DALLAS, Texas — With the comeback effort of quarterback James Summers, the East Carolina football team overcame a 23-7 score to win, 49-23, over Southern Methodist on Saturday.

Blake Kemp manufactured a touchdown drive on the Pirates’ first possession, but struggled to move the offense in subsequent drives. He threw two interceptions on the next four drives and had another three-and-out. As the second quarter got underway, ECU head coach Ruffin McNeill turned again to Summers.

From the quarterback switch to the last whistle, ECU outscored SMU 42-0.

The Mustang offense opened the game on fire and scored on the second play from scrimmage with a 60-yard strike to tight end Jeremiah Grant after the pass was tipped by linebacker Zeek Bigger. Trailing 7-6 two drives later, SMU capitalized on good field position and broke out a trick play to score.

Quarterback Matt Davis threw a lateral to Xavier Castille who found Xavier Jones open on the right side of the field for a 40-yard touchdown. Davis drove the Mustangs down the field again two drives later and found Ryheem Malone open for an 18-yard touchdown pass to put SMU up 20-7 early in the second quarter.

After Kemp’s second interception of the game, SMU took a 23-7 lead on a field goal and Summers was called on to dig the Pirates out of the early hole.

Summers immediately opened things up with consistent positive-yardage plays over the air and on the ground. Summers opened the ECU offense up with the constant threat of a run attempt by the junior quarterback. The threat was confirmed with two long rushes of 14 and 27 yards, the latter of which went for a touchdown to put the Pirates back in the game.

From there, Chris Hairston got his feet back under him with a 34-yard rushing touchdown on the next drive to make it a 23-21 SMU lead headed into halftime. Summers manufactured a scoring drive to start the second half, capped off by a 42-yard pass to sophomore Trevon Brown to put the Pirates on top for the rest of the game.

The ball was spread around with ease by Summers’ play. He found Brown and Jimmy Williams for touchdown passes and rushing touchdowns by himself, Scott and Hairston. Summers was the lone two-time scorer in the game as he rushed for two touchdowns and threw for two. He finished with 85 yards on the ground and 153 over the air.

Hairston had a bounce back game after a few tough weeks against Florida, Navy and Virginia Tech. The senior racked up 91 yards and scored a touchdown from 34 yards out.

Williams, a Washington native, had his lone reception go for 16 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately for Williams and ECU, he was carted off after the play with an apparent leg injury.