The word is spreading about ECU

Make no mistake, East Carolina is a better football team than West Virginia – on any given Saturday.

If the same two teams played next week, I believe the outcome would be the same. The final was 24-3, but it wasn't that close.

It was evident to me early that East Carolina was going to win. You could tell it in how aggressive they were. They sent the message with that initial 80-yard touchdown drive. The Pirates were knocking the Mountaineers around like a pin ball. Right there, they let WVU know, "We are coming after you."

To be honest, I kept expecting West Virginia to make something happen. I was waiting for the Mountaineers’ speed to take over. I mean, this was the eighth-ranked team in the country. But you know what? ECU was just as fast and a lot more physical.

West Virginia may have been listed in the Top 10, but it was ECU that had the Top 10 swagger. They were the team doing the intimidating on both sides of the ball.

The Pirates’ offense pushed West Virginia up and down the field all day, controlling the ball for over 35 minutes while churning out 386 yards in total offense. Quarterback Patrick Pinkney, who starred at Pine Forest high school back in his Football Friday days, has turned into a first-class college quarterback. He was 22 of 28 passing for 236 yards. But he's been more than just his numbers. His toughness and leadership have been contagious.

All the while, East Carolina's defense held West Virginia's vaunted big-play offense to 251 yards and three points. Nobody in recent years has dominated West Virginia like that. As a matter of fact, this is the first game since 2001 in which West Virginia hasn't scored a touchdown.

"Our offense really controlled the line of scrimmage and chewed up the clock and converted on third downs," said Pirates safety Van Eskridge. "With the speed they have on offense, if one guy gets out of position, they can really burn you ... but we settled down and slowed them down."

You bet they did. While this score stunned most when flashed around the country, it was no surprise to the boys in purple and gold.

"They're a great team," defensive end C.J. Wilson said of West Virginia. "But it's no surprise we won."

Coach Skip Holtz said he told his team going in "that it wasn't going to take an out-of-body experience to beat West Virginia." He believed it, and so did his team.

This is a poised, experienced and confident East Carolina football team that has knocked off the defending ACC champion Virginia Tech and now the Big East defending co-champ West Virginia on successive weekends.

"It feels like we won a championship," said Wilson.

Not yet C.J., not yet. That's what gets you in trouble. Remember Marshall last season. Rice the year before. Those losses may have cost you championships. Things can happen in a long season.

No, two games do not make a season. But the facts are, the Pirates have in early September plundered the two heavyweights on their schedule.

And East Carolina could well be favored in its final 10 games. However, as anyone who's ever played any kind of game will tell you, overconfidence can be a killer. The coaches can preach all they want, but it's up to the players to keep their head from swelling. A mature team knows this.