By By BRIAN HAINES, Brian@wdnweb.com, Sports Writer
GREENVILLE — After East Carolina scored a touchdown to tie SMU with 12 second left in the game, what looked like a potential dream ending for the 18 seniors who were playing their final game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium quickly turned into a nightmare in overtime.
After the Mustangs scored on their first possession in the extra session, SMU cornerback Richard Crawford stole the show and the game as he jumped in front of a Dominique Davis pass to cement a 45-38 Mustangs win.
The victory clinched the Conference USA West Division and propelled SMU (7-5, 6-2) into the C-USA title game where it will face either UCF or Southern Miss out of the East Division next week.
Meanwhile, the Pirates’ loss leaves the team hanging on the edge of a bowl birth as the team concluded the regular season with a 6-6 (5-3) record. East Carolina’s six wins may guarantees it bowl eligibility, but it does not guarantee them a bowl appearance.
“I appreciate the fight from the whole team, but the seniors especially,” ECU first-year coach Ruffin McNeill said. “They have nothing to be ashamed of. We’ll meet on Monday and go from there.”
East Carolina held a 14-10 lead after halftime, but surrendered 21 points in the third quarter and entered the fourth quarter down 31-17.
As has been the case for most of the season, East Carolina battled back late and tied up SMU thanks to 21-7 fourth quarter run.
With the game on the line, Davis (33-45, 314, 2 TDs) led his team on an 11-play, 62 yard drive that ended when with a 7-yard strike to wideout Lance Lewis, who pushed his way into the end zone to tie the game at 38 with 12 second left in the fourth.
Lewis had a phenomenal day as he caught eight passes for a game-high 154 yards while scoring two touchdowns.
The Mustangs got the ball first in overtime at the 25-yard line and took a 45-38 lead when running back Zach Line scored from one yard out.
Containing Line, Conference USA’s leading rusher, was a point of emphasis for the Pirates’ defense during the week as the unit entered the contest ranked last in the FBS against the run.
Line was effective, rushing 30 times for a game-high 123 yards, but it was the SMU passing game that inflicted most of the damage as the Mustangs had two 100-yard receivers in Cole Beasley (9-118, 1 TD) and Aldrick Robinson (5-129, 1 TD).
Sophomore quarterback Kyle Padron hit on 21 of his 34 pass attempts for 331 yards and three TD passes, and could have posted much higher numbers had he not missed of a few deep passes.
After the Line TD, it was the Pirates turn to take the ball at the 25. ECU drove down to the 14-yard line, but lost it when Crawford jumped a Lewis slant route and picked off Davis to end the game.
“What hurts me the most is that we lost it for the seniors. That’s what’s burning inside me right now,” Davis said. “The cornerback just made a great play and jumped the slant. I guess he knew what was coming. I didn’t see him coming.”
Saturday’s game marked the final one at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for the 18 ECU seniors on the team.
Dwayne Harris left his mark in his finale as he caught 10 passes for 57 yards and managed to set the ECU record for most receptions in a season with 93, and most single-season receiving yards with 1,055. Harris is also the program’s all-time leader in receptions (260) and receiving yards (2,933).
“I loved it (at ECU), it’s sad to go but you have to move on. I can’t be like Pat Pinkney and have another year” Harris joked.
Though the game ended abruptly, the always-cool Harris did not forget to take in all the sights and sounds as he walked off the field for the final time.
“I was just trying to clear my head of everything and take it all in. It was my last game at Dowdy-Ficklen,” Harris said. “Hopefully we will get into a bowl game. Right now that could have been my last game, or not; I don’t know we’ll just have to see.”