GREENVILLE, N.C. — Katin Houser threw for 300 yards and two long touchdowns to Anthony Smith, and East Carolina rode a fast start and a bruising ground game to a 41–27 win over Tulsa on Thursday night at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.   

The Pirates (4–3, 2–1 American Conference) scored on their first three possessions and led 24–14 at halftime, then stretched it to 31–14 when London Montgomery burst 51 yards for a touchdown on the first play following a defensive stop early in the third quarter.   

Houser connected with Smith for strikes of 66 and 63 yards, the first late in the opening quarter and the second midway through the second to restore a two-score lead after Tulsa briefly pulled within three. Nick Mazzie added field goals of 37and 32 yards, and Houser iced it with a 2-yard keeper with 5:22 remaining.   

Tulsa (2–5, 0–4 American) stayed in range behind Baylor Hayes, whose 38-yard touchdown to Brody Foley and 4-yardflip to Zion Booker had the Golden Hurricane within 24–14 at the break. After Seth Morgan’s 46-yard field goal and Seth Kittleman’s 1-yard sneak trimmed it to 31–24 with 14:47 to play, East Carolina answered with Mazzie’s 32-yarder and Houser’s late rushing score to put the game out of reach. Morgan added a 26-yard kick with 1:49 left for the final margin.   

East Carolina piled up 568 total yards — 268 rushing and 300 passing — converting 9 of 19 third downs while holding the ball for just under 29 minutes. Montgomery finished with 125 rushing yards and a score; Marlon Gunn Jr. added a 1-yard touchdown; and T.J. Engleman Jr. chipped in 40 rushing yards and two catches. Smith led all receivers with 150 yards and two TDs on four grabs.       

Tulsa totaled 398 yards. Hayes went 23 of 41 for 251 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions but was sacked five times as the Golden Hurricane finished just 6 of 19 on third down. Foley caught six passes for 126 yards and a score, Booker had nine receptions for 55 yards and a TD, and Deneric Richardson rushed for 59 yards.         

East Carolina’s defense set the tone up front with 10 tackles for loss and five sacks, repeatedly stalling Tulsa drives in plus territory. Rayshawn Roseborough led the charge with 1.5 sacks, while Shadrick Dankah and Zach Wilson were each credited with a half-sack plus a tackle for loss.