Oct. 21, 2006
Final Stats | Notes
GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) - James Pinkney threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score Saturday to lead East Carolina past SMU 38-21.
Justin Willis threw three touchdown passes, two to Emmanuel Sanders, for the Mustangs (4-4, 2-2), who fought back to tie it after a 14-0 first-quarter deficit but never led.
East Carolina scored touchdowns on its first two drives, then answered a tying score from SMU with a long drive just before halftime that put the Pirates ahead to stay at 21-14 on Simmons' second 1-yard scoring run.
The Mustangs didn't help themselves with several mistakes, including an holding penalty that negated a 67-yard punt return for a score by Blake Warren. Thomas Morstead also missed a 45-yard field goal in the third quarter that would have cut the deficit to seven points with 4:27 left in the third.
SMU rallied with two TD drives, each ending with TD passes from Willis to Sanders, to tie the game at 14 with 5:34 left in the first half. But the Pirates answered with a 14-play, 85-yard drive and Simmons' score for the 21-14 lead with 29 seconds in the half.
Defensively, SMU was led by Reggie Carrington and Joe Sturdivant, who each notched 11 stops.
