Charlotte football lost its third straight home game on Friday night, dropping a 38-16 decision to visiting Florida Atlantic.
The offensive struggles continued for a team averaging just 14.6 points per game coming in (129th out of 130 in the FBS). The 49ers didn’t help themselves by committing 12 penalties for 106 yards.
Charlotte drops to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in conference play with the latest set-back.
Here are six takeaways as the Niners look to regroup heading into the final third of their schedule:
1. Charlotte ranked 118th in total offense heading into Friday’s AAC match-up. The 49ers did move the ball at times, earning 22 first downs and 325 total yards.
But three forays into FAU territory ended in field goal attempts. Kyle Cunanan was a perfect 3-for-3, including a 44-yarder in the third quarter, but the 49ers needed those drives to pay off in touchdowns to keep pace with the Owls (4-4, 3-1).
Charlotte converted just four of 19 third-down attempts, though the Niners were six out of eight on fourth-down plays. Florida Atlantic recorded five sacks for 43 yards in losses.
2. FAU may have gotten a little greedy after scoring on its first possession of the second half to go up 28-6. The Owls, going for the knockout punch, tried an onsides kick, but Charlotte’s Randy Franklin recovered at the FAU 45.
A series of Terron Kellman runs and short passes from Trexler Ivey put the Niners at the Owls’ 10. Ivey then found Jake Clemons in the flat for a touchdown.
FAU started its next series at the 3. Charlotte held, forced a punt and got the ball back at its own 47. Four straight runs by Kellman and Henry Rutledge got the 49ers as close as the FAU 20. But Ivey took a sack and threw incomplete on third and long.
Cunanan’s 44-yard field goal pulled the Niners to within 12 at 28-16. But that would be it for the scoring for Charlotte. FAU tacked on 10 points in the final quarter to cement the American Athletic Conference victory.
3. Charlotte may have lost its top two quarterbacks for an indefinite period. Coach Biff Pogi said after the contest that both Jalon Jones and Ivey suffered injuries during the game. It is unclear how severe either injury is.
Charlotte played four quarterbacks in the game. Dom Shoffner directed the final possession, which ended at the FAU 3 as time expired. He was 4-of-6 for 37 yards (with a long throw of 20) and also rushed for 29 yards on two keepers.
4. The 49ers got national exposure, playing on ESPN2 with no other FBS college games to compete against for attention. Color commentator Andre Ware, a former quarterback at Houston, was complimentary of aspects of the program but also took the 49ers to task several times for undisciplined play. He ripped a receiver right before the half for loafing while his quarterback scrambled to escape a sack.
5. Next up for the 49ers: A trip to Tulsa on Saturday, Nov. 4. The regular season concludes with home games against Memphis (Nov. 11) and Rice (Nov. 18) and a final road trip to South Florida (Nov. 25).
6. While Charlotte won’t make a bowl this season unless it wins out, the 49ers’ home stadium will be used for a post-season contest. ESPN Events announced this week that the Bahamas Bowl will be played at Charlotte’s Jerry Richardson Stadium due to ongoing renovations at Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas. The game, which will be rebranded under a different name, will be Monday, Dec. 18 at 2:30 p.m.
Charlotte’s one bowl appearance came in the 2019 Bahamas Bowl, a 31-9 loss to Buffalo.
