49ers make history! Charlotte tops Marshall to become bowl-eligible for the first time

The Charlotte 49ers had to overcome the weather and a tendency to self destruct Saturday against Marshall.

But overcome they did, and now the 49ers are on the verge of creating history for a program that’s just in its seventh season of existence.

Charlotte beat Marshall 24-13 in the rain at Richardson Stadium, lifting its record to 6-5, 4-3 in Conference USA. That means the 49ers, under first-year coach Will Healy, are bowl-eligible for the first time in program history. Charlotte’s won four in a row and a victory next week at Old Dominion (1-10, 0-7) will also ensure the 49ers of their first winning season.

“I knew it would be a tough week, with all the things going on,” said Healy. “I wouldn’t say it was the prettiest execution we’ve ever had. I don’t know if we played our best football game, but for us to find a way to win is a sign of a program that’s moving in the right direction.”

Quarterback Chris Reynolds, despite throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble, led the 49ers back from a 10-0 second-quarter deficit. Charlotte’s defense held the Thundering Herd (7-4, 5-2) to 230 total yards and didn’t allow Marshall’s offense to cross the goal line.

The 49ers, with running back Benny LeMay back in the lineup after missing two games, got their winning points on a 5-yard jet-sweep run by receiver Victor Tucker with 10 minutes, 47 seconds left.

Charlotte put it out of reach when, on fourth-and-10, Reynolds hit Tucker for a 25-yard touchdown with 48 seconds left.

“They hadn’t stopped Vic all night long,” Healy said, explaining his decision to go for it. “Do we run it and try to waste a little more time or go for the jugular? I do think that’s our mentality right now. We’re not going to be passive.”

But Charlotte didn’t play the rain game as well as Marshall for much of the first half. Reynolds threw one interception (a deflection) and also lost a fumble, killing another drive. Special teams play also let Charlotte down, with Marshall scoring its only touchdown of the half on a blocked punt of Charlotte’s Connor Bowler that was scooped up by Joseph Early, who scored from 16 yards out.

Marshall would take a 10-0 lead when Justin Rohrwasser kicked a 31-yard field goal with 11 minutes, 11 seconds left in the half.

Charlotte then began to turn things around. After a Herd punt, the 49ers went on an eight-play, 86-yard drive, capping it with a 15-yard run by Reynolds.

The 49ers got the ball back with 1:45 left in the half. Reynolds hit Victor Tucker on a 25-yard pass play up the middle, with Tucker having the presence of mind to fall down at the Marshall 22 with four seconds left, stopping the clock long enough for Reynolds to spike it.

But Charlotte’s Jonathan Cruz missed a 39-yard field-goal attempt as time expired, and Marshall led 10-7 at halftime.

The teams traded field goals in the third quarter. The 49ers got the ball back on the first possession of the quarter and tied the score when Cruz made a 23-yard field goal. Marshall went back up 13-10 when Rohrwasser kicked a 31-yarder.

The game changed when ...

Tucker scored on a 5-yard jet sweep with 10:47 left, giving the 49ers their first lead. It was a memorable game for Tucker, who also had five catches for 121 yards and another touchdown, including a game-clinching 25-yard TD reception with 48 seconds left on a fourth-and-10. Marshall defenders were called for pass interference or holding four times trying to defend Tucker.

“They can’t guard him,” Reynolds said of Tucker. “That’s why I just throw it up to him.”

Helmet stickers

Chris Reynolds: 49ers quarterback accounted for 311 total yards (166 passing, 145 running), despite a shaky first half in which he threw an interception and fumbled.

Benny LeMay: After missing two games with an Achilles injury, Charlotte’s running back gained 101 yards on 21 carries. He also went over the 3,000-yard mark for his career, joining program rushing leader Kalif Phillips on the 3,000-yard-plus list.

Jeff Gemmell: Charlotte’s senior linebacker, the program’s career tackling leader, had 10 tackles and a sack.

Making sense of the numbers

86: Passing yards by Marshall.

256: Rushing yards by Charlotte.

5: Penalties by Marshall, four of them either pass interference or holding calls defending Tucker.

This story was originally published November 23, 2019 at 7:10 PM.