Pirates' eyes remain on winning conference crown

The inspiration seems easy for East Carolina.

There are five games left on the Pirates' football schedule, and in order to erase memories of two consecutive Conference USA collapses, they must merely win games in which they'll likely be the favorite.

Already ECU stands in a tie for first place with Marshall pending the outcome of Tuesday night's Marshall-Houston game in C-USA's East Division. It's a familiar position for ECU this time of year, and all five remaining opponents have booked losing records in the first half of the season to date.

Beginning with Sunday's divisional clash at 2-5 UCF, the Pirates' remaining opponents' had a combined record of 12-25 heading into this week.

But for a team whose first-place standing was deflated last season by 1-8 Marshall in the Pirates' 11th game of the season, nothing is a sure thing, and that seems to be the primary motivator this year.

“It's kind of like, who's it going to be this season? Who's going to be the one to upset us?” senior defensive end Zack Slate said. “But I think everybody is really focused. We're practicing right now for a conference championship. These next five games are going to blow by quick.”

Two seasons ago, it was the Knights who waltzed to the C-USA title game after ECU let an 18-17 decision slip away at Rice in the 11th week.

The two letdowns spelled promising yet incomplete 5-3 and 6-2 finishes in C-USA for the Pirates.

Riding a 2-1 league mark into Orlando this weekend, ECU players are mindful that 7-1, or even 6-2, would likely vault the Pirates into the C-USA title game Dec. 6.

“Every team in Conference USA is playing well right now,” senior quarterback Patrick Pinkney said. “It's so close now, teams are all 2-1 and 2-2. We have to just worry about us and our own execution.”

Slate said it's up to the team's veteran players to make sure everyone realizes the importance of the home stretch to the regular season.

“The coaches have made the message pretty clear in team meetings, and we know what's at stake,” Slate said. “And it's our job as seniors to let the younger kids know exactly what's happening and how important this is.”

Contact Nathan Summers at nsummers@coxnc.com or (252)329-9595.