CHARLOTTE 49ERS GAME NOTES CHARLOTTE 49ERS (4-5; C-USA: 2-3) SEASON 7 GAME 10 Charlotte at UTEP at UTEP MINERS (1-7; C-USA: 0-5) Sat., Nov. 9 at 3:00 p.m. Sun Bowl (51,500) Charlotte will ride its current two-game win streak to UTEP for Saturday’s 3 p.m. show- El Paso, Texas down with the Miners (ESPN+). Charlotte has won back-to-back C-USA games (vs. North Texas; vs. Middle Tennessee) for the first time since 2016. Charlotte has scored 10 touch- TV: ESPN+ downs over the two-game win streak and had three different 100-yard rushers. Radio: 730 The Game Charlotte Sports Network from Learfield WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IMG College Sports Charlotte leads C-USA in rushing offense (211.0/gm) and time of possession (32:48) ... PxP: Matt Swierad Charlotte ranks 22nd in the nation with a single-season record 27.0 sacks (3.00/gm) ... RB Analyst: Al Wallace Benny LeMay leads C-USA in all-Purpose Yards (133.0/gm) and ranks second in rushing Sideline: Bobby Rosinski (822 yds; 102.8/gm) ... former walk-on DE Alex Highsmith is 2nd in C-USA and 11th in the FBS with 8.5 sacks (0.94/gm) and owns the school’s single-game (2.0), season (8.5) and Charlotte Head Coach: career (14.5) sack records ... in the win over Middle Tennessee (248 rushing yards), Char- Will Healy (Richmond, 2008) lotte used the same starting offensive line for the second straight game for the first time at CLT:................................. 4-5 (1st year) this year ... Charlotte matched its school record for wins at home (4), set last season ... Overall: ..........................17-26 (4th year) Charlotte needs one win to tie the program record for wins in a season (2013; 2014; 2018). UTEP Head Coach: Dana Dimel (Kansas State, ‘86) MILESTONE TO LOOK FOR At UTEP (Yrs.): ........................2-18 (2nd) Sr. RB Benny LeMay (2972 career rushing yards) needs 28 to reach 3,000 in his career ... Overall (Yrs.): ........................ 32-57 (9th) LeMay will join Kalif Phillips (career record 4,020 yards) as the only two 49ers that have eclipsed the 3,000-yard plateau ... LeMay sat out the Middle Tennessee game with injury. UTEP Location: El Paso, Texas SACK ATTACK Enrollment: 25,151 DEs Alex Highsmith (8.5) and Markees Watts (7.5) rank 2-3 in C-USA in sacks. The duo has Nickname: Miners led Charlotte to a school-record 27 sacks (3.0/gm). The 49ers rank 22nd in the nation. Colors: Dark Blue, Orange, Silver Accent Conference: Conference USA REYNOLDS AMONG C-USA LEADERS Stadium: Sun Bowl (51,500) R-So. QB Chris Reynolds, who began his career as a walk-on, has emerged as one of C-USA’s top QBs. Reynolds has completed 62.3% of his passes (124-199) for 1680 yards (186.7/gm). 2018 Record: ............. 1-11 (Conf: 1-7/T6th West) He ranks 2nd in C-USA in passing efficiency (153.7) and third in passing TDs (16), yards per completion (13.55), and yards per attempt (8.44). He’s has a TD pass in each of the last five NOTES: games. In the last two wins, he has thrown for 528 yds (264.0/gm) and four TDs while run- Charlotte is playing UTEP for the first time ning for 199 yds (99.5/gm) and two TDs. He’s completed 71.7% (38-53) in the two games. This is the second C-USA opponent this sea- son that Charlotte played for the first time REYNOLDS EARNS SECOND STRAIGHT MANNING AWARD STAR OF THE WEEK W, 39-38 vs. North Texas R-So. QB Chris Reynolds was named one of the Manning Award Stars of the Week for the second straight week. Reynolds completed 14-of-21 psses (67%) for 92 yards and a TD and Charlotte is 0-4 on the road this season; 0-2 ran for a career-high 103 yards and a TD in the 49ers 34-20 win over Middle Tennessee. He in C-USA road games (at FIU; at WKU) also earned a nod last week, following 49ers’ 39-38 comeback win over North Texas, Oct. Charlotte has had at least one 100-yard rush- 26 in which he threw for a program FBS record 336 yards, ran for 96 and was responsible er in each of the 49ers wins this season. for 4 TDs (3 passing; 1 running). With a win Charlotte would extend its win streak to three games, matching the 49ers 100-YARD PERFORMANCES single-season record (2014). Charlotte had five 100-yard performances by five different players in the last two games: OL Cam Clark is expected to make his 28th NT: Benny LeMay 155 ru.; Victor Tucker 140 rcv.; Tyler Ringwood 100 rcv. consecutive start and play in his 46th career MT: Aaron McAllister 104 ru.; Chris Reynolds 103 ru. game, one shy of the school record. 