NC State is Looking to Hold onto the Victory Barrel with Another ECU Win

When teams are within 83 miles of each other, there’s a good chance they don’t like each other, and NC State and East Carolina have embodied that truth over the years.

The series between the Wolfpack and the Pirates dates back to 1970, with NC State holding a 17-13 advantage.

Home: 15-8
Away: 1-3
Neutral: 1-2

While the Wolfpack won 10 out of the first 13 games when the series began, the Pirates have won 10 of the last 17, 8 of the last 13, and 3 of the last 4.

The two teams played 18 straight seasons after the inaugural game in 1970, but then things came to a screeching halt. In 1987, ECU came to Raleigh and defeated the Wolfpack 14-32, and then proceeded to tear down the goal posts. Afterwards, Jimmy Valvano terminated further scheduling of match ups against the Pirates. The two saw each other again in the Peach Bowl in 1992, and the Pirates kept the bitter blood flowing, defeating the Wolfpack 34-37. Four years later the two would meet again, but once again on neutral territory at Bank of America stadium in Charlotte, not sure if the emotions at either home stadium could handle it.

Then in 1999, after the devastation of Hurricane Floyd down in Greenville, NC State allowed East Carolina to host #9 Miami in Carter-Finley Stadium. The Pirates pulled off the upset, beating the Hurricanes 27-23. You guessed it…the ECU fans stormed the field at Carter-Finley, and once again tore down goal posts.

It took legislation by the North Carolina government to force NC State and UNC to put East Carolina on their schedules regularly back in the late 90’s.

Back in 2007, the Student Government Associations of both schools began awarding the Victory Barrel to the winner of the game, allowing them to take it home until their next meeting, and put a placard on it noting their victory.