Game Primer: East Carolina

GAME 11 - EAST CAROLINA

Houston at East Carolina
Saturday, Nov. 19 | 1 p.m. CT
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium | Greenville, North Carolina
Broadcast: ESPN+
Radio: KPRC 950 AM

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Saturday's matchup features two of The American's most prolific quarterbacks. ECU's Holton Ahlers holds the league's all-time career passing yards record (12,862) followed by Houston quarterback Clayton Tune in second (10,946). Tune is the league's all-time leader in career passing touchdowns (95) while Ahlers (89) is in third and is one shy of moving into a tie for second (Brady White, Memphis, 90).
Last Saturday against Temple, Houston running back Stacy Sneed rushed for 143 yards and two scores. The 143 yards were the most by a Cougar since Duke Catalon registered 177 against SMU on Oct. 7, 2017. Sneed became the first Cougar running back with 13.0 yards/carry (min. 10 attempts) and 2+ rushing touchdowns since Charles Sims at Tulane on Nov. 10, 2011. Defensively, the Cougars held Temple to 47 rushing yards, the fewest since permitting 31 yards to Tulsa on Oct. 1, 2021.
Houston's offensive line has seen marked improvement as the season has progressed. After allowing an average of 2.6 sacks per game across their first five games, the Cougars have permitted just 1.2 per game in the last five contests. The Cougars limited Temple, which ranked eighth nationally in sacks, to just two last time out. Houston did not allow a sack on Oct. 29 against South Florida.
Houston wide receiver Nathaniel Dell has hauled in 10 touchdowns over his last six games. Dell's eight multi-touchdown games since the start of the 2021 season and 2,346 receiving yards in the same timeframe both lead the nation. This season, the junior ranks second nationally in receiving touchdowns (13)

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

Houston is no stranger to success on the road. The Cougars' nine road victories since the start of the 2021 season are tied with UTSA and Utah State for the most nationally in that timespan. The Cougars have won 25 road games since 2015, ranking 13th among FBS programs and tied for first in the state of Texas.
Houston has scored 10+ points in 108 consecutive games (Sept. 2014-present), which ranks second nationally among active streaks (Alabama, 155). The Cougars have scored 10+ points in 54 straight road contests (Oct. 2012-present) which ranks tied for fourth nationally among current streaks. Houston has scored 10+ points in 78 consecutive conference matchups (Nov. 2012-present), a mark that ranks tied for fifth nationally among active streaks.
Houston quarterback Clayton Tune is graded as the nation's No. 23 quarterback (90.0) by Pro Football Focus (PFF). His run grade of 78.1 is ranked 22nd nationally among quarterbacks. In addition to his passing prowess, Tune has logged 15 career rushing touchdowns, including one in each of the last two games. In the Cougars' loss to SMU on Nov. 5, Tune became the first player in school history and third FBS player since 2000 to record 500+ passing yards and 100+ rushing yards in a single game.
Houston freshmen stepped up in big roles last week against Temple. Freshman Matthew Golden hauled in the go-ahead, game-winning 44-yard touchdown reception with 40 seconds to play. Redshirt freshman Stacy Sneed rushed for 143 yards. Defensively, two freshmen made first career starts in linebacker Treylin Payne and defensive lineman Anthony Holmes Jr.
Houston has registered five comeback victories including capturing four wins when trailing at halftime this season. Houston's deficits in wins have included 14 points at UTSA, 7 points vs. Rice, 16 points at Memphis, 7 points vs. USF and 7 points against Temple. Against Temple, the Cougars drove 71 yards in five plays, using a 44-yard go-ahead touchdown with 40 seconds left to outlast the Owls, 43-36. On Oct. 7 at Memphis, UH became the first FBS program in 130 tries this season to overcome a 19+ point deficit in the fourth quarter.

SCOUTING EAST CAROLINA

Houston and ECU are meeting for the 16th time in the history of the programs (1997-present). The Cougars lead the all-time set 8-7. It has been nearly 1,500 days since the Cougars and Pirates last met in Greenville, N.C., coming on Oct. 13, 2018 – a 42-20 Houston victory.
Quarterback Holton Ahlers is the lone active FBS quarterback who has passed for 13,000+ yards and rushed for over 1,000 for his (overall career) and one of five active quarterbacks with 10,000+ passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards (Houston's Clayton Tune is among the other five quarterbacks).
East Carolina's skill players in QB Holton Ahlers, RB Keaton Mitchell, WR C.J. Johnson and WR Isaiah Winstead could make Pirate history becoming the first quartet group to have a 3K passer, 1K rusher and a pair of 1K receivers.

LAST TIME AGAINST EAST CAROLINA

Freshman running back Alton McCaskill IV raced into the end zone from 25 yards out on the first play of overtime, and Cougar defense forced an East Carolina turnover on the ensuing possession to lift the Cougars to a 31-24 when the teams met a season ago at TDECU Stadium.
The matchup was delayed for more than five hours due to severe weather which moved through Houston during mid-afternoon.
With his 98-yard kickoff return vs. East Carolina, Marcus Jones tallied his eighth career special teams score. It was his third this season after scoring touchdowns on punt returns against Grambling (48 yards) and Navy (73 yards).

A HOUSTON WIN WOULD ...

Help Houston reach its seventh victory for the 13th time in the last 17 seasons.
Be Houston's 50th American Athletic Conference victory, helping the Cougars join UCF (57) and Cincinnati (54) as the only programs to reach the milestone.

TICKETS ON SALE
Houston Athletics is excited to introduce our new "Family Four-Pack" seats that offer a fun and affordable entertainment option for families to come enjoy Houston Cougar Football starting as low as $80 per ticket (based on minimum of 4 tickets on select seating locations). For a full list of prices and TDECU Stadium seating map, click here.

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Players Mentioned

Nathaniel Dell

Matthew Golden

Anthony Holmes Jr.

Treylin Payne

Stacy Sneed

Clayton Tune

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