Charlotte fell victim to the Hilltoppers quick-strike ability and was unable to climb out of the first-half hole in a 59-7 Conference USA loss to WKU, Saturday afternoon at home. Charlotte defensive end Markees Watts broke the 49ers' all-time career record with a sack in the second quarter.
WKU (6-4; C-USA: 4-2) scored a pair of TDs on its first three plays and built an insurmountable 35-0 lead at the half. QB Austin Reed threw for six touchdowns, including five by halftime, to tie the record for most TDs by an opposing QB.
"What a difference a week makes," said interim head coach Pete Rossomando, referring to the 49ers' 56-23 road win at Rice, last weekend, in his first game at the helm. "We just weren't good enough overall. We let them get started fast and we knew we couldn't allow that to happen. We just didn't play well, and I take responsibility for that."
Four of WKU's TD drives took :34 seconds or less, including its first two. The Hilltoppers scored 28 seconds into the game on a 46-yard TD pass from Reed to Jaylen Hall. After a Chris Reynolds' interception was returned to the seven-yard line, Daewood Davis pulled in a seven-yard TD catch on the Hilltoppers next play. The Hilltoppers added one more TD in the first quarter to go ahead 21-0, and then took a 28-0 lead early in the second quarter. They struck again just before halftime, going 56 yards on two plays in just 15 seconds to post a 35-0 halftime lead.
"I know the emotions of the whole week. Those are all excuses," Rossomando added, noting the recent coaching change and the subsequent 33-point victory. "You have to be ready to play a football game on Saturday and these guys know that. Part of my job is to make sure you don't have that hangover and I have to do a better job of making sure that doesn't happen."
Charlotte (2-8; C-USA: 1-5) opened the second half with a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive, but WKU answered quickly after an onside kick attempt to go back ahead by 35, 42-7
Charlotte's TD came on a 14-yard pass from Chris Reynolds to Elijah Spencer. It was Reynold's 20th TD pass of the year, marking his third season with 20
or more passing TDs. Spencer scored for the fourth time in the last two games. He matched Grant DuBose with his team-leading eighth TD catch of the season. He's scored in six of the last seven games.
In the fourth quarter, Charlotte's defense yielded a 40-yard FG and the Hilltoppers added a Pick Six in the fourth quarter before throwing a TD pass in the final minute to close out the scoring.
Charlotte had two drives into WKU territory in the first quarter but came away scoreless as the Hilltoppers built their lead. A fumble ended one drive and the second stalled after a penalty.
"When we did get into position to score points we got behind the chains," Rossomando noted. "There was a sack, a tackle for loss, and you have to give Western Kentucky credit for getting us behind the chains on those drives. We had a couple of holding penalties in there, and that helped put us behind the chains as well. Offensively, we turned it over twice early and we struggled to get in any sort of a rhythm."
Reynolds finished the game 17-of-27 for 196 yards and one TD and one INT. Xavier Williams came off the bench to throw for 27 yards on 2-of-7 passing, with one INT.
As for the career sacks record, Watts now has 20.5 career sacks, topping the record of current Pittsburgh Steelers starter Alex Highsmith, who had 20.0 in his career.
NOTES:
Victor Tucker broke the 49ers career record for games started. Tucker made his 47th career start. The previous record was 46, set by DT Larry Ogunjobi, a starter for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who started all 46 games of his career.
K Antonio Zita kicked his 32nd straight PAT of the season to break the 49ers single-season record for consecutive made PATs. He has made all 32 attempts this season. The previous record of 31 was set by Blake Brewer in 2013. Charlotte's record for consecutive PATs in a career is 61, set by Jonathan Cruz over three seasons of play (2019-21).
Freshman Johnny Martin III led the 49ers with 85 rushing yards, the most by a 49er this season.
Grant DuBose led Charlotte's receivers with 88 yards, his most since the season-opener at FAU.
S Solomon Rogers led Charlotte's defense with six tackles
NEXT:
Charlotte plays at Middle Tennessee in the final road game of the season, Nov. 12 at 3:30 p.m. The 49ers are 2-3 on the road, this season.
Original source can be found here.