Charlotte Opens 2025 Football Season With App State In Duke’s Mayo Classic
The 2025 edition of Charlotte Football kicks off this week when the 49ers take on the App State Mountaineers in the season-opener at Bank of America Stadium in Uptown on Friday evening (Aug. 29).
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be aired live on ESPNU. Charlotte’s radio crew is back again for the 2025 season, with Matt Swierad, Al Wallace, and Bobby Rosinski calling the game for you on WFNZ 92.7.
GAME DAY EVENTSÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â
Niner Territory Home Base
Clutch Kitchen and Pour House (601 S Cedar St.) is the alumni-owned, home base of Niner Nation on the day of the game against App State. The venue and corresponding parking lots are just a short walk away from Bank of America Stadium and will provide a central tailgating location for Niner fans to celebrate. The venue is open to the general public, with food and drinks available to purchase.
Duke’s Mayo Official Fan Fest
Duke’s Mayo will have its official fan fest right outside of Bank of America Stadium from 1-6 p.m. on game day. Charlotte Athletics, the UNC Charlotte Alumni Association, and the College of Education will all be on-site with tables to engage Niner Nation at the event.
A NEW ERA
Charlotte’s 13th season of play begins a new era of football in the Queen City as Tim Albin takes over as the 49ers’ fourth head coach. Albin comes to Charlotte after spending the last 20 seasons at Ohio, including serving as the Bobcats’ head coach for the last four. Albin led Ohio to three consecutive 10-win seasons and a MAC championship this past fall. Albin coached in 13 bowl games while in Athens and led the Bobcats to victories in the Arizona Bowl and Myrtle Beach Bowl as the head coach in 2022 and 2023, respectively. His three straight seasons achieving double-digit victories marked the first time Ohio had 30+ wins in a three-year stretch and came on the heels of an impressive turnaround of seven wins from his first season as the head coach of the Bobcats. Albin also served as the head coach of his Alma Mater, Northwestern Oklahoma State, from 1997 to 1999, compiling a 25-8 record with the Rangers, including winning the 1999 NAIA National Championship with a 13-0 record on the way to being named the NAIA National Coach of the Year.