How can Charlotte 49ers stay in game with East champ FAU and its high-power offense?

The Charlotte 49ers wrap up what’s been a dreary football season Saturday when they host Florida Atlantic in a Conference USA game at Richardson Stadium.

It’s a game that figures to be the toughest C-USA challenge yet for the 49ers (1-10, 1-6). FAU (8-3, 7-0) has already clinched the East Division championship and will play North Texas on Dec. 2 for the C-USA title.

Here are five things to look for in the matchup:

Can the 49ers defense hang in?

The Owls have C-USA’s highest-scoring offense (40.5 points per game) and are second to North Texas in total offense (472.6 yards). Thanks mostly to tailback Devin (Motor) Singletary (1,524 yards and a nation-leading 24 rushing touchdowns), the Owls are the league’s top rushing team (280.3). So, even though the 49ers will have players such as safety Ben DeLuca and cornerbacks Denzel Irvin and Marquavis Gibbs back from injury, it’s a big ask of the defense to hold the Owls down. The 49ers have struggled on defense for much of the season and rank near or at the bottom of C-USA in most team defensive categories.

Offensive answer?

If there’s a weakness at FAU, it’s in the Owls pass defense, which allows 238.7 yards per game (13^th in the league, ahead of only Charlotte). So if 49ers quarterback Hasaan Klugh can get untracked and find receivers like Trent Bostick and Mark Quattlebaum (who had a career-high 94 receiving yards two weeks ago against Middle Tennessee), the 49ers might be able to stay in it. And the 49ers’ rushing attack (173.7 yards per game), while not as explosive as FAU’s, has shown spots of brilliance this season from Klugh, Benny LeMay and Aaron Montgomery.

Farewell to (a few) seniors

It will be Senior Day at Richardson Stadium, but the youthful 49ers have only three – receivers Bostick, T.L. Ford and offensive tackle Eugene German – in the starting lineup. Punter Arthur Hart and kick returner Chris Montgomery will also play their final game for the 49ers.

Coaching star

The coaching roster in C-USA added some star power this season, with the addition of Lane Kiffin at FAU and Butch Davis at Florida International. Former East Carolina coach Skip Holtz has been at Louisiana Tech since 2013. Will the name of the well-traveled Kiffin, whose previous stop was at Alabama as offensive coordinator, come up when more Power 5 jobs come open in the offseason?

Owls easing up?

The Owls have clinched the East Division title and a spot in the conference championship game. That doesn’t mean Kiffin will rest key players, in hopes of keeping them healthy for the postseason.

“No, we don’t think that way,” said Kiffin. “We don’t care where we play, who we play, our job is to win. It is not the NFL where the game doesn’t matter because you have already clinched. We want to be undefeated in the conference. We want to leave no doubt in the regular season how we played, and end on whatever that is, an eight-game winning streak. It would be huge, have a lot of momentum and get better. Eventually if you keep winning, you are going to get in the Top 25, so it is much different than the NFL.”

This story was originally published November 24, 2017 at 4:06 PM with the headline "How can Charlotte 49ers stay in game with East champ FAU and its high-power offense?."