Final
East Carolina wins Conference USA title
Dec 6, 2008 - 10:59 PM TULSA, Oklahoma (Ticker) -- East Carolina began the season as the top team in Conference USA and ended it that way.Ben Hartman kicked a 36-yard field goal with 1:43 remaining as East Carolina defeated Tulsa, 27-24, Saturday in the Conference USA championship game.
The Pirates (9-4), took advantage of seven turnovers, won their first league title since the 1976 Southern Conference championship and earned an automatic berth to the Liberty Bowl.
"It is somewhat ironic that our low point was here at Tulsa four years ago when we got beat and dropped to a 3-6 record," East Carolina coach Skip Holtz said. "It is a real tribute to these players about the way they fought to get back to this point."
Tulsa's David Johnson, the top-rated passer in the Football Bowl Subdivision, threw a career-high five interceptions.
"We just threw the ball poorly today," said Tulsa coach Todd Graham, whose team reportedly is headed to the GMAC Bowl. "It was poor today. We didn't do a very good job with our plan. They sat back on us and we made some bad decisions."
After beginning the season with victories over ranked opponents Virginia Tech and West Virginia, East Carolina climbed into the top 25 and was mentioned as a possible candidate for team for a BCS berth.
However, following a 3-0 start, East Carolina endured a three-game losing streak, falling to North Carolina State, Houston and Virginia. The Pirates regrouped to win five of their last six regular-season games.
"We had a very difficult early road and had a lull there in the middle where we lost three games in a row, but once we got back into back into the conference, this football team and these seniors really drew a line in the sand," Holtz added.
Tulsa (10-3), which started 8-0 before losing to Arkansas, fell in the Conference USA championship game for the second straight year.
The Golden Hurricane had tied the contest, 24-24, on Johnson's 8-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Collums with just under nine minutes remaining.
Norman Whitley rushed for 104 yards for East Carolina - most of it on a 69-yard TD run that gave the Pirates a 24-17 with 11:40 remaining in the third quarter.
- CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
EAST CAROLINA 14 3 7 3 27
TULSA 10 7 0 7 24 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: EAST CAROLINA - TD, KEVIN GIDREY 13 YD PASS FROM
PATRICK PINKNEY (BEN HARTMAN
KICK), 4:58. EAST CAROLINA 7-0
EAST CAROLINA - TD, TRAVIS SIMMONS 72 YD
INTERCEPTION
Dec 6 3:35 PM - CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
FG EAST CAROLINA
BEN HARTMAN 36 YD
EAST CAROLINA 27
TULSA 24 1:43 LEFT, 4TH QTR
East Carolina 27, Tulsa 24 4th - 1:43Dec 6 3:33 PM
TD TULSA JACOB COLLUMS 4 YD PASS FROM DAVID JOHNSON (JAROD TRACY KICK)
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 24 4th - 8:50Dec 6 3:16 PM
TD TULSA JACOB COLLUMS 4 YD PASS FROM DAVID JOHNSON (JAROD TRACY KICK)
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 24 4th - 8:50Dec 6 3:16 PM
TD TULSA JACOB COLLUMS 4 YD PASS FROM DAVID JOHNSON (JAROD TRACY KICK)
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 24 4th - 8:50Dec 6 3:16 PM- CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
TD TULSA
JACOB COLLUMS 4 YD PASS FROM DAVID JOHNSON
(JAROD TRACY KICK)
EAST CAROLINA 24
TULSA 24 8:50 LEFT, 4TH QTR
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 24 4th - 8:50Dec 6 3:16 PM - CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF END, 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
EAST CAROLINA 14 3 7 24
TULSA 10 7 0 17 END, 3RD QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: EAST CAROLINA - TD, KEVIN GIDREY 13 YD PASS FROM
PATRICK PINKNEY (BEN HARTMAN
KICK), 4:58. EAST CAROLINA 7-0
EAST CAROLINA - TD, TRAVIS SIMMONS 72 YD
INTE
Dec 6 2:58 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 17 3rd - 10:40Dec 6 2:17 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 17 3rd - 10:40Dec 6 2:17 PM- CORRECTION
CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
TD EAST CAROLINA
NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN
(BEN HARTMAN KICK)
EAST CAROLINA 24
TULSA 17 10:40 LEFT, 3RD QTR
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 17 3rd - 10:40Dec 6 2:17 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 17, Tulsa 17 3rd - 4:46Dec 6 2:16 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 17, Tulsa 17 3rd - 4:46Dec 6 2:16 PM- CORRECTION
CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
TD EAST CAROLINA
NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN
(BEN HARTMAN KICK)
EAST CAROLINA 17
TULSA 17 4:46 LEFT, 2ND QTR
