Brawl Overshadows Military Bowl Clash Between ECU and NC State
A fierce brawl erupted as East Carolina edged NC State 26-21 in the Military Bowl, leaving coaches and fans shocked by the chaos.
Annapolis, Maryland, East Carolina, NC State, Military Bowl, College Football
Annapolis: So, there was quite a scene at the Military Bowl! East Carolina and NC State were going at it, and it got wild in the last minute of the game.
East Carolina pulled off a 26-21 win, but the real story was the brawl that broke out right at the end. It’s crazy because these two teams are set to face off again next season!
NC State’s coach, Dave Doeren, was pretty upset about the whole thing. He said he felt embarrassed and apologized to East Carolina for how things went down. He really didn’t want that kind of behavior representing his team.
With both teams being so close geographically, emotions were running high. They’ve had their share of matchups over the years, even if they don’t play every season.
NC State was actually down 20-7 but made a comeback. Just when it looked like they might pull ahead, ECU’s Rahjai Harris scored a stunning 86-yard touchdown run, putting them ahead with just over a minute left.
After that, East Carolina got the ball back and was just trying to run out the clock. But then, out of nowhere, a fight broke out near their sideline. It was a mess!
It all started when ECU’s Yannick Smith took a towel from NC State’s Tamarcus Cooley, and things escalated quickly. Before you knew it, players were throwing punches, and it took a while to get everyone calmed down.
One official even ended up with a bloody face! In the end, eight players were ejected, and it took a good eight minutes before they could even snap the ball again.
After the game, ECU’s coach Blake Harrell had some strong words. He felt like there’s definitely a rivalry brewing, especially with how close the schools are. He even called out other in-state teams for not scheduling them more often.
Harrell knows they’ll be seen as the underdogs, but he’s confident his team will rise to the challenge. For now, though, they’re celebrating this win!