East Carolina can't play the underdog role anymore.

After opening the season by upsetting two ranked teams, the Pirates earned themselves a place in The Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in nine years.

East Carolina was No. 14 in the media poll released yesterday. Southern California remained No. 1 and Georgia was No. 2. Ohio State's sluggish 26-14 victory against Ohio, without star tailback Chris Wells, on Saturday cost the Buckeyes two spots in the rankings. They fell to No. 5 behind No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 4 Florida.

The top 5 are the same in the USA Today Coaches' poll.

USC received 33 of 65 first-place votes and 1,577 points in the AP poll. Georgia got 23 first-place votes and 1,525 points.

East Carolina manhandled previously No. 8 West Virginia, 24-3, Saturday. That came a week after the Pirates took out Virginia Tech.

East Carolina's latest big win was its third straight against a ranked opponent, dating to last season's Hawai'i Bowl victory against Boise State.

"I think it went a long way to help build confidence in this team," coach Skip Holtz, the son of Hall Fame coach Lou Holtz, said yesterday during a conference call. "Two years ago the main goal the team wanted to accomplish was to get to a bowl game. Last season, they not only wanted to get to a bowl game, but win one. Now we want to build on that."

East Carolina opens Conference USA play at Tulane this week, then travels to rebuilding North Carolina State.

WASHINGTON

WILLINGHAM: BALL FLIP SHOULD'VE BEEN 'NO CALL'

Perpetually stuck watching his teams at Washington fall short, the latest setback might be the toughest for coach Tyrone Willingham to digest.

The controversy from Saturday's 28-27 loss to No. 18 BYU was the 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Washington quarterback Jake Locker after he scored on a 3-yard run with 2 seconds remaining. Locker flipped the ball over his head into the air and began celebrating. The fling drew a flag for excessive celebration.

As it's written, Locker did violate the rule. But the decision to throw the flag in a moment of jubilation provided a muddled conclusion to an exciting game. The penalty left Washington's Ryan Perkins attempting an extra point from 35 yards. Perkins' kick was low and blocked, leaving Washington at 0-2.

Willingham didn't fume, but said "it really should be a no call."

"We had talked to them about coming out and playing like Huskies play."