East Carolina 17, Tulsa 17 3rd - 4:46Dec 6 2:16 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 17 3rd - 4:46Dec 6 2:15 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 17 3rd - 4:46Dec 6 2:15 PM- CORRECTION
CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
TD EAST CAROLINA
NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN
(BEN HARTMAN KICK)
EAST CAROLINA 24
TULSA 17 4:46 LEFT, 2ND QTR
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 17 3rd - 4:46Dec 6 2:15 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 17 2nd - 4:46Dec 6 2:14 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 17 2nd - 4:46Dec 6 2:14 PM- CORRECTION
CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
EAST CAROLINA 14 3 17
TULSA 10 7 17 HALFTIME
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: EAST CAROLINA - TD, KEVIN GIDREY 13 YD PASS FROM
PATRICK PINKNEY (BEN HARTMAN
KICK), 4:58. EAST CAROLINA 7-0
EAST CAROLINA - TD, TRAVIS SIMMONS 72 Y
East Carolina 17, Tulsa 17 HalfDec 6 2:14 PM - CORRECTION
CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
TD EAST CAROLINA
NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN
(BEN HARTMAN KICK)
EAST CAROLINA 24
TULSA 17 4:46 LEFT, 2ND QTR
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 17 2nd - 4:46Dec 6 2:14 PM - CORRECTION
CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF EAST CAROLINA 17
TULSA 17 0:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR
East Carolina 17, Tulsa 17 HalfDec 6 2:13 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 17 2nd - 11:40Dec 6 2:12 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 17 2nd - 11:40Dec 6 2:12 PM- CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
TD EAST CAROLINA
NORMAN WHITLEY 69 YD RUN
(BEN HARTMAN KICK)
EAST CAROLINA 24
TULSA 17 11:40 LEFT, 2ND QTR
East Carolina 24, Tulsa 17 2nd - 11:40Dec 6 2:12 PM - CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
FG EAST CAROLINA
BEN HARTMAN 32 YD
EAST CAROLINA 17
TULSA 17 4:46 LEFT, 2ND QTR
East Carolina 17, Tulsa 17 2nd - 4:46Dec 6 1:25 PM
TD TULSA A.J. WHITMORE 4 YD RUN (TARRION ADAMS KICK)
East Carolina 14, Tulsa 17 2nd - 10:40Dec 6 1:09 PM
TD TULSA A.J. WHITMORE 4 YD RUN (TARRION ADAMS KICK)
East Carolina 14, Tulsa 17 2nd - 10:40Dec 6 1:09 PM- CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
TD TULSA
A.J. WHITMORE 4 YD RUN
(TARRION ADAMS KICK)
EAST CAROLINA 14
TULSA 17 10:40 LEFT, 2ND QTR
East Carolina 14, Tulsa 17 2nd - 10:40Dec 6 1:09 PM - CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
EAST CAROLINA 14 14
TULSA 10 10 END, 1ST QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: EAST CAROLINA - TD, KEVIN GIDREY 13 YD PASS FROM
PATRICK PINKNEY (BEN HARTMAN
KICK), 4:58. EAST CAROLINA 7-0
EAST CAROLINA - TD, TRAVIS SIMMONS 72 YD
INTE
Dec 6 12:57 PM - CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
FG TULSA
JAROD TRACY 37 YD
EAST CAROLINA 14
TULSA 10 0:11 LEFT, 1ST QTR
East Carolina 14, Tulsa 10 1st - 0:11Dec 6 12:51 PM
TD TULSA TARRION ADAMS 1 YD RUN (JAROD TRACY KICK)
East Carolina 14, Tulsa 7 1st - 2:28Dec 6 12:42 PM
TD TULSA TARRION ADAMS 1 YD RUN (JAROD TRACY KICK)
East Carolina 14, Tulsa 7 1st - 2:28Dec 6 12:42 PM- CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
TD TULSA
TARRION ADAMS 1 YD RUN
(JAROD TRACY KICK)
EAST CAROLINA 14
TULSA 7 2:28 LEFT, 1ST QTR
East Carolina 14, Tulsa 7 1st - 2:28Dec 6 12:42 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA TRAVIS SIMMONS 72 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 14, Tulsa 0 1st - 6:59Dec 6 12:29 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA TRAVIS SIMMONS 72 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 14, Tulsa 0 1st - 6:59Dec 6 12:29 PM- CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
TD EAST CAROLINA
TRAVIS SIMMONS 72 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN
(BEN HARTMAN KICK)
EAST CAROLINA 14
TULSA 0 6:59 LEFT, 1ST QTR
East Carolina 14, Tulsa 0 1st - 6:59Dec 6 12:29 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA KEVIN GIDREY 13 YD PASS FROM PATRICK PINKNEY (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 7, Tulsa 0 1st - 10:02Dec 6 12:15 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA KEVIN GIDREY 13 YD PASS FROM PATRICK PINKNEY (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 7, Tulsa 0 1st - 10:02Dec 6 12:15 PM
TD EAST CAROLINA KEVIN GIDREY 13 YD PASS FROM PATRICK PINKNEY (BEN HARTMAN KICK)
East Carolina 7, Tulsa 0 1st - 10:02Dec 6 12:15 PM- CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
NCAAF CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP
TD EAST CAROLINA
KEVIN GIDREY 13 YD PASS FROM PATRICK PINKNEY
(BEN HARTMAN KICK)
EAST CAROLINA 7
TULSA 0 10:02 LEFT, 1ST QTR
East Carolina 7, Tulsa 0 1st - 10:02Dec 6 12:15 PM
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