Wilson scores in final minute to lift Charlotte past Rice 21-20 in AAC contest

HOUSTON (AP) — Hahsaun Wilson scored on a 1-yard run with 47 seconds left to lift Charlotte to a 21-20 win over Rice on Saturday in the 49ers American Athletic Conference opener.

Deshawn Purdie threw a pair of long touchdown passes to O’Mega Blake in the third quarter to put Charlotte up 14-10 after three quarters but the Owls answered with E.J. Warner’s 41-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Mojarro and Enock Gota’s 25-yard field goal with 6:42 left to take a 20-14 lead.

Purdie connected with Blake with a 66-yard pass on the first play of Charlotte’s game-winning drive to set up a first down at the Rice 11, then Purdie found Colin Weber for 5 yards. But Purdie threw incomplete on second and third downs and the Owls were flagged for pass interference on fourth down to get new life with a minute left. Terron Kellman gained a yard, Wilson got the final yard to tie the game and Stephan Rusnak kicked the extra point to take the lead.

Warner drove Rice 53 yards in the final minute, aided by an illegal block in the back penalty on Charlotte to get a first down at the Rice 47. Warner connected with Matt Sykes for 25 yards, then scrambled for 6 yards to the Charlotte 22 to set up a 40-yard field goal attempt by Gotta, but he missed as time expired.

Purdie was 10 of 15 passing for 183 yards, hitting Blake five times for 153 yards, including touchdowns from 32- and 45-yards out to lead Charlotte (2-3).

Warner was 21 of 39 passing for 254 yards and two touchdowns to lead Rice (1-4, 0-2). Dean Connors carried 14 times for 121 yards, Sykes caught eight passes for 97 yards and Mojarro pulled in four passes for 73.

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