Pinned
Link copied
The Charlotte 49ers are 1-3 against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers since October of 2017, but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Saturday. Charlotte and WKU will face off in a Conference USA battle at 4 p.m. ET at Houchens-Smith Stadium. The Hilltoppers should still be riding high after a victory, while Charlotte will be looking to right the ship.
Charlotte's and the Florida Atlantic Owls' contest last week was up for grabs at halftime, but Charlotte was thoroughly outmatched 31 to nothing in the second half. The 49ers found themselves the reluctant recipients of an unfortunate 38-9 punch to the gut against the Owls. That makes it the first time this season Charlotte has let down their home crowd.
Meanwhile, WKU ran circles around the FIU Panthers last week, and the extra yardage (531 yards vs. 309 yards) paid off. The Hilltoppers enjoyed a cozy 34-19 win over FIU. WKU relied on the efforts of QB Bailey Zappe, who passed for three TDs and 368 yards on 49 attempts, and WR Jerreth Sterns, who caught 14 passes for two TDs and 116 yards.
The 49ers have to know they'll be fighting an uphill battle given the 17.50 point spread they are up against. Those burned by picking them against the spread last Thursday might want to keep in mind that the squad has not yet dropped back-to-back games against the spread this season.
Charlotte is now 4-3 while WKU sits at a mirror-image 3-4. A couple defensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: Charlotte is stumbling into the matchup with the 236th most passing touchdowns allowed in the nation, having given up 16 on the season. The Hilltoppers have experienced some struggles of their own as they are 231st worst in the nation in rushing touchdowns allowed, with 15 on the season. It's possible one of these Achilles' heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
