Charlotte had a pair of 100-yard rushers, rushed for an FBS-best 349 yards and put up a season-high 504 yards of total offense, but FIU (3-1) rallied from a 19-point second quarter deficit to hand the 49ers (0-5) a 30-29 loss in Charlotte's Conference USA opener.
FIU took the lead, 30-29, on a 27-yard field goal with 7:22 left to play.
On the 49ers final drive, Charlotte reached the FIU 31-yard line to set up a potential game-winning 48-yard field goal with 37 seconds left, but Nigel Macauley's boot missed just to the right.
"We missed a 49-yarder last year against them, it was 48 yards, this year.