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RECAP
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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.
|  | | 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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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
North Carolina St Clubhouse
East Carolina Clubhouse
College football Top 25 overview
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