ANNAPOLIS, Md. — As fans anticipate the 2025 college football season, a notable matchup to circle on the calendar is the East Carolina versus NC State game scheduled for August 30. The two teams were recently involved in an altercation during the closing moments of their Military Bowl game, where East Carolina triumphed over NC State with a score of 26-21. This incident has added an extra layer of intrigue to their upcoming clash.
NC State’s head coach, Dave Doeren, expressed deep embarrassment over the fight, acknowledging that it reflected poorly on the team. He stated that neither he nor his players condone such behavior and took the opportunity to apologize to East Carolina and their coaching staff. “To me, it was a terrible response to something that happened to one of our players, and there’s no excuses for it,” he remarked, emphasizing the need for better conduct.
Given the proximity of the two schools — just about 80 miles apart — emotions were understandably heightened during the game. Although NC State and East Carolina do not meet every year, they have faced off multiple times over the decades, adding to the heated rivalry.
The game was dramatic, with NC State overcoming a 20-7 deficit in the final quarter. They held a slim lead before East Carolina’s Rahjai Harris delivered a decisive 86-yard touchdown run, putting the Pirates ahead 26-21 with just over a minute remaining. Following a crucial interception that gave the Pirates possession with 44 seconds left, a momentous tussle erupted near the ECU sideline after a routine play, leading to multiple player ejections.
East Carolina’s head coach, Blake Harrell, also criticized the incident, noting that there is “no place in sports for that.” The chaos unfolded when ECU receiver Yannick Smith pulled a towel from the waist of NC State defensive back Tamarcus Cooley, prompting a confrontation that escalated with several players becoming involved. The struggle took about a minute to contain, delaying the game’s conclusion with approximately eight minutes before play could resume.
The altercation resulted in at least one official being injured, sporting a bloodied face, while eight players were ejected from the game, an announcement that was made by the referee reading from a paper due to the confusion.
Harrell hinted that East Carolina may have felt a sense of urgency and rivalry in this match, particularly given NC State’s prominence in North Carolina football. He remarked on the rivalry aspect, asserting that the distance between the schools should warrant more frequent games against each other. “I don’t think you can look at our fans and tell them it’s not a rivalry. It’s an hour and 15 minutes up the road,” he said.
Despite the tension from the altercation, Harrell displayed a competitive spirit and confidence in his program’s resilience. He acknowledged the challenges ahead but expressed pride in having celebrated their hard-fought victory for the night. “We’re going to be looked at like a little step-brother, that’s fine. These guys are going to compete, they’re going to take up the challenge,” he concluded, looking forward to their rematch next year.
