ECU To Big Easy

GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina has accepted an invitation to play in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 22. The assignment was officially finalized following Tulsa's victory in the Conference USA Championship Game earlier Saturday.

Kickoff is scheduled for 12 noon (ET) against Louisiana-Lafayette, who entered today's Sun Belt Conference contest with an overall mark of 7-4 and a league record of 5-2. The Pirates and Ragin' Cajuns, who have met on 10 previous occasions, will battle for the first time since ECU posted a 20-10 victory on September. 22, 1990. In all, Louisiana-Lafayette has captured six wins in the series, taking four of the last five matchups dating back to 1984.

"Representing East Carolina in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl is an honor, one our players and coaches are certainly looking forward to," ECU Head Football Coach Ruffin McNeill said. "I expect this experience to provide us many wonderful memories, especially for a group of seniors that offered this program quality leadership throughout their careers. It is also gratifying that this class, in particular, can play for a bowl championship and capture one of our goals this season."

Bowl tickets are on sale now via Bowl Ticket Central, ECU's online post-season ticketing platform. Applications will be mailed out Monday, December 3 for football season ticket holders and Pirate Club members, while a priority deadline of 5 p.m., Monday, December 10 has been established.

Fans are encouraged to visit the Bowl Ticket Central page for additional ticket and travel information, and a schedule of events.

East Carolina (8-4, 7-1 C-USA) will be making its sixth bowl appearance in the last seven years. The Pirates played in the Papajohns.com Bowl in 2006, the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl in 2007, the AutoZone Liberty Bowl after the 2008 and 2009 seasons, and the Military Bowl in 2010.

ECU visited the Mercedes-Benz Superdome earlier this season when it defeated Tulane 28-23 in a C-USA contest on Nov. 17.