University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss
Charlotte
Richard Rushes Football Over Charlotte, 44-10
10/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Final Stats | USATSI Photo Gallery 
Southern Miss senior running back Jalen Richard rushed for 114 yards and added two touchdowns, including one on a kickoff return, to lead the Golden Eagles to a 44-10 Conference USA victory over Charlotte here Saturday afternoon at Jerry Richardson Field.
The Golden Eagles took one more step toward bowl eligibility by improving to 5-3 on the season and 3-1 in league play, handing the 49ers - who are in their inaugural season of C-USA - their fifth-straight loss as they fell to 2-5, 0-4.
Richard tallied his third career 100-yard rushing performance, including his second-straight game over the century mark, registering the first consecutive 100-yard performances for a Golden Eagle since Jamal Woodyard accomplished that feat in 2011.
Junior quarterback Nick Mullens threw four touchdown passes and added 265 passing yards as he ended the day at 24-of-38 passing. It was the 10th consecutive game that Mullens has thrown at least one touchdown pass and the seventh time in his career in which he tossed at least three touchdowns in a contest.
The 49ers took an early 3-0 advantage with a 25-yard Blake Brewer field goal on Charlotte's first drive of the contest with 7:19 remaining in the opening quarter, but the Golden Eagles scored 30 unanswered points from that point.
Southern Miss took the lead for good 1 minute, 30 seconds later as Mullens hit Mike Thomas on an out pattern in which he shed a tackler and broke away for 69 yards and a touchdown. Thomas ended up with a school-record 100 yards receiving for the fifth game in a row with 105 yards on six catches.
The visitors extended their lead to 10-3 with a Stephen Brauchle 38-yard field goal with 3:47 left in the period, before Mullens added two second-quarter touchdown passes. Mullens connected on a nine-yard strike to Taylor Marini which was deflected in midair and landed in his arms in the end zone, and a four-yard scoring reception by Korey Robertson and the Golden Eagles led 23-3 at the half.
Casey Martin helped extend the Golden Eagle lead with a four-yard touchdown catch at the 8:29 mark of the third period to up the score to 30-3.
The 49ers then added their only other points of the contest 2:54 later on a 20-yard run by Lee McNeill. Richard then scored the final two Golden Eagle touchdowns, the first on a 95-yard kickoff return on the ensuing possession and then a seven-yard run just one minute, four seconds in the final period. Southern Miss limited Charlotte to just 257 total offensive yards in the contest, giving the Golden Eagles their third-consecutive game of limiting their opponent to under 300 total yards. The team also added three interceptions - one each from Kalan Reed, Darian Yancey and Cornell Armstrong - marking the first time since Sept. 24, 2011, at Virginia that they have achieved that feat.
The Golden Eagles return home next Saturday when they entertain C-USA West Division foe, UTEP, in a 1:30 p.m., contest.
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