ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — East Carolina’s Marlon Gunn Jr. had a long touchdown run called back because of an inadvertent whistle — and two plays later, Pittsburgh forced a fumble and ran it back for a TD the other way in the Military Bowl on Saturday.
ECU led 10-7 and faced fourth-and-1 from its own 32 in the third quarter when Gunn ran to the right, shed a couple of tacklers and went all the way to the end zone. But the play was negated because of the whistle, and Gunn was credited with a 14-yard gain instead.
East Carolina was called for holding on the next play, and then Chaston Ditta fumbled on a sack by Pitt’s Rasheem Biles, who recovered the ball and returned it 23 yards to the end zone to give the Panthers a 14-10 lead.
The Pirates didn’t stay behind for long. Ditta connected with Anthony Smith for a 72-yard touchdown on the next drive, and there was no whistle bringing that one back.
The officiating crew for the Military Bowl is from the Big 12 Conference.
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Noah Trister, The Associated Press
