Cylinder deactivation for catalyst drying

An engine control system and method of controlling an engine system are provided. The engine control system includes at least one sensor module configured to generate an exhaust condition signal based on a determined condition in an exhaust component and a cylinder bank control module communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor module. The cylinder bank control module is configured to cause transmission of a first bank control signal to cause a first bank of cylinders of an engine to deactivate at least in part in response to a determination based on the exhaust condition signal that a hydrocarbon mass quantity is above a pre-determined hydrocarbon mass quantity threshold.