East Carolina wins Conference USA

Ben Hartman kicked a 36-yard field goal with 1:43 left, and East Carolina took advantage of seven turnovers to beat Tulsa, 27-24, Saturday in the Conference USA championship game at Tulsa, Okla., for its first league title in 32 years.

The Pirates (9-4), who made a splash early this season with consecutive upsets of top 25 teams Virginia Tech and West Virginia, earned a berth in the Liberty Bowl.

East Carolina used the league’s best defense to create havoc for David Johnson, the nation’s top-rated passer. Johnson threw a career-high five interceptions, including one that was returned 72 yards for a touchdown by Travis Simmons, and also fumbled.

Van Eskridge secured the win with 63 seconds left when he picked off a pass intended for Brennan Marion, who had crumpled to the turf after apparently injuring his right knee. It was Eskridge’s second interception of the game.

No. 23 Pittsburgh 34, Connecticut 10 -- Bill Stull threw for two touchdowns and LeSean McCoy ran for another as the Panthers (9-3, 5-2) beat the Huskies (7-5, 3-4) at East Hartford, Conn., to earn their first nine-win regular season since 1982 and a bid to the Sun Bowl.

Pittsburgh scored 24 points in the third quarter to blow open a close game in front of officials from the bowl, who said they would offer the Panthers a bid to play in the New Year’s Eve game.

Connecticut’s Donald Brown ran for 189 yards in 34 carries, ensuring he will end the regular season as the nation’s leading rusher.

West Virginia 13, South Florida 7 -- Pat White threw a touchdown pass in his final home game and the Mountaineers (8-4, 5-2) mustered enough offense on a snowy field to beat the Bulls (7-5, 2-5) at Morgantown, W.Va.

West Virginia wore white road jerseys and pants in honor of White, who holds 16 school, Big East and NCAA records. Most of the 48,019 in attendance wore white and waved white flags.

Troy 35, Arkansas State 9 -- Levi Brown threw for 181 yards and three touchdowns and the Trojans (8-4, 6-1) beat the Red Wolves (6-6, 4-3) at Troy, Ala., to earn their first outright Sun Belt championship and a berth in the New Orleans Bowl. Troy will play Southern Mississippi in the bowl on Dec. 21.