COLUMBIA, SC — Regardless of the venue and caliber of opponent, East Carolina's goal was to win a football game at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday night.

The fact that the Pirates topped No. 21 South Carolina 453-441 in total yardage was little consolation in a 33-23 ECU loss.

Having to settle for field goals early in the game, a couple of uncharacteristic turnovers by Pirates quarterback Shane Carden in the third quarter and a run-heavy, time-consuming drive by USC in the fourth quarter contributed to the outcome.

There was an inclination to wonder if settling for field goals on ECU's first two possessions might ultimately be a factor.

"You always want to get seven," said Pirates coach Ruffin McNeill. "You always want to get points at the end of a series and I was proud of (Warren) Harvey for converting."

For the first time in 26 games, ECU did not receive the opening kickoff. The Gamecocks won the toss and elected to take the ball, a bit of gamesmanship perhaps by South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier.

The Pirates defense got the ball soon enough, stopping Gamecocks quarterback Dylan Thompson for a one-yard gain on third-and-five on the third play from scrimmage.

ECU drove from its 3-yard line for first-and-goal at the USC 8.

Shane Carden completed his first six passes. A 21-yard connection to Justin Hardy gave the Pirates a first-and-goal opportunity but a first down pass off play action fell incomplete. Carden was stopped for no gain on second down and threw incomplete on third down.

Harvey's 26-yard field goal with 9:20 left in the first quarter gave ECU a 3-0 lead.

It was a much faster start than in a 48-10 loss in William-Brice Stadium in 2012 when the Pirates' first points came on a 23-yard Harvey boot with 1:44 left in the third quarter.

The progress was apparent but that wasn't ECU's mission.

"I feel like we missed an opportunity," Carden said.

Two plays after taking the lead, Josh Hawkins intercepted at the South Carolina 43. That series ended with a 35-yard field goal by Harvey for a 6-0 lead with 6:35 left in the first period.

"We've got to get touchdowns in a game like this," Carden said. "We had good calls and it was right there. We've just got execute a little sharper there in the red zone. We've got to get better in the red zone. We do that and it's a different outcome tonight."

A 36-yard scoring run by Mike Davis, who sat out the Gamecocks' 52-28 loss to Texas A&M on Aug. 28, allowed the hosts to go ahead 7-6 on a conversion kick by Elliott Fry with 1:56 to go in the first.

Carden had five completions for 68 yards on a 75-yard drive that enabled ECU to regain the upper hand on a 10-yard run by Chris Hairston with 13:35 to go in the half. Harvey's kick provided a 13-7 Pirates advantage.

The Gamecocks had a pair of field goals sandwiched around a touchdown to lead 20-13 before Carden moved ECU from its 25 to the USC 22 for a 40-yard Harvey field goal to cut the margin to 20-16 four seconds before the half.

ECU got the ball to start the second half. The Pirates moved from their 25 to the South Carolina 37 when Carden threw under pressure and was picked off at the USC 31.

"I give credit to the defense," McNeill said. "Shane was trying to throw it away on that one and got tackled by the legs."

South Carolina's Sharrod Golightly made an acrobatic effort to pick off the ball as he was going out of bounds at the USC 31. Cedric Cooper of the Gamecocks was credited with the pressure.

Thompson hit K.J. Brent for a 16-yard touchdown on the ensuing possession for a 27-16 Gamecocks lead.

T.J. Gurley snatched a Carden pass over the middle on ECU's next possession, resulting in a 26-yard Fry field goal for a 30-16 lead.

"Turnovers are on me," Carden said. "I can't have that."

Pirate wide receiver Cam Worthy, who hails from Blair, SC, one of eight ECU players from the Palmetto State, was on the receiving end of a 17-yard touchdown pass from Carden that drew ECU within 30-23 with 12:03 to go.

The final scoring drive of the night for the Pirates covered 75 yards in 11 plays.

South Carolina (1-1) responded with Brandon Wilds getting six rushes and Davis taking four handoffs on an 18-play drive that started from the Gamecocks 12. Faced with fourth-and-one at the ECU 2, Spurrier opted for a 20-yard field goal and a two-possession lead with 1:30 to go.

ECU moved from its 20 to the USC 40 before time expired.

Carden completed 32 of 46 passes for 321 yards. Hardy had 11 catches for 133 yards. Isaiah Jones had eight receptions for 46 yards.

Breon Allen led the ground game with 58 yards on four carries.

Worth Gregory's lone punt was a 52-yarder. Harvey kicked three field goals and had one blocked with 2:22 left in the first half.

The Pirates had to make adjustments in their preparation. Thursday's practice was canceled due to lightning. The team practiced Friday morning.

The schedule had to be changed after the bus trip on Friday because of traffic in Columbia.

"Our kids handled it wonderfully," McNeill said. " ... Proud of the team and we'll bounce back."

ECU plays on Saturday at noon at Virginia Tech, which is 2-0 coming off a 35-21 Saturday night win at Ohio State.