Area college football roundup: 49ers open with 3-OT setback
Offseason optimism was doused with a dose of reality Saturday evening, as the Charlotte 49ers opened their season with a loss to an FCS opponent.
The Citadel, which had lost a week ago by four touchdowns to the Southern Conference’s Wofford, cruised into Jerry Richardson Stadium and stunned the 49ers by a 43-41 score in triple overtime.
Charlotte, which went 1-11 a year ago, has lost 10 straight games, with its last victory coming against another FCS opponent, Monmouth, last September.
“I have to do a better job as head coach, getting our guys ready to go,” second-year head coach Tim Albin said after the marathon contest.
It was a long night, anyway you look at it.
The game was scheduled for 3:30 p.m., but kickoff didn’t happen until nearly 5 p.m., after thunderstorms rolled through the area. Add in a triple-overtime game and 84 points, and the contest didn’t end until 8:45 p.m. It was a long night for those of the 13,274 fans who hung in for the finish.
The 49ers approached the game and the season with optimism, pointing to the return of several key players from a year ago and a number of transfer portal additions.
Facing an FCS opponent seemed like a good way to get a victory, especially with a trip to nationally-ranked powerhouse Ole Miss coming up next Saturday.
But the Citadel, which also beat Charlotte 12 years ago in overtime, came to play.
The Bulldogs’ Gavin Garcia rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns, and quarterback Nick Billoups completed 7-of-10 passes for 91 yards.
Charlotte had a big edge in total yardage, 538-400, but the Bulldogs got big plays when they needed them.
The 49ers forced overtime when Cole Gonzales completed a 6-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Hampton with 24 seconds left. Ian Kelly’s conversion kick tied the game at 28-all.
The Citadel went first in overtime and scored on a run, but the 49ers came back and scored on their possession. In the second overtime, Charlotte went first and scored on another Gonzales-to-Hampton pass. But the Bulldogs tied the game on a 2-yard run by Billoups.
NCAA rules call for the third and any subsequent overtimes, to be decided by two-point conversions. The Citadel scored on a run, but Charlotte failed when a Gonzales pass went incomplete.
“Obviously, we’re very disappointed, but I’m going to tip my hat to coach Drayton (Citadel coach Maurice Drayton) and his staff,” Albin said. “Week 2 for them, and they out-executed us.”
“My heart hurts for the staff and our fan base,” Albin added.
Gonzales had a big night, throwing for 322 yards. The 49ers’ total of 538 yards was the most since a 563-yard effort last season against Monmouth.
And Khamani Alexander looked solid at running back, rushing for 138 yards.
Albin said this is not the time to give up.
“The season’s not over,” he said. “You get 12 opportunities. We had a chance to win the game, and we didn’t get it done.”
Mountaineers roll
BOONE – Appalachian State treated a sellout crowd of 33,664 fans to an opening-game blowout Saturday afternoon, as the Mountaineers crushed FCS opponent Maine 55-3.
With 73 new faces on the roster, coach Dowell Loggains’ squad raced to a 38-0 lead, as Malachi Singleton completed 22-of-24 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns. The Mountaineers totaled 647 yards of offense.
Appalachian State’s opening drive ended with a fumble at the Maine 5. But the Mountaineers scored on their next nine possessions.
Loggains’ team used three quarterbacks, and they totaled 348 yards. Of 33 passing attempts, 29 were completed.
And Treyaun Webb, Jaquari Lewis, Nate Branch and Jackson Grier ran for touchdowns.
The Mountaineers’ defense held Maine to 12 first downs and 250 total yards, with much of that coming later in the contest.
The level of competition climbs next week, when the Mountaineers visit East Carolina for a noon Saturday (ESPNU) contest.
Gardner-Webb falls 17-13
SPARTANBURG – Consider the tumultuous week that preceded Saturday’s game, Gardner-Webb played well in its 17-13 loss at Wofford.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs saw head coach Kris McCullough suspended and then fired during the week. Pete Bennett was named interim coach.
But Gardner-Webb (0-2) came within one big play of upsending the Terriers (2-0).
Trailing 17-10, the Bulldogs got a 33-yard field goal from Tyler Simpson with 5:37 left in the game.
