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Charlotte football aiming for second bowl berth in program history in 2020

By Michael Hanich

BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY - OCTOBER 19: Benny LeMay #32 of the Charlotte 49ers runs with the ball against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers during the first quarter of the game on October 19, 2019 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY - OCTOBER 19: Benny LeMay #32 of the Charlotte 49ers runs with the ball against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers during the first quarter of the game on October 19, 2019 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images) /
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Charlotte football is looking to make a consecutive postseason bowl appearance in their six years as an FBS program and contend for the East division.

After one season with a relatively unknown head coach and his staff, the Charlotte 49ers are turning into one of the most surprising cinderella teams in the C-USA. The 49ers managed to account for their first winning season and bowl appearance in program history under first-year head coach Will Healy.

Charlotte finished with a 7-6 record with the appearance in the Bahamas Bowl against Buffalo.

The 49ers had big wins over Middle Tennessee and Marshall this past season to help get them to a bowl game. This was the first time in their five-year existence in the FBS that they have seen not only progress but actual results in the first year alone.

Now the 49ers will look to the upcoming season after pulling the seventh-ranked recruiting class in the C-USA in 2020. The 49ers are once again projected to finish with another 7-5 record and fourth place spot in the East division. Smith & Street predict they will finish in third place in the East ahead of Marshall and just behind FAU and Western Kentucky. College Football News predicts a decline with the program in 2020 as they will finish with a 5-7 record.

There much to learn about this 49ers team that has yet to make a deep push for the East title or maintain a consistent winning path year after year.

There is a lot of potential in these players that were undervalued by other FBS programs. An example of their potential is their former defensive end and two-time first-team all-conference selection in Alex Highsmith, who had 75 total tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss and 15 sacks in 2019. He was drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 49ers have talent and potential on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. They will look to their veteran leaders on both sides of the ball and expand on the roles that the top returning playmakers best excel in.

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