The East Carolina University (3-3, 0-2 AAC) football team dropped its first conference home game of the season on Thursday night, losing to Temple University (4-1, 1-0 AAC) by a score of 27-17.
Heading into ECU’s first and only Thursday night game of the season, the Pirates knew they would be tasked with facing a stout defense. Ranked 19th in the FBS in total defense, the Owls rolled into Greenville, North Carolina allowing just 283 yards per game to opposing offenses.
Helping to account for that number was Temple’s second best red-zone defense in the nation and its third best third down defense in the country.