 East Carolina , meanwhile , had been in first place in the C @-@ USA 's East Division with just two games remaining . A loss to Marshall University in that second @-@ to @-@ last game , however , put ECU into second place in its division , and thus out of competition for the Conference USA Championship . After winning against conference <unk> Tulane in the final game of the season , the Pirates decided to travel to the Hawaiʻi Bowl . East Carolina ended the regular season 7 – 5 overall , and 6 – 2 in conference play . 
