BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Nov. 16 (UPI) -- Kendal Gibson capped a nine-play, 89-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run with a minute left Saturday to give Alabama-Birmingham a 36-29 win over East Carolina.
Gibson ran for 43 yards on six carries to contribute to Alabama-Birmingham's ground game, which piled up 170 yards.
The big star for the Blazers (5-5, 4-2), however, was quarterback Darrel Hackney. The redshirt freshman posted the third 400-yard day in school history, completing 20 of 34 passes for 424 yards and three touchdowns. He did not throw an interception.
The highlight of Hackney's day was a 94-yard touchdown strike to Willie Quinnie 2:18 into the second quarter. Hackney also completed touchdown passes of 26 and 12 yards.
Hackney's 12-yarder, a pass to Roddy White with 1:31 left in the third quarter, gave the Blazers a 29-17 lead. But the Pirates (3-6, 3-2) came back to tie the game with a touchdown, safety and field goal before the Blazers engineered their winning drive.
Art Brown led East Carolina's offense with 94 yards on 16 carries. Brown also scored the Pirates' fourth-quarter touchdown on a four-yard pass from Desmo Robinson.
Alabama-Birmingham, which blew a 20-13 lead against Southern Mississippi last week, avoided its first two-game losing streak at home in six years. The Blazers have won their last three meetings with East Carolina.
Following three consecutive bowl appearances, the Pirates have struggled this season after losing starting quarterback David Garrard. They have dropped three of their last four games.
