Box Score

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – North Carolina Central University forced seven turnovers and used the second-longest kickoff return in school history to cruise to a 40-13 victory over the Charlotte 49ers in front of a sellout crowd of 16,630 fans inside Jerry Richardson Stadium.

Charlotte entered the contest unbeaten, having out-scored its two opponents 99-14, including 41-0 in the first quarter. However, NCCU scored the first 33 points of the game on Saturday and kept the 49ers off the scoreboard until midway through the fourth quarter.

NCCU struck first when junior Oleg Parent kicked a 39-yard field goal with 6:56 on the first-quarter clock.

On the ensuing possession, Charlotte posted a 13-play, 54-yard drive to set up a 37-yard field goal try by Blake Brewer, but his kick was blocked by NCCU sophomore Ryan Smith.

On the next play from scrimmage, the Eagles lost momentum and the pigskin when a Shaheed Swinson fumble was recovered by the 49ers at the NCCU 19-yard line.

Two plays later, NCCU took the momentum back when junior linebacker Demontray Ryland scooped up a fumble and rumbled 50 yards to the Charlotte 22-yard line. That play set up a 21-yard field goal by Parent to give the Eagles a 6-0 lead with 1:24 remaining in the opening quarter.

Charlotte threatened to score on the second drive of the second quarter, but on a second-down-and-goal play NCCU redshirt-freshman Tim Thaniel made a spectacular one-handed interception in the end zone to save a touchdown.

NCCU then moved 73 yards on 13 plays, but sophomore running back Deyonta Wright fumbled at the Charlotte 5-yard line to end the drive.

The NCCU defense returned the favor when freshman cornerback Michael Jones grabbed his first of two interceptions and returned the pick to the Charlotte 19-yard line.

The Eagles used five straight run plays, capped by a 4-yard gain by Wright, to pound in the first touchdown of the contest, giving NCCU a 13-0 halftime advantage.

The Eagles wasted no time in establishing themselves in the second half, as sophomore Adrian Wilkins returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, marking the longest kickoff return by an Eagle in 52 years (Richard Wilkins, 102 yards, Oct. 28, 1961 vs. Shaw).

Later in the third quarter, NCCU sophomore Tony William IV cut in front of a 49ers receiver for the Eagles' third interception of the afternoon and raced 48 yards to the end zone. Parent's extra-point kick was blocked to keep the score 26-0.

Still in the third quarter, NCCU drove 85 yards in eight plays, sparked by a 47-yard reception by Wilkins and 33 ground yards by Idreis Augustus, who ended the stretch with a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Eagles a 33-0 cushion with 2:41 left in the third stanza.

Charlotte lit the scoreboard with 8:20 remaining in the game as running back Alan Barnwell ran into the end zone from two yards out, capping a 11-play, 80-yard drive.

Jones' second interception of the day set up NCCU's final score, a 5-yard touchdown scamper by Augustus following a 43-yard run by sophomore Kevin Thompson.

Charlotte added some points with six seconds left on the clock on a 10-yard run by Lee McNeill to make the final score 40-13.

49ers quarterback Matt Johnson posted gaudy statistics, completing 35-of-52 passes for 335 yards, but his five interceptions were the difference in the outcome.

Charlotte amassed 533 yards of total offense on 106 plays (a record by an NCCU opponent) for an average of 5.0 yards per play. Still, NCCU's 385 yards of total offense, including a season-best 207 rushing yards, yielded an average of 6.0 yards per play.

Wilkins finished with 183 all-purpose yards for the Eagles, including 83 yards on a team-best five receptions and 100 yards on the second-longest kickoff return in NCCU history.

Augustus topped the Eagles' ground attack with 80 yards and a pair of touchdown runs.

NCCU senior quarterback Jordan Reid threw for 178 yards on 14-for-23 passing, while also rushing for 29 yards.

Junior safety Sayyid Muhammad collected a team-high 10 tackles to lead a heroic defensive effort by NCCU. Junior linebacker Tiron Guion added nine takedowns, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, while senior linebacker Tazmon Foster also tallied nine stops.

NCCU's defense recorded 153 return yards, including 103 yards on five interceptions.

Up next for NCCU is a home game on Sept. 21 against Towson, ranked No. 4 in NCAA Division I-FCS entering this weekend. Kickoff inside O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium is slated for 2 p.m.