Football Sees Season Comes to a Close against Charlotte

Saturday, November 24

Boca Raton, Fla.

6:00 P.M.

Florida Atlantic

5-7 , 3-5

Charlotte

5-7 , 4-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

CHA

FAU

11/24/2018 9:28:00 PM | Football

Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University football's season came to an end on Saturday with a 27-24 loss to Charlotte, as the 49ers converted a 56-yard field goal with just 25 seconds left to take the win at FAU Stadium.

Quotable
"Obviously a very disappointing day," said Head Coach Lane Kiffin. "Just kind of the story of our season, good parts in the middle there, taking the lead (at) 21-10. Then coming out and having a really bad third quarter, only scoring three points in the second half, not going to win a lot of games that way. That guy made a great kick at the end, a 56-yarder. Very difficult game and season to swallow."

Quick Hits

Charlotte (5-7, 4-4 Conference USA) won the coin toss but chose to defer, and FAU (5-7, 3-5 C-USA) needed just one play to break the program's all-time record for the quickest score in a game. Chris Robison's jet sweep to Kerrith Whyte, Jr., went for 75 yards in just 13 seconds for a 7-0 lead
The 49ers knotted it up with a 10-play drive a little under five minutes later, and took the lead 6:07 after that on a 30-yard field goal
After an FAU missed field goal early in the second quarter, Noah Jefferson sacked Charlotte's Hasaan Klugh on the first play of the ensuing drive for a loss of 10. That was the start of a 3-and-out, forcing a 49er punt
FAU regained the lead with 3:29 left in the half when they converted on a 4th-and-2 with a 23-yard pass from Robison to John Raine, the latter's first career touchdown reception
Similarly gaining a career first was Korel Smith, intercepting Klugh six plays later for the game's first turnover
That turned into quick FAU points, with Robison keeping it himself for a four-yard touchdown run and a 21-10 lead right before the break
Charlotte's second possession of the third included back-to-back rushes of 20 and 54 yards, the second for a score to cut it to 21-17 midway through the third
Late in the frame, Devin Singletary moved ahead of former Tulane star Matt Forte into sixth place on the Conference USA all-time rushing yardage list
The back-and-forth game went back into Charlotte's favor less than a minute into the fourth, with the rushing score making it 24-21
The second tie of the game came with 3:12 remaining, as Vladimir Rivas split the uprights on a 33-yard field goal
But Charlotte got the game-winner with 25 seconds to go, and the Owls' last gasp ended after a fumble at midfield on a lateral attempt
FAU passers, Robison and De'Andre Johnson, combined for over 300 yards, and spread it out to seven receivers. Whyte led in yardage with 92, while Harrison Bryant had the most catches (five) and added 86 yards
Singletary ended the night with 88 yards rushing, while Johnson added 65