GREENVILLE, N.C. — A Birmingham Bowl rematch with the Florida Gators stands in the way of ECU getting off to a 2-0 start. Can the Pirates drown out the noise of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium or will they crumble under the pressure?
East Carolina’s record-setting senior class was ushered out of the college ranks with a 28-20 loss to Florida in the Birmingham Bowl last season. Now, the Pirates will look to their replacements to reverse the fortunes and come out of Gainesville with a surprising victory. NEW SEASON, NEW TEAMS Two games separate the teams from their last meeting — ECU’s 28-20 win over Towson and Florida’s 61-13 thrashing of New Mexico State — but the offseason that intervened proved significant as both teams are drastically different than the ones that clashed in Birmingham.