Tulane 38-31 Charlotte: 17 unanswered points settle it after overtime

Twenty-four points in a single quarter, seven across everything that followed. That is Charlotte's night in one line: a second-quarter eruption that produced a 24-14 halftime lead and a 31-21 fourth-quarter cushion, then 17 straight Tulane points, a forced overtime, and a 38-31 home defeat after the extra period failed to produce a single 49ers point.

Johnnie Daniels put the Green Wave in front in the first quarter, 7-0, before Charlotte detonated in the second. Khamani Alexander's touchdown levelled it at 7-7, Aiden Bui's field goal nudged the 49ers ahead 10-7, and Tavare Smith answered for Tulane to restore a 14-10 edge. The reply was immediate: Jaden Barnes reclaimed the lead at 17-14, Derrick Eley piled on, and the 49ers walked into halftime up 24-14.

Tulane stayed within one score after Daniels' second touchdown trimmed it to 24-21, and when Eley scored again in the fourth quarter, 31-21 read like a settled game. It wasn't. Cooper Helmke's field goal made it 31-24, and Cameron Roberts' touchdown with the extra point dragged the game into overtime at 31-31 — the second dead heat of the night after 7-7.

Dagan Bruno settled it in overtime, his touchdown and extra point worth Tulane's first lead since the second quarter. Daniels' two scores had kept the Green Wave within reach through the middle of the night, and Tulane's overtime defence blanked the 49ers to let the winner stand.

Twenty-four in one quarter is fireworks. Seventeen unanswered the other way is a heist — and the Green Wave left town with the loot.