East Carolina Releases 2025 Football Schedule Featuring Seven Bowl Teams and High-Profile Matchups

GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina's 2025 football schedule features seven games against teams that qualified for bowl games last season and three opponents that finished in the final Top 25 rankings. The American Athletic Conference officially released the Pirates’ composite slate on Friday.

For the second time in three years, ECU will open the season against NC State on August 28, a rematch of last year’s Go Bowling Military Bowl, where the Pirates secured their 11th bowl championship with a 26-21 victory. The Wolfpack finished the 2024 season with a 9-4 record. ECU’s home opener is set for September 6 against Campbell, followed by a trip to Coastal Carolina on September 13 for the first-ever regular-season meeting between the two programs. The Chanticleers posted a 6-7 record last season and played in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. The Pirates will conclude non-conference play at home against BYU on September 19 or 20. The Cougars, who finished 11-2 and ranked 13th in the AP poll, will meet ECU for the fourth time, with the Pirates holding a 2-1 series advantage.

ECU begins its 12th AAC season with a home game against defending conference champion Army on September 25 or 27. The Black Knights finished 12-2 last year and were ranked 21st in the final polls. ECU leads the all-time series 8-1. Following a bye week, the Pirates will play back-to-back Thursday night games, traveling to Tulane on October 9 and then hosting Tulsa on October 16. Tulane, which has appeared in three straight AAC title games and won in 2022, went 9-5 last season, while Tulsa finished 5-7.

After another open week, ECU will travel to face Temple on November 1 before returning home for two consecutive matchups against Charlotte on November 8 and Memphis on November 15. Charlotte went 4-8 last season, while Memphis posted an impressive 11-3 record and finished 24th in the final AP poll. The Pirates will close out the regular season with back-to-back road games, taking on UTSA on November 22 and Florida Atlantic on November 29. UTSA went 7-6 last year and played in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, while FAU finished 4-8.

ECU’s 2025 opponents posted a combined 79-74 (.516) record last season. The Pirates’ four non-conference foes combined for a 26-25 mark, while their eight AAC opponents finished 52-49. Four teams on the schedule had nine or more wins, including Army (12), BYU (11), Memphis (11), and Tulane (9). The schedule also features both teams from last season’s AAC Championship Game, with ECU set to host Army and travel to Tulane. Three opponents finished in the final Associated Press and Coaches Polls, including BYU (13/14), Army (21/21), and Memphis (24/23), with all three also appearing in the final College Football Playoff rankings.

The Pirates will play at least four non-Saturday games in 2025. For the sixth straight season and seventh in the last eight years, ECU will play at least one weeknight game. Three games have been confirmed for Thursday night, including NC State on August 28, Tulane on October 9, and Tulsa on October 16. The dates for the BYU and Army matchups are still to be determined. Since 2000, ECU has a 25-32 record (.439) in non-Saturday games, including an 8-17 mark at home and a 17-15 record on the road. Kickoff times and television selections for the first three weeks of the season and most non-Saturday games are expected to be announced around June 1, while the remaining games will follow the traditional 12-day or 6-day selection process.

The AAC Championship Game is scheduled for December 5 or 6 and will be played at the home stadium of the highest-seeded team. The Pirates will begin spring practice on March 25 and conclude with the annual Purple-Gold Spring Game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on April 26.

2025 ECU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Aug. 28 – at NC State (9-4)
Sept. 6 – CAMPBELL (5-6)
Sept. 13 – at Coastal Carolina (6-7)
Sept. 20 – BYU (11-2)
Sept. 25 – ARMY* (12-2)
Oct. 9 – at Tulane* (9-5)
Oct. 16 – TULSA* (5-7)
Nov. 1 – at Temple* (3-9)
Nov. 8 – CHARLOTTE (4-8)
Nov. 15 – MEMPHIS* (11-3)
Nov. 22 – at UTSA* (7-6)
Nov. 29 – at Florida Atlantic* (4-8)
Dec. 5/6 – AAC Championship Game (highest-seed campus site)