CHARLOTTE – Charlotte kept finding answers Saturday night. The problem was The Citadel always seemed to have one more.
The Bulldogs outlasted the 49ers 43-41 in triple overtime at Jerry Richardson Stadium, handing Charlotte a season opening loss despite 538 yards of offense and a resilient performance from quarterback Cole Gonzales.
Charlotte twice answered The Citadel touchdowns in overtime before the Bulldogs ultimately prevailed on a two-point conversion.
“They out-executed us,” Charlotte coach Tim Albin said. “I mean, that’s what happened.”
The Citadel improved to 1-1 while Charlotte fell to 0-1. The Bulldogs were outgained 538-400 but rushed for 268 yards and six touchdowns on 50 attempts. Charlotte finished with 322 passing yards and 216 on the ground.
The 49ers hurt themselves early.
Gonzales threw two first-quarter interceptions, the first helping set up a short field for The Citadel. Gaven Garcia finished the ensuing possession with a 2-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead.
Charlotte responded immediately. Khamani Alexander broke loose for a 66-yard touchdown, part of a career night in which he rushed for 138 yards on just 14 carries.
Gonzales settled down after the early turnovers. His 43-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Eley put Charlotte ahead 14-7 in the second quarter, and the 49ers carried that advantage into halftime.
“He’s a playmaker. He’s tough,” Albin said of Gonzales. “He had two picks in the first quarter and I liked his body language. He’s a leader. He’s under the fire, and he didn’t get rattled.”
The Citadel turned to Nick Billoups at quarterback in the second half, and the Bulldogs found their rhythm.
Sebastien Boyle tied the game with a 56-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter. Gonzales responded with an 11-yard touchdown run before Garcia scored from a yard out, leaving the teams tied 21-21 entering the fourth.
Billoups gave The Citadel a 28-21 advantage on a 2-yard touchdown run with 12:11 remaining.
Charlotte refused to go away.
The 49ers put together a 14-play, 72-yard drive late in the fourth quarter, capped by Gonzales' 6-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Hampton with 24 seconds remaining to force overtime.
That resilience stood out to Charlotte defensive back Kadin Schmitz.
“I think we didn’t have any quit,” Schmitz said. “We continued to fight.”
Garcia scored from 25 yards out on The Citadel’s first offensive snap of overtime. Gonzales answered with an 8-yard touchdown run, sending the game to a second overtime tied at 35.
Charlotte then grabbed the advantage when Gonzales connected with Hampton for an 18-yard touchdown. But the 49ers failed on the required two-point conversion, leaving the score 41-35.
Billoups answered with another 2-yard touchdown run for The Citadel. A diving tackle by Dy’Lon Womack forced the game into triple overtime, beginning a series of two-point conversion plays. The Bulldogs were successful on their attempt and a Charlotte pass went wide, giving the visitors a 43-41 victory.
The loss overshadowed one of Charlotte’s most productive offensive performances in recent memory.
Gonzales completed 28 of 41 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for two more scores. Hampton caught eight passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns, and Jaden Barnes added seven receptions for 93 yards. Alexander averaged 9.9 yards per carry.
The Citadel countered with Garcia’s 137 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. Boyle added 70 rushing yards, while Billoups rushed for two scores and completed 7 of 10 passes for 91 yards.
Charlotte converted 11 of 17 third downs and produced 21 first downs, but its two interceptions and failed fourth-down attempt helped swing the game. The 49ers’ defense did not force a turnover.
“We had chances to win the game,” Albin said. “Didn’t get it done.”
For Schmitz, the question now is what Charlotte does with it.
“It’s not at all how we wanted things to go,” he said. “But just to see the continued fight, to see the more positivity on the sideline – I like to see that a lot.”
The road only gets harder for the 49ers, who travel to Oxford Mississippi next week to take on an Ole Miss team fresh off a berth in the College Football Playoff.
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