Tag: Air Force Falcons

Nov 2, 2024; West Point, New York, USA; Air Force Falcons running back Dylan Carson (5) runs with the ball against the Army Black Knights during the first half at Michie Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Kayne Udoh stars as shorthanded No. 21 Army downs rival Air Force

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kayne Udoh scored a pair of touchdowns and rumbled for 128 of his career-high 158 yards in the second half as No. 21 Army withstood the absence of star quarterback Bryson Daily and shined defensively in a 20-3 victory over visiting Air Force on Saturday afternoon in West Point, N.Y.

In their first Commander-In-Chief game of the season, the Black Knights (8-0) won their 12th straight game overall after learning Daily was unavailable due to an undisclosed illness/injury that is not expected to be season-ending.

Dewayne Coleman made his first career start and spent most of the day handing the ball to Udoh, who carried 22 times and scored untouched on a 12-yard TD about five minutes into the second half and untouched on a 25-yard score with just under two minutes left.

Udoh scored two TDs for the third time in his career and scored for the second time after Max DiDomenico had a 71-yard interception return after Air Force converted a third-and-19.

Udoh’s big day helped Army gain 207 yards rushing on 43 attempts. He also had a 40-yard gain that set up Trey Gronotte’s second field goal in the second quarter. Coleman ran 16 times for 42 yards while also completing 5-of-8 passes for 48 yards.

Army’s defense came up with three interceptions, including a pick in the end zone by Jayden Mayes with 43 seconds left to secure the victory. The Black Knights also finished with six sacks.

Air Force (1-7), which lost last year’s meeting 23-3, fell to 0-2 in Commander-In-Chief’s trophy games and dropped its seventh straight game.

Air Force quarterback Quentin Hayes finished 7-for-14 for 54 yards and also gained 61 yards on 22 attempts. Josh Johnson entered for Hayes and was picked off twice.

Army scored its fewest points in the opening half and settled for a 30-yard field goal by Gronotte with 6:39 left in the first and a 32-yarder with 12:37 left in the second. Set up by a 19-yard gain by Hayes on a quarterback draw, Matthew Dapore made a 32-yarder with 1:47 left to make it 6-3 by halftime.

–Field Level Media

Aug 31, 2024; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Dequan Finn (7) scrambles with the ball against the Tarleton State Texans during the first half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Baylor, Air Force looking to open up their offenses

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When Baylor hosts Air Force on Saturday night in Waco, Texas, both teams will be on a mission to invigorate anemic offenses.

Last weekend, the Bears (1-1) and the Falcons (1-1) lost and scored just one touchdown each.

In its 23-12 loss at then-No. 11 Utah, Baylor gained 223 yards. While falling behind 23-0 in the first half, the Bears appeared ill-suited to compete with a ranked Big 12 foe.

Dequan Finn finished with nine completions in 21 attempts for 115 yards and one touchdown.

“Early in the game, it was too big for everybody,” Baylor coach Dave Aranda said. “I was at fault for that. I think I made it more about things other than the opponent right in front of you and I think that affected Dequan, too.”

The key play as Utah built its lead came when Finn fumbled as he was sacked, giving the Utes the ball at the Bears 3. Utah scored on the ensuing play to double its advantage to 14-0 before the game was seven minutes old.

It was an unsettling loss for Baylor, which has been in a downward spiral since Aranda guided the Bears to the Big 12 title in 2021. Baylor went 6-7 in 2022 and 3-9 last year.

Meanwhile Air Force tallied just 197 yards in a 17-7 Mountain West Conference loss at home to San Jose State as its traditionally potent rushing attack produced 3.1 yards per attempt.

The Falcons’ lone touchdown drive covered just 14 yards and came after an interception in the first quarter by Jerome Gaillard Jr.

Cade Harris led Air Force with 50 yards on eight carries, while John Busha completed only 7 of 20 passes for 54 yards with two interceptions.

“I know we got a tough one … going down to Baylor,” Falcons coach Troy Calhoun said. “We really, really got to work on Air Force.”

Air Force and Baylor have met four times, with the Falcons’ lone victory coming in the 2022 Armed Forces Bowl.

–Field Level Media

Dec 23, 2023; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Air Force Falcons wide receiver Jared Roznos (13) catches a touchdown reception late in the second quarter with James Madison Dukes safety Jacob Thomas (27) defending at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

Armed Forces Bowl: Air Force runs all over James Madison

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Emmanuel Michel rushed for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 35 carries as Air Force beat James Madison 31-21 on Saturday at the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas.

Michael headlined a fierce rushing attack for the Falcons (9-4), who totaled 351 yards on the ground. John Lee Eldridge III had 78 of those yards on eight touches, and quarterback Zac Larrier ran for a touchdown.

Larrier attempted just five passes, completing three for 45 yards and a touchdown.

Meanwhile, the Dukes (11-2) totaled just 35 yards on 19 carries in their first-ever bowl game in program history. Jordan McCloud went 20-for-33 passing for 248 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.

Elijah Sarratt had eight catches for 115 yards for James Madison. Phoenix Sproles was on the receiving end of two of McCloud’s scoring passes.

