Charlotte 49ers lose to Appalachian State in season opener in the rain and fog

Appalachian State outlasted the Charlotte 49ers 35-20 in Kidd Brewer Stadium’s rain and fog Saturday.

The Mountaineers overcame key mistakes — turnovers and penalties — in winning the season opener against the 49ers. The game was scheduled in August after both teams had games canceled due to the coronavirus.

Fans weren’t allowed in Kidd Brewer Stadium, but App State announced Saturday morning that parents of Mountaineers junior and senior players would be permitted to attend.

The Mountaineers were penalized seven times for 65 yards, some of which allowed Charlotte to continue on what would eventually be scoring drives. App State also had three turnovers, leading to 10 49ers points. App State outgained Charlotte 512-286 in total offense.

App State rolled up 308 yards rushing, led by Marcus Williams’ 117 and Camerun Peoples’ 102. Quarterback Zac Thomas completed 14 of 21 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown to Thomas Hennigan, who had five catches for 120 yards.

Charlotte got 87 yards rushing from Tre Harbison (84 in the first half). Quarterback Chris Reynolds completed 11 of 30 passes for 130 yards and was intercepted twice.

Charlotte scored first after safety Ben DeLuca jarred the ball loose from Williams at the goal line. After linebacker Tyler Murray recovered, the 49ers drove 95 yards in 11 plays, capped by a 14-yard run by grad transfer Harbison.

Harbison, who had successive 1,000-yard seasons at Northern Illinois, had 52 yards on five carries during that drive. The 49ers also benefited from a penalty by the Mountaineers, who jumped offside on a fourth-and-2, giving Charlotte a first down.

The Mountaineers responded early in the second quarter with a 16-yard run by Peoples, who picked up 53 yards on six carries on the drive.

Charlotte continued to move the ball, but stalled in the red zone late in the first half. The 49ers got something out of it, though, when Jonathan Cruz hit a 23-yard field goal, cutting the Mountaineers’ lead to 14-10 with 2:51 left in the half.

Thomas moved the the Mountaineers into scoring position after that. After a pass-interference call against Charlotte cornerback Lance McMillan in the end zone, the Mountaineers had the ball at the 17 with three seconds left in the half.

But Charlotte’s Siah S’ao blocked a 34-yard field goal attempt by App State’s Chandler Staton, and the Mountaineers went into halftime up 14-10. It was a huge boost for the 49ers and their special teams, who struggled last season, especially in a defeat against Appalachian State.

The Mountaineers outgained the 49ers 250-197 in total offense in the first half. Harbison had 84 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Peoples, who left the game with what appeared to be an arm injury in the second quarter, rushed eight times for 70 yards.

App State opened the third quarter with another red-zone turnover when Murray intercepted a Thomas pass on a fourth-and-3 at the Charlotte 13.

But the Mountaineers went up 21-13 later in the quarter when Thomas hit Hennigan on a 51-yard scoring play, helped when Charlotte cornerback Lance McMillan slipped and fell while trying to defend the play.

But Charlotte came right back when Aaron McAllister returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown, trimming the Mountaineers’ lead to 21-20 with 1:35 left in the third quarter. It was the longest kick return in Charlotte program history.

Appalachian then went on a 75-yard, 14-play drive, ending with a 3-yard touchdown run by Harrington that gave the Mountaineers a 28-20 lead with 10:08 left. App State converted on third down three times during the drive, including a 13-yard scamper by Thomas on a third-and-11.

The Mountaineers turned it over again — this one a fumble by Peoples that was forced by Murray — at the 49ers’ 20. But Charlotte came up empty when a pass on fourth-and-10 by Reynolds was batted down.

App State put it away when Harrington scored on a 15-yard run with 1:15 left.

The 49ers got word late in the week that defensive end Romeo McKnight, a transfer from Illinois State, was immediately eligible. McKnight had 12 sacks last season for the Football Championship Subdivision’s Redbirds.

Charlotte plays at No. 18 North Carolina next week. The Mountaineers are at Marshall.

This story was originally published September 12, 2020 at 4:05 PM.