ANNAPOLIS, Md. — East Carolina weathered momentum swings, turnovers, and a controversial whistle to secure a gritty 23–17 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday in the Military Bowl, capturing the game for a second consecutive season.
Quarterback Chaston Ditta delivered the decisive plays after halftime, throwing two touchdown passes in the second half as the Pirates overcame adversity and a furious Pitt push. ECU (9–4) leaned on opportunistic defense and timely offense to prevail despite seeing a potential game-breaking touchdown wiped away in the third quarter.
Midway through the third, East Carolina appeared ready to take control when Marlon Gunn Jr. broke free on a fourth-and-1 run from the Pirates’ own 32-yard line and sprinted untouched to the end zone. An inadvertent whistle, however, halted the play early, erasing what would have been a 68-yard touchdown and reducing the run to a 14-yard gain.
The setback immediately swung momentum. Two snaps later, Ditta was sacked by Rasheem Biles and lost the ball, which Biles scooped up and returned 23 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, Pittsburgh surged ahead 14–10.
East Carolina responded without hesitation. On the ensuing possession, Ditta launched a strike to Anthony Smith, who raced 72 yards for a touchdown to put the Pirates back in front for good. ECU added to its lead later as its defense continued to pressure a Pitt offense that struggled to protect the football.
“That’s resilience,” ECU coach Blake Harrell said. “A lot happened in that game, but our guys never blinked.”
The Pirates extended the margin in the fourth quarter after Kevon Merrell intercepted Mason Heintschel and returned it 70 yards to the Pitt 15-yard line. The takeaway — Pittsburgh’s fifth turnover of the night — set up a field goal that pushed ECU’s lead to 23–14.
Pitt refused to go quietly, trimming the deficit to six with a field goal with 1:23 remaining. The Panthers failed to recover the ensuing onside kick but forced a punt and got the ball back with 57 seconds left. Any hopes of a miracle finish were dashed when ECU’s defense shut the door, forcing a turnover on downs after an offensive pass interference penalty stalled the drive.
“You turn it over five times, plus two more on downs — that’s seven possessions you give away,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “That’s not winning football.”
The game began as a battle for field position. ECU dominated territory in the first quarter but came away empty, missing a long field-goal attempt and later failing on fourth down after recovering a fumble deep in Pitt territory. The Panthers capitalized late in the half, taking a 7–3 lead on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Heintschel to Raphael Williams Jr. with just four seconds remaining.
Momentum flipped early in the third quarter when Heintschel fumbled on Pitt’s opening possession of the half. On the very next play, Ditta connected with Smith for a 47-yard touchdown, igniting the Pirates’ offense.
Ditta earned the start after ECU quarterback Katin Houser entered the transfer portal, and he made the most of the opportunity. East Carolina also played without both coordinators but compensated with defensive intensity, recording four takeaways — including one on special teams — and four sacks.
For Pitt (8–5), the loss marked the final game for longtime defensive coordinator Randy Bates, who is retiring after more than 40 years in coaching. Despite the turnovers, his unit limited ECU to 23 points while constantly defending short fields.
East Carolina’s victory capped another successful bowl trip to Annapolis. The Pirates followed last season’s Military Bowl win over NC State with another gritty performance, reinforcing Harrell’s confidence in the venue.
“If we come up here and keep winning,” Harrell said, “I’ll come back every year.”
