Greenville, Pitt County
Greenville: ECU beats Rice 28-12 in American opener
East Carolina won 28-12 at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Saturday. The Pirates are 3-2 and 1-0 in the American. Rice is 1-5 and 0-2.
By Triangle Local Newsroom · Published
File photo: Airman 1st Class Rae Perry, USAF (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.
What we know
Confirmed
- East Carolina beat Rice 28-12 on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville.Confirmed by ECU Athletics game recap, Rice Athletics box score and ECU schedule
- The game was ECU's American Conference opener. ECU is 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the American. Rice is 1-5 and 0-2.Confirmed by ECU Athletics recap and schedule; Rice Athletics box score
- T.J. Engleman Jr. ran for 136 yards on 14 carries, including a 43-yard touchdown.Confirmed by ECU Athletics recap; Rice Athletics box score
- Emory Williams completed 19 of 31 passes for 143 yards. He also scored on a 12-yard run. Ray Ray Joseph Jr. caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Williams.Confirmed by ECU Athletics recap; Rice Athletics box score
- ECU next plays at UAB on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m.Confirmed by ECU Athletics schedule
What happened
East Carolina beat Rice 28-12 on Saturday at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville.
The win was ECU's American Conference opener. The Pirates are 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the league. Rice is 1-5 and 0-2. The official ECU recap, the Rice box score and ECU's schedule all list the same final.
How ECU scored
T.J. Engleman Jr. ran for 136 yards on 14 carries, including a 43-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Those rushing numbers appear in both the ECU recap and the Rice box score.
Emory Williams completed 19 of 31 passes for 143 yards, the box score and recap both say. He also scored on a 12-yard run. Ray Ray Joseph Jr. caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Williams in the first quarter.
The ECU recap and the box score do not agree on how Joseph scored later in the game, so that play is left out here.
What's next
ECU plays at UAB on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m., according to the team's schedule.
Why it matters
ECU is the Triangle region's other Group of Five program, and this was its American Conference opener in Greenville. The Pirates are 3-2 heading into a Thursday trip to UAB.
Sources
- ECU Wins American Conference Opener Over Rice, 28-12 (game recap)
Official sourcePublished by East Carolina Athletics · Checked Oct 10, 2026, 9:30 PM
- Football vs East Carolina on 10/10/2026, box score
Official sourcePublished by Rice Athletics · Checked Oct 10, 2026, 9:30 PM
- 2026 Football Schedule
Official sourcePublished by East Carolina Athletics · Checked Oct 10, 2026, 9:30 PM
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