<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4JSEkg_0vofSeLb00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4JSEkg_0vofSeLb00" width="1210" height="806" ></figure>Over 17,000 spectators stood still in anticipation.A sorely-needed conference victory stood on the line for both parties plagued by 1-3 starts. The Rice Owls on one sideline and the Charlotte 49ers on the other. Sixty minutes of physical action that featured 767 combined yards of offense came down to whether the leather landed through the uprights. Rice kicker Enock Gota lined up for the 40-yard field goal, but as the ball traversed through the air, it continued to drift left.The ball flew outside the left upright, signifying a 21-20 victory for Charlotte which improved to 1-0 in AAC play. It marked the 49ers’ third FBS victory in two seasons under head coach Biff Poggi which all transpired away from home.Charlotte stumbled to a 10-0 deficit at halftime, but the 49ers made one key adjustment which swung the momentum of the game. After an 8-of-21 start with an interception, Poggi benched starting quarterback Trexler Ivey in favor of true freshman Deshawn Purdie. Purdie suffered a leg injury while leading the 49ers to a comeback victory in Week 3 vs. FCS Gardner-Webb, but he finally returned to the gridiron Saturday much to his team’s benefit. He provided an instant spark by launching a deep ball to O’Mega Blake on his third throw. Blake hauled in an over-the-shoulder grab in the end zone, registering a 32-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to one score.One possession later, the Purdie to Blake connection showed its strength once again. Blake lined up in the slot and sprinted past Rice star strong safety Gabe Taylor on a streak, hauling in a 45-yard bomb to lift the 49ers ahead, 14-10.The Owls responded with a veteran player not used to hearing his name called on gameday. Tight end Elijah Mojarro was the unlikely savior of the Owl offense, collecting 73 yards on four receptions when the sixth-year senior never attained more than 78 yards in a single season. Mojarro utilized his 6’4”, 245 pound frame to bounce off defenders during Rice’s comeback, collecting 25 yards on one key reception and 41 on the next. On the latter play, he pinballed off three defenders to produce the go-ahead touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter — the first of his career.Rice notched a 25-yard field goal with 6:42 remaining, stalling inside the Charlotte 10-yard line with a chance to ice the game. Instead, it kept the door ajar for the 49ers in a 20-14 ballgame and Poggi’s team answered the call. Charlotte started its final possession with 1:45 remaining from its own 23-yard line. And as expected, the 49ers dialed up their most trustworthy connection. This time, Purdie delivered a strike to Blake for 66 yards to land on the Owls’ 11.However, Charlotte’s offense couldn’t notch the go-ahead score in four plays. But on the fourth play, Rice cornerback Sean Fresch was assessed with a pass interference flag that breathed new life into the 49ers. It was beneficial for Charlotte that it took three plays to punch the ball into the end zone as Rice exhausted two timeouts before Hahsaun Wilson manufactured the go-ahead touchdown with 47 seconds remaining.Quarterback E.J. Warner was unfazed by the situation, delivering passes of 10, 22, and 25 yards to fly down the field. He guided Rice down to the 22-yard line to set up Gota’s 40-yard game-winning attempt. Unlike the kicker’s earlier two tries in the night, this one wound up outside the uprights to hand the Owls their third-straight defeat.The missed field goal officially sealed Charlotte’s Purdie-led comeback. The first-year quarterback finished 10-of-15 with 183 yards and two touchdowns in the victory with 153 of those yards in the direction of Blake. Those three explosive plays were all Charlotte needed to win as all three resulted in, or led to, the 49ers’ three touchdowns. Purdie didn’t even need another completion beyond nine yards and no ball carrier picked up more than 14, proving how essential those three home run shots were.Rice’s offense was more consistent but the Owls couldn’t finish drives. Mike Bloomgren’s team out-gained its opponent, 463-304, and won the turnover battle 1-0, but the inability to finish drives ultimately stung the Owls. Rice kicked a pair of short field goals and also failed two fourth down attempts in the red zone. Those shortcomings overshadowed Warner’s best showing as an Owl (254 passing yards), as well as Dean Connors’ stellar day on the ground which featured 121 yards mainly stemming from two breakaway carries.Rice (1-4, 0-2 AAC) is an adverse situation after stumbling to its worst start since dropping its first nine games in 2019. The Owls are 0-2 as home favorites against FBS competition this year, and they’ll need a tremendous bounce-back to qualify for six wins for the second consecutive season. A bye week awaits before Rice remains in Houston to host UTSA on Oct. 12.Charlotte (2-3, 1-0 AAC) is perfect in the conference standings after a rough start to 2024. The 49ers are one win away from matching their win total from year one of the Poggi era. Next up on the docket is an in-state rivalry with East Carolina on Oct. 5, and Poggi hopes to obtain his first home victory at Jerry Richardson Stadium as Charlotte hosts the purple and gold.</div></body>

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Purdie, Blake fuel comeback as Charlotte beats Rice in 21-20 nail-biter

Over 17,000 spectators stood still in anticipation. A sorely-needed conference victory stood on the line for both parties plagued by 1-3 starts. The Rice Owls on one sideline and the Charlotte 49ers on the other. Sixty minutes of physical action that featured 767 combined yards of offense came down to whether the leather landed through the uprights. Rice kicker Enock Gota lined up for the 40-yard field goal, but as the ball traversed through the air, it continued to drift left.

Purdie, Blake fuel comeback as Charlotte beats Rice in 21-20 nail-biter

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