First look: Charlotte football looks to bounce back against Memphis in AAC road game
Charlotte football hits the road again to face another tough conference opponent.
The Memphis Tigers, who boast the second-most passing yards in the American Athletic Conference, have won six of their seven games this season.
Senior running back Mario Anderson Jr. — the top tailback at South Carolina in 2023 — has rushed for 13 touchdowns, the second-most in the conference. The Summerville, S.C., native was an All-American in Division II before transferring to the Gamecocks and has emerged as an AAC standout in his first year with the Tigers.
Memphis (6-1, 4-0 American), unbeaten through four home games, welcomes the 49ers (3-4, 2-1 American) to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium at noon Sunday.
Key matchup: How far can Charlotte go against Memphis defense?
While the Tigers have the third-best defense in the American, they’re winning by an average margin of 14.2 points.
Memphis battled through five lead changes in its 52-44 victory over North Texas on Saturday. While its offense has the second-most passing yards in the conference, the defense hasn’t been perfect.
Still, the Tigers lead the American with 10 fumble recoveries this season. Their lone loss this season has come at the hands of No. 24 Navy, which poured 56 points on Memphis last month.
Charlotte, which has scored at least two touchdowns in each game since the opener, kept itself in it for most of the first half against still unbeaten and now No. 13-ranked Indiana with a potent rushing attack. If the Niners can pound the rock early against another strong American Athletic Conference opponent, there’s no reason why the Tigers pull away too soon.
Player to watch: Charlotte RB Cartevious Norton
The Niners’ run game is pivotal to their success, and Saturday’s game at Memphis will be no different.
Hahsaun Wilson rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns — the second-best for a single game in program history in both categories — during last year’s overtime loss to the then-AAC-best Tigers. It’ll be important for him and Terron Kellman to get going on Saturday, but a big game from Cartevious Norton could be what makes a difference.
Norton, who impressed early in his career at Iowa State, has 332 rushing yards this season on 64 handoffs. Both his touchdowns came in the big win over East Carolina, and the former All-Big 12 newcomer has looked explosive in his first season with the 49ers.
Charlotte ended up seeing the most rushing yards from Brown last week, as the quarterback totaled 67 yards on 18 scrambles. Norton got up to 59 yards on 16 carries, and a little more consistency could be what keeps the Niners in the game against Memphis.
Vegas betting odds
Memphis opens as a 19.5-point favorite over Charlotte on FanDuel Sportsbook. The Niners’ moneyline is +720, and the over/under is set at 55.5 points.
How to watch the Charlotte 49ers at Memphis
Matchup: Charlotte 49ers (3-3) at Memphis Tigers (6-1)
TV: ESPNU
Stream: ESPN.com and ESPN App
Radio: ESPN 730
Date: Saturday, Oct. 26
Time: Noon ET
Place: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, Tennessee
