For the third time in five seasons, East Carolina has received an invitation to the Military Bowl in Annapolis.

The Pirates (8-4) will take on Pittsburgh (8-4) on Saturday, Dec. 27, at 11 a.m. (ESPN) at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium.

Both coaches, Blake Harrell of ECU and Pat Narduzzi of Pitt, noted that their teams practice in the morning and should be ready for the early start.

ECU topped N.C. State, 26-20, in the Military Bowl last season as Rahjai Harris had an 86-yard touchdown run with 1:33 remaining for the decisive score.

The Pirates were set to take on Boston College in the Military Bowl in 2021, but the Eagles had to bow out due to an outbreak of COVID.

“We’re excited about the opportunity,” said Harrell via Zoom on Sunday night. “The young men in our locker room are excited about the opportunity to play a Power Four team.”

Harrell noted that ECU was 0-2 against P4 teams in 2025 with a 24-17 season-opening loss at N.C. State and a home loss to Brigham Young (13-34, Sept. 20), the second team out in the College Football Playoff seedings announced Sunday.

“I really don’t care if it’s Group of Five or Power Four,” Narduzzi said. “It really doesn’t matter. They’re football players and it comes down to who plays with more toughness and who wants it the most.”

Consistency has been an issue for the Panthers, who knocked Georgia Tech out of the playoff picture with a 42-28 win in Atlanta on Nov. 22, but were dealt a 34-17 loss by playoff bound Miami of Florida the following week.

“We felt like we could have been a 10-2 team,” Narduzzi said. “We left some things out there.”

Katin Houser has thrown for 3,300 yards and 19 touchdowns for the Pirates. Mason Heintschel has 2,098 yards passing for Pitt with 15 TDs.