CHARLOTTE — Chris Reynolds threw two touchdown passes as Charlotte ran up an early lead and never looked back, beating Massachusetts 52-17 on Saturday.
Reynolds had 155 yards passing for the 49ers (2-1). Benny LeMay ran for 113 yards on 16 carries.
Charlotte scored 28-unanswered points, beginning with a 46-yard touchdown strike from Reynolds to Cameron Dollar on the third play of the game. Ishod Finger scored from a yard out to make it 14-0 and, on the first play following the ensuing kickoff, Henry Segura picked off UMass QB Andrew Brito and returned it 49 yards for another touchdown to make it 21-0 with 4:11 left in the first quarter.
Reynolds struck again early in the second, this time to Tyler Ringwood, for a 28-0 advantage. UMass managed a touchdown and a field goal late in the half but it made little difference as a 53-yard field goal by Jonathan Cruz in the final second put the 49ers up 31-10 at halftime.
UMass scored just once in the second half, on a 42-yard punt return for a touchdown by Isaiah Rodgers.
Brito threw for 127 yards and a score for the Minutemen (0-3).
