CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Sean Brown got turned around in the end zone and still managed to pull in a 28-yard pass from Trexler Ivey, then caught a two-point conversion pass to tie the game at 20-20 with just over five minutes to play as Charlotte erased a 17-point third-quarter deficit to beat Gardner-Webb, 27-26 on Saturday.
Ivey threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes and Hahsaun Wilson found daylight off his right tackle and raced 39 yards to take the lead with 4:55 left, but the Runnin’ Bulldogs got within a point with 1:55 remaining on a one-yard run by Carson Gresock, but the 49ers defended the two-point conversion attempt to preserve the comeback win.
Gardner-Webb scored the game’s first 17 points on a 30-yard field goal by Jay Billingsley, Trevor Moffitt’s 45-yard pick-six and a 30-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Ridell to Anthony Lowe with 35 seconds left in the first half.
Stephen Rusnak got Charlotte on the board with a 54-yard field goal as time expired to make it 17-3, but Billingsley added a 44-yard field goal to push the lead back to 17 points.
Deshawn Purdie started and was 16 of 23 passing for 194 yards with an interception. Ivey came on to complete 11 of 12 attempts for 142 yards and two touchdowns for the 49ers (1-2).
Ridell was 23 of 37 passing to lead Gardner-Webb (0-3) with 340 yards and a touchdown but was picked off three times.
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