It’s not a warm-weather holiday destination like Myrtle Beach or Florida, and it’s certainly not Hawaii, but there were no complaints when East Carolina was extended an invitation from the Military Bowl this week.
The Pirates quickly said yes to the postseason contest inside Navy-Marine Corps in Annapolis, Md., marking a drivable distance game for many ECU fans, and a matchup against a marquee team from the Atlantic Coast Conference for the team’s first bowl game in seven years.
The game in Annapolis is set for Monday, Dec. 27 at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN against an ACC team to be announced in the coming days. It will mark ECU’s second time playing in the Military Bowl (the other time being in 2010 against Maryland), and the 21st bowl game for the Pirates all-time.
Third-year head coach Mike Houston led the team to a regular season record of 7-5, including a 5-3 mark in AAC play. Houston and athletics director Jon Gilbert addressed the media on Saturday prior to the ECU basketball home game against Coppin State shortly after the bowl invite became official.
“All through this whole deal, but especially this past offseason, that was our goal - getting the program back into postseason,” Houston said. “To have that become a reality today, and accepting a bid from the Military Bowl, it’s a great day. The kids are excited. We talked about just everything we’ve done to get here. I’m proud of the season they’ve put together.
“It’s a special moment for the program and hopefully one of many special moments moving forward.”
The team is expected to head up to the Washington, D.C., area a few days before Christmas for the events leading up to the bowl game on the afternoon of the 27th. ECU defeated Navy at the same venue just last week on Owen Daffer’s 54-yard game-winning field goal as time expired.
“I would think the familiarity helps,” Houston said. “As crazy as it seems, just knowing where the locker rooms are at, knowing the setting and kind of the route there, it’s definitely a plus.
“We’d take a 54-yarder walk-off on December 27th also.”
ECU athletics director Jon Gilbert said the Military Bowl had the second selection among the AAC bowl tie-ins, which led to them picking the Pirates quickly, especially with other AAC regional teams Navy and Temple not going bowling.
“They really wanted us,” Gilbert said. “Certainly they wanted us because of the historical nature of our fan base, and our ability to drive there and travel. Also the ability to play an ACC opponent, I think all the stars were aligning for that reason.”
Virginia and Virginia Tech have been tossed around as possible opponents for the Pirates. Both teams are bowl eligible. Boston College and North Carolina are among other possibilities from the ACC.
“I would think it’ll probably be somebody our fan base has some familiarity with,” Houston said. “That always creates excitement around the program. It’s not something just for the kids to celebrate. This is for all of Pirate Nation. I hope we turn that stadium into a big Purple and Gold mosh pit on the 27th.”
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After long postseason hiatus, Pirates thrilled to accept Military Bowl invite - 247Sports
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