Courtesy Charlotte Athletics | Charlotte49ers.com
GREENVILLE – Charlotte’s stout defense had a record-setting performance as the 49ers picked up their first-ever American Athletic Conference victory, 10-7, at East Carolina, Saturday at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
The 49ers scored on their first drive of the game and the first drive of the second half and the defense made it stand up – allowing a school-record low 127 yards of total offense.
Defensive end Eyabi Okie-Anoma punctuated the effort with an eight-yard sack on ECU’s final possession. The sack helped back up the Pirates’ game-tying field goal attempt and the 48-yarder sailed wide with 34 seconds left.
“The kids played great. The coaches did great. We had a good plan on offense and the defense was spectacular,” said 49ers head coach Biff Poggi. “We’ve got a guy at quarterback now that were going to settle on. He makes some mistakes but we’ll coach those out of him. Right now he’s as dynamic as heck. We beat supposedly our in-state rival. The first win of this series. The school’s first-ever American Conference victory. Can’t be any better than that. We’re going to enjoy the heck out of this one and then get back to work.”
QB Jalon Jones engineered a 73-yard drive on the 49ers’ opening possession that ate up a season-long 7:28 minutes of play. Jake Larson converted the 35-yard field goal to give the Niners a 3-0 lead.
The 49ers defense held ECU to just 49 yards of total offense in the first half to make that lead stand up at the break..
Charlotte scored its first TD of the game on the opening drive of the second half. Jones hit Duane Thomas Jr. for a 30-yard play to set up his own one-yard TD run. It was Jones’ team-high fourth touchdown run of the season.
Meanwhile, the 49ers defense held ECU to 10 yards or less on eight of its first nine possessions as Charlotte took the 10-0 lead into the fourth quarter.
A muffed punt however set the Pirates up at the Charlotte 10 with 13:22 to play. ECU cashed in to make it 10-7 on a 10-yard pass play from Alex Flinn to Shane Calhoun.
On the ensuing kickoff, Charlotte was pinned inside the 10 but drove to the ECU 27. Larson’s 45-yard field attempt, however, was no good. Charlotte forced another three-and-out, thanks in part to Stone Handy’s 11-yard sack to protect the lead.
ECU had one last chance, taking over with 2:29 to play. After three first downs moved the ball to the Charlotte 29, Okie-Anoma’s sack sent the Pirates back to the 37. One play later, ECU picked up six yards on third-and-18 to move to the 31. The 48-yard field goal attempt was wide, giving Charlotte its first win as a member of the AAC.
NOTES:
QB Jalon Jones rushed for a career-high 127 yards, the first 100-yard rushing performance by a 49er, this season
Charlotte record 6.0 TFL — the fifth time this year that the 49ers have had at least 6.0. Last year, Charlotte had 6.0 or more TFL four times.
Charlotte held its opponent under 400 yards of total offense (school-record low 127) for the fifth time this season. Last year, Charlotte had three such games.
DE Eyabi Okie-Anoma record his fifth sack of the season. That is tied for the fifth-most in a single-season by a 49er.
DE Eyabi Okie-Anoma recorded one QB hurry, giving him nine this season, one shy of Larry Ogunjobi’s school record of 10 (set three times).
