July 16, 2012

2012 SEC Network Affiliates

GREENVILLE, N.C. - The kickoff time for East Carolina's non-conference contest against South Carolina, scheduled for Sept. 8 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, has been set for 12:21 p.m. (EDT) to accommodate a live SEC Network regional television broadcast and ESPN3 stream according to an announcement from the Southeastern Conference Monday.

The Pirates will open their road schedule of Ruffin McNeill's third season at the helm of the ECU program by playing the second game of a five-contest scheduling agreement with the Gamecocks that was announced in 2007 and extends through 2016.

The visit to Columbia will be ECU's first appearance at an SEC stadium since a 21-3 victory over the Gamecocks on Sept. 18, 1999. Head coach Steve Spurrier's club ended the 2011 season ranked No. 8 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll after posting an 11-2 record and 30-13 victory over Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl.

East Carolina was 5-7 and stood third in Conference USA's East Division a year ago. The Pirates opened the campaign by dropping four of their first five contests before producing a 4-3 mark the remainder of the year and falling short of bowl eligibility for the first time since 2005.