Cincinnati went to the ground and pounded East Carolina out of the postseason on Saturday afternoon.
One last close game went the other way late in the second half for the ECU football team, and for the second straight year the Bearcats booted a late field goal to win. This one banished the Pirates from the bowl season in a 19-16 setback in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
“I love the plan we had, but we just fell short,” said ECU head coach Ruffin McNeill, who said farewell to 17 seniors in the most difficult way possible after the game.