Gameday Guide: Charlotte 49ers vs Middle Tennessee betting odds, TV and how to stream
After suffering its first loss to Georgia State in Atlanta last Saturday, the 49ers are back in Charlotte with a quick turnaround opening Conference USA play against Middle Tennessee.
Charlotte will be playing its third home game in the month of September, quite a difference from last season where the 49ers’ third attempt at a home opener came on Oct. 24.
WHEN DO THE CHARLOTTE 49ERS PLAY?
Who: Middle Tennessee (1-2) vs. Charlotte (2-1)
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Jerry Richardson Stadium, Charlotte (15,300 Capacity)
TV: CBSSN
Stream: Unless you have a Smart TV, you’ll need a streaming device such as Amazon Firestick, AppleTV, Roku or Chromecast. You can stream the game if your TV provider (YouTubeTV, Hulu, Spectrum, Comcast, etc.) carries CBSSN.
On-air announce crew: Chris Lewis, play-by-play; Corey Chavous, analyst.
Radio: Learfield/IMG Network 730 The Game (Matt Swierad, play-by-play; Al Wallace, analyst; Bobby Rosinski, sideline).
Line: Charlotte -3; O/U: 56
Uniform report: Green pants, green jerseys and green helmets.
WEATHER FORECAST FOR CHARLOTTE, NC
Clear skies with variable winds. The temperature will reach 76 degrees during the day and cool to 73 degrees at kickoff.
CHARLOTTE 49ERS FOOTBALL INJURY REPORT
Defensive back Davondre “Tank” Robinson is out for the season with a torn bicep.
Linebacker Jaylon Sharpe is out for the season with a herniated disk.
Defensive back Matt Martinez was limited in practice (neck) but is looking “a lot better,” according to head coach Will Healy.
49ERS VS. MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS: WHAT TO WATCH FOR
The 49ers aim to get back on track in the Queen City as they welcome a Middle Tennessee team with a new starting quarterback.
News broke earlier this week that Blue Raiders’ starting quarterback Bailey Hockman had left the program. Hockman’s replacement, Chase Cunningham, played the entire second half against Texas-San Antonio completing 50% of his passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Cunningham is a junior who has seen action sparingly in all three games this season.
Cunningham is mobile and will look to get out of the pocket but doesn’t have the same strong arm that Hockman possessed. At Charlotte’s Tuesday press conference, Healy said that the 49ers were preparing for Cunningham from the jump, so the news didn’t change their process.
Watch for a battle between two 5-foot-11 quarterbacks in Cunningham and the 49ers’ Chris Reynolds. Since accounting for 361 total yards in four touchdowns in the win over Duke, Reynolds has struggled to find a rhythm through the air. Reynolds is two passing touchdowns away from passing Matt Johnson for the most in 49ers’ history with 42.
This game is going to be about which team can minimize its weakness. With a new starting quarterback on a short week, the ability for Middle Tennessee to run the ball crucial, especially against a Charlotte defense that is allowing 266 rushing yards per game. The problem is, the Blue Raiders have only run for 162 yards all season. The offensive line has been banged up, leaving much to be desired for Rick Stockstill’s team.
The 49ers’ pass rush surpassed its 2020 sack total of five in Week 2 against Gardner-Webb. With seven sacks through three games, Charlotte’s defensive line led by Markees Watts must contain Cunningham and limit his time in the pocket. Watts is six sacks away from passing Alex Highsmith (Pittsburgh Steelers) for the most sacks in 49ers’ program history.
After converting 4 of 15 third-down attempts in a rain-drenched game against Georgia State, expect the 49ers offense to get Victor Tucker involved in the passing game to keep the chains moving. Tucker recorded just one catch for 11 yards in the loss. Seven different players have combined for the 49ers’ 10 touchdowns this season, including freshman wideouts Jairus “NoNo” Mack and Elijah Spencer.
In five previous matchups, the 49ers have only beaten Middle Tennessee once, a 34-20 victory at home in Healy’s first season.