2019 SCHEDULE (4-5; C-USA: 2-3) Charlotte will have a bye following this game August (Nov. 16) before returning to action Nov. 23 Thurs. 29 GARDNER-WEBB ESPN+ Charlotte, N.C. W, 49-28 September NEXT GAME, Sat. Nov. 23 Sat. 7 at Appalachian State ESPN+ Boone, N.C. L, 41-56 vs. Marshall (6-3; C-USA: 4-1) Sat. 14 MASSACHUSETTS ESPN+ Charlotte, N.C. W, 52-17 Nov. 15: Marshall vs. LA Tech Sat. 21 at Clemson ACCN Clemson, S.C. L, 10-52 Marshall Sat. 28 FLORIDA ATLANTIC* (HC) NFLN Charlotte, N.C. L, 27-45 Location: Huntington, W.Va. October Enrollment: 13,631 Sat. 5 BYE Nickname: Thundering Herd Sat. 12 at FIU* ESPN+ Miami, Fla. L, 23-48 Colors: Kelly Green and White Conference: Conference USA Sat. 19 at WKU* ESPN+ Bowling Green, Ky. L, 14-30 Stadium: Joan C. Edwards Stadium Sat. 26 NORTH TEXAS* ESPN+ Charlotte, N.C. W, 39-38 (38,227) November Sat. 2 MIDDLE TENNESSEE ESPN3 Charlotte, N.C. W, 34-20 Doc Holliday (West Virginia, ‘78) At Marshall (Yrs.): ....................... 76-49 (10th) Sat. 9 at UTEP* ESPN+ El Paso, Texas 3:00 Overall (Yrs.): .............................. 76-49 (10th) Sat. 16 BYE Sat. 23 MARSHALL* STADIUM Charlotte, N.C. 3:30 2018 Record: ................9-4 (Conf: 6-2/T2nd East) Sat. 30 at Old Dominion* ESPN+ Norfolk, Va. 2:00 Gasparillo Bowl: W, 38-20 vs. USF Home games in bold * Conference USA game Times are subject to change REYNOLDS NAMED C-USA OFFENSIVE POTW VS. NORTH TEXAS R-So. QB Chris Reynolds was named C-USA’s Offensive Player of the Week and earned a spot on both the Davey O’Brien Award Great 8 and the Manning Award Stars of the Week following 49ers’ 39-38 comeback win over North Texas, Oct. 26. -- Career-high 336 passing yards with 3 TDs -- Career-high 96 rushing yards with one TD -- School-record 432 yds of total offense -- Three four-quarter TD drives asCharlotte rallied from a 14-point deficit -- GW 34-yd TD pass with 00:18 left to play HEROICS/DRAMATICS VS. NORTH TEXAS Charlotte staged its largest comeback at the FBS level, rallying from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to overtake North Texas, 39-38. Charlotte scored three touchdowns to outscore North Texas 18-3 in the fourth quarter. Charlotte won the game on Chris Reynolds’ 34-yard TD pass to Victor Tucker with 18 seconds left. Here’s the rest of the story: -- Reynolds broke the school-record with 432 yds of total offense School FBS record 336 passing yards; career-high 96 rushing yards -- Reynolds passed for three touchdowns and ran for another -- RB Benny LeMay posted a season-high 155 rushing yards and had three TDs -- WRs Victor Tucker (144 yds); Tyler Ringwood (110 yds) posted career-high 100-yd games -- Charlotte DT Timmy Horne blocked a 43-yard FGA in the 4th quarter -- Markees Watts tied a school-record with 2.0 sacks, including a strip sack on the final play -- Jeff Gemmell led the 49ers with a team-high 12 tackles and recovered the final fumble OFFENSIVE OUTPUT Charlotte leads C-USA in rushing and TOP and ranks the top five in scoring and passing efficien- cy. The 49ers rushed for 200+ six times and scored 40+ points three times. 49ers are on pace to shatter existing FBS records for rushing (176.2, 2016) and scoring (25.2; 2016) in a season. Offensive Category Stat C-USA rank FBS rank Rushing Off. 211.0 1st 26th Scoring Off. 32.1 4th 50th Time of Possession 32:48 1st 16th Passing efficiency 148.04 3rd 35th BENNY AND HIS STATS RB Benny LeMay, a Doak Walker candidate and preseason all-C-USA selection, has 100+ yards in five games, leads C-USA in all-purpose yards (133.0/gm) and is 2nd in C-USA in rushing (102.8/ gm) and TDs scored (11). He has scored in the last three games he has played. LeMay Category Stat C-USA rank FBS rank All-Purpose yards/game 133.0 1st 14th Rushing yards 822 2nd 25th Rushing yards/game 102.8 2nd 23rd Total TDs 11 2nd 19th Rushing TDs 7 4th 43rd SACK KING R-Sr. DE Alex Highsmith is the 49ers all-time sack king, with school records for career (14.5) and single-season (8.5) sacks. He has tied the single-game sack record (2.0 vs. Gardner-Webb and App State), twice this season. A Bednarik Watch Lister and preseason all-C-USA choice, High- smith ranks 11th in the nation and 2nd in C-USA with 8.5 sacks (0.94/gm).