The Citadel
1-1 , 0-1
Charlotte
0-1 , 0-0
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | OT | OT | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Citadel | 7 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 43 |
| Charlotte | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 41 |
The Citadel Upsets Charlotte in Triple-Overtime Thriller, Topples 49ers 43-41
9/5/2026 9:33:00 PM | Football
Notably, the win serves as the 10th total victory for The Citadel over FBS opponents since the 1978 decision to reclassify Division I football in I-A (FBS) and I-AA (FCS), not to mention the program's first such result since Sept. 14, 2019, a 27-24 overtime upset at Georgia Tech. Additionally, the Bulldogs officially move to a perfect 2-0 against Charlotte all-time, coincidentally claiming both victories beyond regulation -- a 63-56 double-overtime slugfest on Oct. 11, 2014 plus now a 43-41 triple-overtime thriller on Sept. 5, 2026.
POSTGAME PRESSER
Maurice Drayton postgame after the win over Charlotte! 🗣️#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/PVT8M64SiP
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 6, 2026
Postgame interview from the winning QB, Nick Billoups! 🗣️#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/Olt1PIC2nc
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 6, 2026
"Coming into this game, coach Drayton really emphasized all week about worrying about us," The Citadel LB Zyion Brown said. "We had to control what we could control, but we were all 'Dogs at the end of the day. It was about the man in mirror and doing your 1/11 part and doing what you can do."
"I think this is a statement win for us," Garcia added. "Obviously, we didn't like what happened last week. We could have tucked tail against a bigger opponent, but we came out here and the defense got a couple of early turnovers and this time the offense had their backs and we came out with the win. To see these guys stayed composed after some calls and bounces didn't go our way shows the character of this team. It was so much fun to be a part of this game."
KEY NOTES
-- Offensively, the 49ers outgained The Citadel 538-to-400 on the day, running 11 more plays (74-to-63) and averaging a full yard more per play (7.3-to-6.3)
-- On the ground, though, The Citadel set the tone with 268 rushing yards on 50 carries for six total touchdowns, including a breakaway 56-yard score for Sebastien Boyle to open the third quarter; Garcia added his 137 yards on 21 carries for three TDs while Billoups contributed 38 yards for two touchdowns via 11 attempts
-- Through the air, Billoups and starter Quentin Hayes combined on 9-of-13 for 132 yards; for Charlotte, meanwhile, Western Carolina transfer Cole Gonzales produced 322 yards on 28-of-41 passing for three touchdowns with a pair of interceptions
-- For the receiving corps, Ismael Zamor paced the Bulldogs with three receptions for 56 yards, including a key grab during the second overtime; Damir Abdullah posted two catches of his own for 43 yards while Boyle tacked on two more receptions for 22 yards; finally, Whit Hobgood pulled down a pair of catches on the day for 11 yards, notably reeling in the eventual go-ahead game-winner on the two-point conversion in triple overtime
-- Defensively, Brown registered a team-best 11 tackles, including 1.5 tackles-for-loss with 1.0 logged as a sack, while also collecting the first turnover of the game via an interception midway through the first quarter; J'hari Mosley composed another competitive performance, notching six stops with 1.0 noted as a tackle-for-loss; Zeb Stroup swiped the second interception on the final play of the opening period, contributing three tackles as well
-- Notably, the Bulldogs' defense recorded the program's first back-to-back games with two or more turnovers since the 2021 campaign, a pair of losses to Furman (Oct. 16) and Western Carolina (Oct. 23)
-- On special teams, returner Braylon Knauth served as the top highlight via his 49-yard punt return late in the third quarter, nearly taking the kick to the house before Charlotte punter Ian Kelly brought the junior down; Jack Weil totaled six punts on the day as well, averaging 42.3 yards per kick with two pinning the 49ers inside their own 20-yard line and one sailing over 50 yards
-- Under center, Billoups took over for Hayes on the final drive of the first half, traveling 23 yards over nine plays; the script flipped for the remainder of the game, however, as the journeyman transfer proceeded to guide The Citadel to three consecutive touchdown-scoring possessions, not to mention back-to-back scoring drives in the first and second overtimes plus one successful two-point conversion to clinch the third overtime
-- Finally, the win serves as the first overtime game under fourth-year head coach Maurice Drayton since the Moncks Corner, S.C., native took the program helm ahead of the 2023 season; further, the contest also acts as the program's first overtime game and win since Nov. 13, 2021, a narrow 45-44 victory over Southern Conference rival Wofford at Johnson Hagood Stadium
GAMEDAY SOCIAL SYNC
On site in CLT 📍#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/xjv2BKFwVg
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 5, 2026
ZYION BROWN W/ THE PICK!!!
