Birmingham, AL (Sports Network) - Shane Carden threw for 386 yards and two touchdowns to lead the East Carolina Pirates to a 42-35 victory over the UAB Blazers in a Conference USA shootout at Legion Field.
Carden completed 23-of-35 pass attempts for East Carolina (5-3, 4-1 C-USA) which has won 16 of its last 20 conference games. Vintavious Cooper piled up 172 yards and two scores on the ground and also caught a touchdown pass. Justin Hardy caught six passes for 132 yards and a touchdown.
Austin Brown completed 22-of-37 pass attempts for 319 yards and three touchdowns for UAB (1-6, 0-3).Nick Adams had 114 yards receiving on four catches while Darrin Reaves had 69 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns. The Blazers are still winless this season against FBS opponents with its only win this season coming against Southeastern Louisiana.
Michael Dobson capped off a 13-play, 84-yard drive with a two-yard rushing touchdown as East Carolina went up 7-0 midway through the first quarter.
In the second quarter Warren Harvey kicked a 20-yard field goal as the Pirates went up by a score of 10-0.
Reaves scored from a yard out on UAB's next possession to cut into the Blazers' deficit.
Harvey connected on a 25-yard attempt for East Carolina midway through the second quarter.
The Blazers would take a 14-13 lead less than two minutes before the half on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Jamarcus Nelson.
Brown threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Sam Accursio midway through the third quarter to increase the Blazers' advantage to 21-13.
A one-yard rushing touchdown from Cooper brought ECU to within a point, 21-20.
Cooper then caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Carden to reclaim the lead for the Pirates.
UAB would respond at the beginning of the fourth quarter when Brown threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Kennard Backman. After the score the Blazers lead 28-27.
A 20-yard touchdown pass from Carden Hardy and a three-yard rushing touchdown from Cooper turned the Pirates' deficit into a 42-28 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Reaves would score on a nine-yard rushing touchdown late in the third quarter to pull UAB to within a touchdown but the Blazers would get no closer.
ECU had 600 yards of total offense and out gained UAB on the ground by a 214-82 margin.
Game Notes
