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  Saturday, Nov. 20 12:00pm ET
East Carolina's Garrard runs for three TDs
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- David Garrard ran for three touchdowns, and Steve Logan became the winningest coach in East Carolina history as the Pirates (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today, No. 23 AP) beat North Carolina State 23-6 Saturday.

Garrard, who lost a fumble in the end zone on East Carolina's first possession, more than made up for it, sealing the triumph with a 46-yard dash off the option with 4:51 left.

David Garrard
East Carolina quarterback David Garrard eludes North Carolina State's Dantonio Burnette, left, and Levar Fisher.

Logan earned his 51st victory in his eighth year at East Carolina (9-2), breaking the mark held by Clarence Stasavich, before a Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium record crowd of 50,092.

The victory also earned East Carolina an invitation to the inaugural Mobile Alabama Bowl. An official announcement is expected next week.

Andrew Bayes added a 34-yard field goal for the Pirates, who have won five of the last seven games in the series.

After 19 bus rides to Raleigh and two games at neutral sites, the Pirates finally got to host the Wolfpack on their home field. While East Carolina was jockeying for a bowl close to home, N.C. State (6-6) needed a victory to get to seven wins and qualify for a postseason invitation.

The Wolfpack will remember its first trip to Greenville for squandered opportunities. After converting Garrard's early fumble into a touchdown, placekicker Kent Passingham missed the extra point. After getting to the East Carolina 12 late in the first quarter, the Wolfpack stalled and Passingham missed a 42-yard field goal try to the left.

In the second half, N.C. State got inside the East Carolina 5 two times. Both times, their offense was stymied and Passingham had his field goals blocked. In its last ten quarters, N.C. State has no touchdowns and two field goals.

The Pirates took a Wolfpack fumble from the N.C. State 49 down to the 12, where Garrard fumbled on an option play and the ball was ruled to have gone through the end zone. The Wolfpack took the turnover for an 80-yard drive and scored on Jamie Barnette's first-and-goal run from the one midway through the period.

After Passingham's first missed field goal, Garrard closed out a 75-yard drive on the ensuing possession with a 2-yard dash with 10:30 left before the half.

East Carolina rushed Barnette into an interception by linebacker John Williamson at the Wolfpack 46. Garrard cashed in the mistake with a 14-yard run with 48 seconds left before the break.

 


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