Then the Bulldog defense forced Wofford into a three-and-out. The Terriers punted the ball, and Gardner-Webb took over at its 31, with 4:54 left.
Cole Pennington completed five passes, and Charlotte Christian’s Vann Christian had a pair of big runs. That took Gardner-Webb to the Wofford 18, with 1:11 left. Pennington then connected with Giovanni Adopte to the Wofford 9.
On the next play, Pennington completed a pass to Kory Jones for an apparent touchdown, but the play was negated by a penalty. Pennington was sacked for a 6-yard loss on the next play, then threw an interception that ended the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ hopes.
Elon routs Davidson
DAVIDSON – Elon scored four touchdowns on the ground and held Davidson to 69 rushing yards, on route to a 38-0 victory Saturday evening.
Kamerin McDowell-Moore and Jimmyl Williams each ran for a pair of touchdowns. T.J. Crews IV threw for the other Phoenix score.
Davidson quarterback Casey Bullock was chased much of the night by the Elon defense but completed 13-of-32 passes for 174 yards.
Davidson took the opening drive and marched to the Elon 7. But the drive stalled, and Christos Tzoumakas’ 24-yard field goal attempt bounced off the left upright.
Elon (2-0) scored on four straight possessions over a stretch of the second and third quarters.
Davidson (0-2) is home again next Saturday, facing Division 3 opponent Dickinson.
Wingate wins big
CLEVELAND, MS. – Wingate bounced back from a flat performance in an opening loss last week at UNC Pembroke and routed host Delta State 36-13 Saturday night.
The Bulldogs led only 10-7 after three quarters but exploded for four touchdowns in the final quarter.
Wingate’s first score in the final period came on a 3-yard run by Xavier Jackson with 12 minutes left. Then, following a Delta State turnover, the bulldogs made it 23-7 when Jayshawn Appling scored on a 13-yard run and Mason Suber added the conversion kick.
Jason Willis ran 28 yards for a Bulldog touchdown with 7:01 left, and Justin Little got the final score on a 52-yard run with 5:04 to play. That put Wingate up 36-7, before Delta State got a closing score.
Wingate’s Brooks Brien threw for 162 yards and a touchdown, but the Bulldogs were especially strong on the ground, gaining 262 yards.
Wingate opens South Atlantic Conference play next Saturday, visiting Carson-Newman for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
Lenoir-Rhyne loses
HICKORY – One week after pounding 14th-ranked Virginia Union 45-3, the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears came up short Saturday against West Alabama. The visiting Tigers pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 34-23 victory.
A key turnaround in momentum came with about eight minutes left in the game.
Lenoir-Rhyne led 23-17 and was driving with the ball near midfield. But on a third-down play, West Alabama’s defense knocked the ball out of a Bears’ running back’s hands, and defender Legend Doggett scooped it up and ran 40 yards for a touchdown. The conversion kick put the Tigers ahead 24-23.
West Alabama then added a field goal with 4:43 left, for a 27-23 lead, but the Bears weren’t finished.
They drove into West Alabama territory, but Doggett came up big again, picking off a Wells Bettenhausen pass and returning it 40 yards for a final touchdown. That came with 1:45 left in the game.
The Bears piled up 310 rushing yards, led by L.J. Turner (148 yards, two touchdowns) and Eddie Clark (112 yards, one touchdown).
The Bears are back in action next Saturday, traveling to Newberry (7 p.m.) for their South Atlantic Conference opener. Newberry is the SAC preseason favorite and reached the NCAA Division 2 playoff semifinals last year.
Catawba falls 40-38
SALISBURY – Saeed St. Fleur ran 3 yards for a Catawba touchdown with 38 seconds left in the game, but the Indians’ attempt to run for a tying conversion failed. Catawba’s onside kick attempt then failed, and North Greenville hung on for a 40-38 victory.
Catawba’s Mason Fortune completed 22-of-33 passes for 295 yards.
North Greenville, the preseason Conference Carolinas favorite, was led by quarterback Kam Montgomery. He rushed for 99 yards and four touchdowns, and he threw for 212 yards and another score.
Catawba is back in action at 1:30 p.m. next Saturday, traveling to Mars Hill for its South Atlantic Conference opener.
