Kyle Vantrease threw for a touchdown and ran for a score as Buffalo won a bowl game for the first time, defeating Charlotte 31-9 in the Bahamas Bowl on Friday afternoon in Nassau, Bahamas.

Jaret Patterson rushed for 173 yards and scored two touchdowns for the Bulls, who allowed their defense to control most of the game and spoil Charlotte's first-ever bowl appearance.

Buffalo (8-5), which lost its three previous bowl appearances, won for the sixth time in its last seven games this year.

Patterson's 6-yard run in the third quarter helped stretch the Bulls' lead to 24-0. He scored on a 10-yard run with 1:43 to play.

Vantrease threw for 77 yards on 8-of-17 passing with an interception. Buffalo produced only 282 yards of total offense.

Quarterback Chris Reynolds completed 15 of 24 passes for 198 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Charlotte, which was limited to 278 yards of total offense.

The 49ers (7-6) had their school-record five-game winning streak snapped, a sour end to a breakthrough season under first-year coach Will Healy.

Vantrease threw to Antonio Nunn for a 12-yard touchdown to open the scoring less than six minutes into the game.

Trailing 7-0 in the first quarter, Charlotte had a chance to score but Jonathan Cruz missed on a 33-yard field goal attempt.

The 49ers finally got on the board when Reynolds connected with Victor Tucker for a 51-yard pass play with 2:20 remaining in the third quarter. A two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the score 24-6.

Cruz drilled a 32-yard field goal with 10:50 left.

This was the first meeting between the teams.