2014 East Carolina Pirates football team

2014 East Carolina Pirates football
Birmingham Bowl, L 20–28 vs. Florida
Conference	American Athletic Conference
Record	8–5 (5–3 The American)
Head coach	Ruffin McNeill (5th season)
Offensive coordinator	Lincoln Riley (5th season)
Offensive scheme	Air raid
Defensive coordinator	Rick Smith (2nd season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
Seasons ← 2013 2015 →

2014 American Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 25 Memphis +		7	–	1					10	–	3
Cincinnati +		7	–	1					9	–	4
UCF +		7	–	1					9	–	4
East Carolina		5	–	3					8	–	5
Houston		5	–	3					8	–	5
Temple		4	–	4					6	–	6
South Florida		3	–	5					4	–	8
Tulane		2	–	6					3	–	9
Tulsa		2	–	6					2	–	10
UConn		1	–	7					2	–	10
SMU		1	–	7					1	–	11
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 2014 East Carolina Pirates football team represented East Carolina University in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by fifth-year head coach Ruffin McNeill and played their home games at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium. This was East Carolina's first season as members of the American Athletic Conference. They finished the season 8–5, 5–3 in AAC play to finish in a tie for fourth place. They were invited to the Birmingham Bowl where they lost to Florida.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 30	8:00 pm	North Carolina Central*		Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium Greenville, NC	ESPNews	W 52–7	42,758
September 6	7:00 pm	at No. 21 Williams-Brice Stadium Columbia, SC	ESPNU	L 23–33	80,899
September 13	12:00 pm	at No. 17 Virginia Tech*		Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA	ESPN	W 28–21	63,267
September 20	3:30 pm	North Carolina*		Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium Greenville, NC	ESPNU	W 70–41	51,082
October 4	12:00 pm	SMU	No. 22	Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium Greenville, NC	ESPNU	W 45–24	45,029
October 11	7:00 pm	at South Florida	No. 19	Raymond James Stadium Tampa, FL	ESPNU	W 28–17	31,567
October 23	7:00 pm	UConn	No. 18	Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium Greenville, NC	ESPNU	W 31–21	40,152
November 1	12:00 pm	at Temple	No. 23	Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, PA	ESPNews	L 10–20	22,130
November 13	7:00 pm	at ESPN2	L 46–54	19,113
November 22	3:30 pm	Tulane		Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium Greenville, NC	ESPN3	W 34–6	48,433
November 28	8:30 pm	at Tulsa		Chapman Stadium Tulsa, OK	ESPNU	W 49–32	15,126
December 4	7:30 pm	ESPN	L 30–32	41,259
January 3, 2015	12:00 pm	vs. Florida*		Legion Field Birmingham, AL (Birmingham Bowl)	ESPN2	L 20–28	30,083
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll (and CFP Rankings, after October 28) - Released prior to game All times are in Eastern time

Schedule Source:^[1]

Game summaries

North Carolina Central

	1	2	3	4	Total
Eagles	7	0	0	0	7
Pirates	10	21	7	14	52

South Carolina

	1	2	3	4	Total
Pirates	6	10	0	7	23
#21 Gamecocks	7	13	10	3	33

Virginia Tech

	1	2	3	4	Total
Pirates	21	0	0	7	28
#17 Hokies	0	7	0	14	21

North Carolina

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tar Heels	13	7	7	14	41
Pirates	14	21	21	14	70

SMU

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mustangs	0	7	17	0	24
#22 Pirates	14	14	7	10	45

South Florida

	1	2	3	4	Total
#19 Pirates	7	0	7	14	28
Bulls	7	10	0	0	17

UConn

	1	2	3	4	Total
Huskies	7	0	14	0	21
#18 Pirates	14	0	7	10	31

Temple

	1	2	3	4	Total
#21 Pirates	0	3	0	7	10
Owls	14	0	6	0	20

Cincinnati

	1	2	3	4	Total
Pirates	6	14	7	19	46
Bearcats	14	17	7	16	54

Tulane

	1	2	3	4	Total
Green Wave	0	3	0	0	3
Pirates	10	7	3	14	34

Tulsa

	1	2	3	4	Total
Pirates	14	7	14	14	49
Golden Hurricane	14	0	11	7	32

Central Florida

	1	2	3	4	Total
Knights	6	17	3	6	32
Pirates	6	3	0	21	30

Birmingham Bowl

	1	2	3	4	Total
Pirates	7	0	10	3	20
Gators	7	14	7	0	28

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Final
AP	—	—	—	RV	23	22	19	18	18	21	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Coaches	—	—	—	RV	24	21	19	16	17	19	RV	RV	—	—	—	—	—
CFP	Not released									23	—	—	—	—	—	—	Not released

References