CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kelley Joiner ran for 140 yards and two touchdowns to spearhead a South Florida ground game that amassed 425 yards and six touchdowns in the Bulls’ 59-24 win over Charotte on Saturday.
South Florida (5-5, 3-3 American Athletic) forced four Charlotte turnovers.
Cartevious Norton capped a 73-yard, 12-play drive with a six-yard run to give Charlotte a 7-0 first-quarter lead. After Ta’Ron Keith evened the game with a 16-yard run for South Florida, the 49ers took the lead again on Stephen Rusnak’s 50-yard field goal with 8:38 left in the first half.
Nay’Quan Wright scored from the 6 and Joiner ran 54 yards for his first touchdown to make it 21-10. Norton scored from the 2 to get Charlotte within 21-17 before USF rolled off 24 straight points.
Wright scored again from the 6 and John Cannon booted a 33-yard field goal. Brent Austin had a 14-yard pick-six and two minutes later Mac Harris recovered a Charlotte fumble and returned it 25 yards for a score to make it 45-17 after three quarters.
Deshawn Purdie threw 15 yards to Isaiah Myers for Charlotte’s last score before Joiner broke a 45-yard touchdown run and Alvon Isaac added a nine-yard run for the final TD.
Bryce Archie was 11 of 16 passing for 126 yards with an interception and added 72 yards on six carries.
Purdie was 17 of 29 passing for 256 yards to lead Charlotte (3-7, 2-4). He threw for one touchdown and was intercepted twice. Myers had four catches for 82 yards.
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