GREENVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — East Carolina defeated Rice 28-12 on Saturday in an NCAA Football Bowl Division game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. Emory Williams completed 19 of 31 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 23 yards and another score for the Pirates. Tyvonn Byars ran 14 times for 111 yards and a touchdown for the Owls. Rice’s Tommy Bauchiero made field goals of 45 and 44 yards. Jordan Clark caught four passes for 69 yards. Defensively, Rice’s Stone Combs recorded 11 tackles, while Austin Harnetiaux, Koa Akui and AJ Brown each had nine. Dillan Botts added five tackles and two sacks. East Carolina’s Crews Law posted 10 tackles, Kevon Merrell Jr. added nine tackles and a sack, and DJ Johnson Jr. had eight. Charlie Durkin punted eight times for 332 yards. The attendance was 33,968. Rice fell to 1-5, while East Carolina improved to 3-2. Next, Rice hosts Tulsa, and East Carolina visits UAB.