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 5, 2026
The Dartmouth transfer takes advantage of the early Charlotte miscue, setting up your Bulldogs inside 49ers' territory 🫡
💻: ESPN+ / https://t.co/M6A2BQNiXl
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJeoU
📊: https://t.co/UOhtRTloNO#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/f2J5tUeIKI
HAYES ➡️ ZAMOR DOWN THE SIDELINE 🎯👟
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 5, 2026
The Boston College grad toe-taps for a 36-yard grab, setting up The Citadel inside the red zone 🫡
💻: ESPN+ / https://t.co/M6A2BQNiXl
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJeoU
📊: https://t.co/UOhtRTloNO#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/J2R4ISTJfN
ZEB. STROUP. YESSIR 🫡
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 5, 2026
The tip drill falls the right way for The Citadel as the first quarter comes to a close, good for the second Bulldogs takeaway of the game 🏈🥷
💻: ESPN+ / https://t.co/M6A2BQNiXl
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJeoU
📊: https://t.co/UOhtRTloNO… pic.twitter.com/i4izLXjgiD
𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤 🦈5️⃣
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 5, 2026
The first of many for Gavin Garcia 😤#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/8cVxOkqeOz
BASH. BOUNCE. TO THE HOUSE.
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 5, 2026
Sebastien Boyle breaks off a 56-yard TD Bank touchdown rush down the left sideline to even things up just as the second half gets underway 🫡
💻: ESPN+ / https://t.co/M6A2BQNiXl
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJeoU #FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/knxqlTuD1P
DAMIR. ABDULLAH.
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 5, 2026
The 6-5 wideout GOES UP AND GETS IT for the 41-yard reception down the left sideline...Bulldogs on the move here in the third ➡️🏈
💻: ESPN+ / https://t.co/M6A2BQNQMT
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJMes#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/dDQWdZgEKq
KNAUTH ON THE BREAKAWAY!!!
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 5, 2026
The junior receiver NEARLY slips his way through the entire Charlotte punt unit, clocking a MASSIVE 49-yard return for the Bulldogs 🫡
💻: ESPN+ / https://t.co/M6A2BQNiXl
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJeoU#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/IPjZ1ZZ7nV
JALEN WRIGHT!!!
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 5, 2026
The linebacker transfer TRACKS DOWN Cole Gonzales on the fourth-and-short attempt, securing a Mercedes-Benz Vans Charleston TURNOVER-ON-DOWNS 🤯✨
💻: ESPN+ / https://t.co/M6A2BQNiXl
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJeoU#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/KyuGBuPfBb
RUMBLE YOUNG MAN RUMBLE ! GARCIA WOULD NOT BE DENIED😤
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 6, 2026
Breaks multiple tackles and fights his way 25 yards into the end zone to kick off overtime!
💻: ESPN+ / https://t.co/M6A2BQNiXl
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJeoU#FireThoseCannons | #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/M0sXvsbHsO
BILLOUPS ANSWERS IN DOUBLE OT!!!
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 6, 2026
The QB takes it himself from two yards out to knot it up at 41!
💻: ESPN+ / https://t.co/M6A2BQNiXl
🎙️: 102.1 FM / https://t.co/z21BNXJeoU#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/WO3bXMeUOf
DIALED IT UP WHEN IT MATTERED MOST! 📞😤
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 6, 2026
Billoups to Hobgood for the 𝐖𝐈𝐍!!!#FireThoseCannons | #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/dkgIaDyaLG
THE STOP THAT SEALED IT!!! 🔒😤
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 6, 2026
Defense shuts the door on the two-point try to finish off the triple-OT win!#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/QRB93468CZ
𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐀 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄! 🥳🤩#FireThoseCannons pic.twitter.com/KkHnOhrMdJ
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) September 6, 2026
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
CIT 7, CLT 0
CIT - Garcia,Gavin 2 yd run (Kiely,Evan kick), 5 plays, 48 yards, TOP 02:20
CIT 7, CLT 7
CLT - Alexander,Khamani 66 yd run (Kelly,Ian kick), 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:20
CIT 7, CLT 14
CLT - Eley,Derrick 43 yd pass from Gonzales,Cole (Kelly,Ian kick) 4 plays, 72 yards, TOP 02:00
CIT 14, CLT 14
CIT - Boyle,Sebastien 56 yd run (Kiely,Evan kick), 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:12
CIT 14, CLT 21
CLT - Gonzales,Cole 11 yd run (Kelly,Ian kick), 8 plays, 62 yards, TOP 05:07
CIT 21, CLT 21
CIT - Garcia,Gavin 1 yd run (Kiely,Evan kick), 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 06:06
CIT 28, CLT 21
CIT - Billoups,Nick 2 yd run (Kiely,Evan kick), 6 plays, 35 yards, TOP 03:08
CIT 28, CLT 28
CLT - Hampton,Jaylen 6 yd pass from Gonzales,Cole (Kelly,Ian kick) 14 plays, 72 yards, TOP 03:10
CIT 35, CLT 28
CIT - Garcia,Gavin 25 yd run (Kiely,Evan kick), 2 plays, 25 yards, TOP 00:00
CIT 35, CLT 35
CLT - Gonzales,Cole 8 yd run (Kelly,Ian kick), 4 plays, 25 yards, TOP 00:00
CIT 35, CLT 41
CLT - Hampton,Jaylen 18 yd pass from Gonzales,Cole () 2 plays, 25 yards, TOP 00:00
CIT 41, CLT 41
CIT - Billoups,Nick 2 yd run (), 5 plays, 25 yards, TOP 00:00