CHARLOTTE 49ERS PLAYERS TO WATCH
1. Defensive back Jon Alexander is the 49ers’ highest-rated defender with a Pro Football Focus grade of 74.5 on the season. Alexander recorded a forced fumble and interception in the loss against Georgia State and has been excellent at open-field tackling through three games. Expect Alexander to swap between both safety positions and make plays from sideline to sideline.
2. Wide receiver Grant DuBose had his breakout game against Duke in Week 1, recording 118 yards and two touchdowns in the win. DuBose leads the 49ers’ offense with 209 yards on 11 catches, seven of which went for a first down. Going against a veteran secondary, expect Tucker to receive a lot of attention, allowing DuBose crucial one-on-one matchups.
3. Running back Calvin Camp is one of three backs who sees the most action for the 49ers but is listed as a starter for the first time this season. He had a costly fumble in the red zone in last week’s loss, but expect the 5-8 back to see plenty of reps for the 49ers this week. Camp leads the team with 30 carries for 160 yards a touchdown and is known for initiating contact and running angry.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE PLAYERS TO WATCH
1. Safety Reed Blankenship is back for his fifth year with the team and is well on his way to leaving Middle Tennessee as the program’s leader in tackles. Blankenship has a team-high 26 tackles and a pass deflection through three games. He was named to the preseason Bednarik Award watch list, given to the best defensive player in college football.
2. Wide receiver Jimmy Marshall is going to be a matchup nightmare for the 49ers’ secondary. The senior is 6-5 and 229 pounds and leads the Blue Raiders with 12 catches for 177 yards and a touchdown. Marshall led the team in touchdowns in 2019 with six before having his 2020 season cut short due to an injury. He caught a 10-yard touchdown in the 2019 loss against Charlotte.
3. Kicker Zeke Rankin has made all seven extra points but has yet to attempt a field goal this season. Middle Tennessee is one of three teams in the nation yet to kick a field goal in 2021. The Blue Raiders’ staff is comfortable with the freshman kicker from 45 and in. Will this be the game where Middle Tennessee finally settles for a field goal?
CHARLOTTE 49ERS FOOTBALL DEPTH CHART
Any position, whether it’s a starter or a backup, is listed with an —OR— designation.
Offense
QB — Chris Reynolds (James Foster)
RB — Calvin Camp (Shadrick Byrd)
WR — Victor Tucker (Keith Pearson Jr.)
WR — Cameron Dollar (Tre Goode)
WR — Grant DuBose (Elijah Spencer)
TE — Ryan Carriere (Taylor Thompson)
LT — Jaxon Hughes (Chibueze Nwanna)
LG — D’Mitri Emmanuel (Panda Askew)
OC — Hunter Kelly (Jonny King)
RG — Ashton Gist (Dejan Rasuo)
RT — T.J. Moore (Arabee Muslim)
Defense
EDGE — Markees Watts (Tyson Clawson —OR— Taylor Chandler)
DT — Bryan Wallace (Siah Sa’o—OR— Joshua Bailey)
DT — Isaac Hampton (Dez Morgan)
EDGE — Kofi Wardlow (Michael Kelly)
NICK — Tyler Murray (Solomon Rogers)
MLB — Luke Martin (B.J. Turner)
WLB — Justin Whisenhunt (Prince Bemah)
CB — Geovante Howard (Lance McMillan —OR— Valerian Agbaw)
SS — Solomon Rogers (Matt Martinez—OR— Marcus Robitaille)
FS — Jon Alexander (Steven Parker)
CB — Trey Creamer (Shedrick Ursery)
Specialists
PK — Jonathan Cruz (Max Blistein)
KO — Jonathan Cruz
P — Bailey Rice (Ethan Torres)
LS — Cameron Lyons (Colby Garfield)
H — Chris Reynolds
KOR — Calvin Camp (ChaVon McEachern —OR— Shadrick Byrd)
PR — Geovante Howard (Victor Tucker —OR— Cameron Dollar)