ECU wears down Ohio in Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl

12/23/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Beef-O-Bradys-Bowl-Football

    East Carolina running back Breon Allen (25) celebrates with wide receiver Bryce Williams (80) after Allen scored on a 2-yard touchdown run against Ohio during the first quarter of the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl NCAA college football game Monday, Dec. 23, 2013, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    • ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Vinatavious Cooper rushed for a career-best 198 yards, setting a Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl record and leading East Carolina to a 37-20 victory over Ohio today.

    The Pirates (10-3) grabbed the lead for good on the first of Cooper’s two touchdowns runs in the fourth quarter, a 31-yard burst with just under 10 minutes remaining.

    East Carolina’s Shane Carden threw for 273 yards and one TD and also scored on a pass reception.

    Cam Worthy caught an early 5-yard scoring pass from Carden, and then took a lateral from the junior quarterback and threw 14 yards back to Carden for a fourth-quarter TD that made it 31-20. Cooper put it well out of reach, finding an opening off left tackle and racing 22 yards for his second TD.

    Tyler Tettleton and Derrius Vick threw scoring passes for Ohio (7-6), which overcame an early two-touchdown deficit to lead 20-17 before Cooper took over.