As USF football heads to Charlotte, here are 3 things the Bulls need to do

USF vs. Charlotte

November 16, 3:30 p.m.

ESPN+ -- Justin Kutcher (play-by-play), Reginald Walker, Jr. (analyst), Smacker Miles (sideline)

USF heads to Charlotte for its 10th football game of the season, and it’s as close to a “must-win” situation as the Bulls can get.

Charlotte is 3-6 overall with three consecutive losses, but the 49ers should be well-rested. This will be their first game since losing 34-3 to Tulane 16 days ago.

It is also Charlotte’s homecoming.

The Bulls, 4-5 overall with three games left, would take a big step toward bowl eligibility with a win. If they lose, they’ll have to win their final two games at home against Tulsa and at Rice to earn a second consecutive post-season trip.

The Bulls played one of their poorest games of the season against Navy in their last outing, falling 28-7. Quarterback Bryce Archie had a tough game, and the Bulls running attack never got going.

With that in mind, let’s look at three things USF needs to do to have a happy flight home.

KEEP ON RUNNING: The numbers don’t lie.

USF is 4-1 when it rushes for more than 100 yards. When the Bulls are under that number, they are 0-4.

Charlotte ranks 116th in run defense, surrendering 205 yards per game.

It’s not complicated.

Run early and run often, including quarterback Bryce Archie – assuming he makes his fifth consecutive start in place of the injured Byrum Brown.

Archie isn’t the running threat Brown was, but he has been more willing to use his legs when the opportunity was there in recent games.

BE READY FOR ANYTHING: Charlotte coach Biff Poggi apparently doesn’t believe in the bromide that if you have multiple quarterbacks, you don’t have any. To say he likes to mix things up at that position is an understatement.

The 49ers have had multiple quarterbacks log significant playing time in six of their nine games. They’ve only had one game where the QB took every snap.

DeShawn Purdie has thrown the most passes on the team and has five touchdowns, but he also has been sacked 17 times. The other two QBs have combined for six touchdowns, eight interceptions, and 11 sacks.

CUT OUT THE PENALTIES: The Bulls felt like they improved against Navy, committing just five penalties after having a rash of them leading up to the game.

Even so, a holding call early in the game wiped out a big play that put USF deep in Navy territory. Even worse, the Midshipmen were guilty of a facemask penalty on that play, which would have tacked on 15 yards.

Instead, off-setting penalties put the ball back around midfield, and the drive stalled.

Sometimes, it’s not how many penalties you have but when they occur.