2-3) to 329 yards. Emory Williams threw two touchdown passes to Landon Sides, providing the Pirates with their offensive scoring punch. Williams completed 19 of 27 passes for 175 yards, while Sides delivered a standout performance with 14 receptions for 126 yards. Ashton Gray also contributed 101 rushing yards for East Carolina.

Williams and Sides Connect Twice for East Carolina

South Florida opened the scoring with a 26 yard touchdown pass from Luke Kromenhoek to Bryson Rodgers, giving the Bulls an early advantage. However, the Pirates responded and battled back to keep the game close. Williams connected with Sides on a 15 yard touchdown pass in the final minute of the second quarter, tying the game at 10-10 heading into halftime.

The Pirates carried that momentum into the second half, with Williams and Sides connecting again on an 8 yard touchdown pass to give East Carolina a 17-10 lead with 6 1/2 minutes remaining in the third quarter. South Florida struggled to find the end zone after its opening possession but eventually answered in the fourth quarter. Jason Collins Jr. scored on a 1 yard touchdown run with approximately 10 minutes remaining, tying the game at 17-17.

Conrad Delivers Game Winning Kick

With the game tied late in the fourth quarter, East Carolina put itself in position for a dramatic finish. Conrad stepped up in the closing seconds and drilled a 55 yard field goal with just two seconds remaining, giving the Pirates a 20-17 victory. The defensive battle featured strong performances on both sides, but East Carolina’s ability to limit South Florida’s offensive production proved critical.

Kromenhoek completed 17 of 21 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown for the Bulls, while D.J. Crowther led the ground attack with 111 rushing yards. Collins Jr. added the other South Florida touchdown on his fourth quarter run. The loss dropped South Florida to 6-3 overall and 2-3 in American Conference play, while East Carolina improved to 5-4 and 3-2 in conference action.

Up Coming College Football Games

South Florida will look to bounce back when it hosts Memphis on Thursday in another important American Conference matchup. East Carolina will have additional time to prepare before returning to action against Charlotte on Nov. 14.