Southern Miss Golden Eagles vs East Carolina Pirates Match Player Stats On Oct 19, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 19, 2013

East Carolina 55, Southern Mississippi 14: Shane Carden threw for 308 yards and three touchdowns on 30-of-37 passing as the host Pirates cruised past the Golden Eagles in Conference USA action.

Justin Hardy enjoyed a fine day as Carden's premier target, hauling in a game-high 10 catches for 126 yards and a touchdown for East Carolina. Carden added a score on the ground for the Pirates (5-2, 3-1 C-USA), who dominated throughout.

Southern Mississippi was troubled at the quarterback position, with Allan Bridgford and Nick Mullens combining for only 112 passing yards, an interception, a fumble and four sacks. The Golden Eagles (0-6, 0-2) have now dropped 18 consecutive games, including a 0-12 record last season.

Carden got East Carolina on the board early, capping a 12-play, 73-yard opening drive with a scoring strike to Hardy from a yard out just 4:20 into the game. Southern Mississippi did its best to answer on the ensuing possession, but after a 35-yard scamper by Tyre Bracken, the offense stalled and the drive resulted in a missed field goal by Corey Acosta from 38 yards out.

The Pirates followed with Carden's second touchdown pass of the opening quarter - an 11-yard strike to Isaiah Jones for a 14-0 lead - and Carden and Vintavious Cooper added scores on the ground in the second quarter on the way to a 31-0 halftime lead. East Carolina's rout continued in the second half, with 24 unanswered points before Mullens' first career touchdown pass, a 15-yard connection to Marquise Ricard, broke the shutout for Southern Mississippi with 11:38 to play.