CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb football team dropped a heartbreaking 27-26 contest at Charlotte on Saturday evening inside Jerry Richardson Stadium.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs struck first in the opening quarter, traversing the field for 69 yards on 11 plays before a 30-yard field goal by Jay Billingsley gave Gardner-Webb the early 3-0 advantage.
 
Defense was on full display for GWU as it wreaked havoc in the backfield the majority of the first half. After a pair of fumble recoveries turned into no points, Trevor Moffitt took the game into his hands, intercepting Charlotte's Deshawn Purdie while returning the rock 45 yards for the first defensive score of the year for Gardner-Webb.
 
Forcing the 49ers to punt, the Runnin' Bulldogs took over on its own 1-yard line with 5:44 on the clock. The long field ahead did nothing to deter GWU as Tyler Riddell used his right arm to lead the team down the field with little to no push by Charlotte. A connection of 31 yards to Giovanni Adopte set up a beautiful 30 yard pitch-and-catch to the back of the end zone from Riddell to Anthony Lowe, giving the visitors a 17-0 lead.
 
Charlotte was finally able to put points on the board after marching into Gardner-Webb territory before a Stephen Rusnak 54-yard field goal at the horn cut the GWU lead to 17-3 at the break.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs were able to get those three points back coming out of the intermission following a drive of 12 plays that covered 48 yards. Billingsley tacked on his second field goal of the game, this time from 44 yards.
 
Offense was at a premium over the remainder of the third quarter as Charlotte managed to add on a field goal late to send the game into the final stanza with Gardner-Webb leading 20-6.
 
After forcing GWU to punt the ball away, the 49ers inched closer with a long drive that was capped by an 11-yard touchdown catch by Blake O'Mega. However, the two-point conversion failed, leaving the score at 20-12 in favor of the Runnin' Bulldogs.
 
A three-and-out on the next GWU drive gave Charlotte the ball back at its own 25-yard line. The 49ers wasted no time covering the needed 75 yards while a successful two-point try evened the game at 20-all with just over five minutes to play.
 
An untimely interception on the 'Dawgs next possession turned the ball back over to the Charlotte offense. It took the 49ers just one play to take their first lead of the game, 27-20.
 
Faced with a deficit for the first time, Gardner-Webb started the next series on the 25-yard line and was staring at a 4^th-and-10, but an improbable 35-yard completion to Adopte moved the ball into 49er territory. A Caleb Borders 30-yard catch placed the ball inside the 1-yard line before Carson Gresock toted the rock across the goal line for a GWU score. Going for lead, the ensuing two-point conversion was snuffed out and Gardner-Webb failed to recover the onside kick as Charlotte escaped the narrow 27-26 win.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs will be back in action next Saturday as they travel to Clinton, S.C. to face the Blue Hose of Presbyterian. Kickoff for that contest is slated for 7 p.m.