While Saturday night’s Military Bowl between East Carolina and North Carolina State was a highly competitive back-and-forth game between the two in-state rivals, it ended in ugly fashion. As the Pirates were running the clock out in their 26-21 win, a brawl broke out. In the end, eight players were ejected from the game and an official was left with a nasty cut under his eye.
With 38 seconds remaining, play-by-play man Jay Alter noted “Some pushing and shoving at the 20-yard line.”
“This isn’t good,” color analyst Rocky Boiman responded.
“We’ve said it a few times, no love lost in the 83 miles that separate these two schools in North Carolina,” Alter said.
“There’s some bad blood between these two teams,” Boiman added. “Look at this. They gotta get control of this.”
Boiman was right. The fight started moving toward East Carolina’s bench, naturally bringing more people into it.
“This is a terrible scene at the end of what has been a fantastic bowl game,” Alter said. “You hate to say this.”
As things began to cool down some on the field, Boiman reminded the viewers that what they saw on Saturday night could be a preview of things to come.
“Remember, Jay, these two teams open the season next year playing each other,” Boiman said.
“Yeah, they start the 2025 season in Raleigh,” Alter added.
“You already know what that’s gonna be about,” Boiman said.
An ugly scene with under a minute to go in the Military Bowl between East Carolina and NC State. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/9kkXm6kxdl
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 29, 2024
With hostilities tempered, the next job was to sort out what happened. As cameras focused on the officials gathering, Alter and Boiman noticed something. Official Rod Tucker had a sizable cut under his left eye.
“Look at this,” Boiman said. “The official…”
“Oh, no,” Alter added.
“Wow,” Boiman said.
While it’s easy to see how an official could get banged up while breaking up a fight between football players, that’s not exactly what happened. Tucker was in with a group of players but nothing seemed to be getting too far out of hand. Then, an East Carolina player came running in from behind and shoved a North Carolina State player.
When the Wolfpack player’s head snapped forward, it went right into Tucker’s face, creating the cut.
Here is the key to the ugliness at end of ECU-NCST. ECU player takes a cheap shot at NC State player, shoves helmet from behind. The helmet hits ref in the face. pic.twitter.com/So8sOZCuAh
— Cork Gaines, Ph.D. (@CorkGaines) December 29, 2024
Fortunately, while Tucker was bleeding, he looked otherwise OK. Shortly after Boiman suggested they “Just call the game,” replays began to show the beginning of the incident. A run from East Carolina’s Rahjai Harris put the Pirates into position where they could run the remaining time off the clock. As East Carolina receiver Yannick Smith ran off of the field, he ran behind North Carolina State defensive back Tamarcus Cooley. Cooley, who must have heard something he didn’t like, instantly began to run after Smith. Upon catching Smith, Cooley grabbed the receiver and (eventually) threw him to the ground.
“TMac Cooley — no matter what Yannick Smith might have said — TMac Cooley cannot go after him in that situation,” Boiman said. “He just can’t. ‘Cause that just throws gas on the fire. And here we go.
“I agree with you, Jay,” Boiman later added. “It’s just a shame this game — what a ballgame this has been — to come down to something like this at the very end.
“And that’s the thing anybody is gonna talk about,” Alter responded. “Is how this game was marred by that scuffle when they should be talking about what an awesome back-and-forth game this has been.”
A Military Bowl official suffered a gash under his left eye that resulted in blood all over his face. (2/3) pic.twitter.com/NbPfOMl7zR
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 29, 2024
It was a great game. East Carolina got the better of the action for the first three quarters and went into the fourth quarter with a 20-7 lead. North Carolina State, though, scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to go up 21-20. It looked like that lead might hold. With less than two minutes remaining, East Carolina faced a third-and-10 from their own 14-yard line. The Pirates dialed up a run to Harris, who ran to his left, found a hole, dodged a would-be tackler, and sprinted 86 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.
ALL WE GOTTA SAY IS ❄️ @icyy_rahjai pic.twitter.com/zco6Nctk6N
— ECU Football (@ECUPiratesFB) December 29, 2024
It was eventually announced that eight players — five from the Wolfpack and three from the Pirates — had been ejected from the game.
“I feel bad for that official,” Boiman said of Tucker. “What a shame. Handling this with total class here.”