McCloud’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Kaelon Black pulled the Dukes within 21-14 with 9:11 remaining in the third quarter.

But Air Force kept JMU at arm’s length, as Larrier’s scoring plunge from 1 yard out punctuated a 75-yard march and re-established the Falcons’ 14-point cushion.

Matthew Dapore provided some insurance with a 26-yard field goal with 8:20 left in the game to make it 31-14.

McCloud forged the final score with 3:10 remaining, connecting with Sproles for a 7-yard touchdown.

Michel gave Air Force a 7-0 lead when he rushed for a 1-yard touchdown with 8:11 left in the first quarter.

The Dukes responded with a seven-play, 75-yard drive that ended with McCloud’s 18-yard scoring strike to Sproles.

McCloud was picked off by Johnathan Youngblood early in the second quarter, and the Falcons turned the takeaway into points, going up 14-7 thanks to another 1-yard TD from Michel. Eldridge had rushed for a gain of 51 two plays earlier.

Larrier closed the first half with a bang, finding Jared Roznos for a 42-yard touchdown that sent Air Force into the break with a 21-7 advantage.

–Field Level Media

September 9, 22023 in Charlottesville, Virginia; James Madison Dukes offensive lineman Tyshawn Wyatt (52) blocks Virginia Cavaliers defensive end Paul Akere (1) during the first half of the game at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Hannah Pajewski-USA TODAY Sports

New-look James Madison aims to jolt Air Force in Armed Forces Bowl

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Just two weeks after being brought in as James Madison’s new head coach, Bob Chesney is looking forward to seeing what the Dukes can do in their first bowl game in program history.

However, Chesney won’t be calling the shots when James Madison faces Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl on Saturday afternoon in Fort Worth, Texas.

Dukes offensive line coach Damian Wroblewski will serve as acting head coach with Chesney getting settled in after six seasons at Holy Cross. Chesney was hired on Dec. 7 and is taking over for Curt Cignetti, now the head coach at Indiana.

Chesney has made it clear he doesn’t intend to toy with Wroblewski’s game plan for Saturday.

“I’m not gonna get involved in things I see schematically,” Chesney said at his introductory press conference. “For me, it’s really gonna be about just evaluating our coaches, evaluating our players and … building those relationships.

“I will watch energy, I will watch effort and I will watch our competitive spirit.”

Wroblewski has assembled a coalition of coaches to help James Madison (11-1) prepare for the Falcons, adding John Reagan, Brian Ginn, John Strollo, Matt Hachmann and Stone Mannello to his staff.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever find the words of gratitude and thanks for these people,” Wroblewski said. “But they left their families, they left their jobs to come be here for three weeks with us and help us have a great bowl experience.”

Strollo and Hachmann are responsible for helping the Dukes get ready for Air Force’s triple option. The Falcons (8-4), who have lost four in a row after an 8-0 start, ranked second among FBS teams in total rushing yards (3,309) and rushing yards per game (275.8) during the regular season.

Fullback Emmanuel Michel headlined the rushing attack, racking up 747 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. Running back John Lee Eldridge III, who totaled 521 rushing yards and six scores, is in the transfer portal and will not play against James Madison.

Air Force starting quarterback Zac Larrier is expected to be under center after missing the past two games with an undisclosed injury.

A trip to Fort Worth will feel like a homecoming of sorts for the 16 players on the Falcons’ roster who hail from the Lone Star State. Loading up with talent from Texas is no mistake, according to Air Force coach Troy Calhoun.

“We are a national school. You look, certainly, our roster, we’re represented from all five time zones,” Calhoun said. “But the most prevalent is right here from the Lone Star State in Texas. That’s where I am right now. That’s where I spend a good bit of time whenever it is we do have the opportunity to go into homes.”

Air Force will play in the Armed Forces Bowl for the seventh time in program history. In last year’s game, the Falcons doubled up Baylor 30-15 to improve to 2-4 in the event.

Air Force is 15-13-1 overall in bowl games.

–Field Level Media

Oct 28, 2023; Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; Air Force Falcons quarterback Zac Larrier (9) hands off to Air Force Falcons fullback Emmanuel Michel (4) at Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports

No. 25 Air Force puts perfect mark on line vs. rival Army

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No. 25 Air Force will try to continue its best start since 1985 when the Falcons oppose Army on Saturday afternoon in Colorado Springs.

Air Force (8-0) has won its first eight games for the first time since 1985, when it began the season 10-0.

Falcons fullback Emmanuel Michel said the perfect record doesn’t mean anything if Air Force can’t beat Army for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy on Saturday.

“We’ve got to get the CIC and then try to get the (Mountain West) Conference championship as well,” Michel said. “If we can do those things, then it starts to mean something. Right now, 8-0 doesn’t mean anything until you’re holding a trophy.”

Air Force has also won 13 straight games overall, matching the program’s longest winning streak that bridged the 1984-85 seasons.

The Falcons have outscored their past five opponents 175-76 but faced some unexpected adversity in their most recent game last week, when Colorado State fans began pelting the Air Force sideline with snowballs during a driving snowstorm early in the second half.

Colorado State was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct while the score was tied. Air Force scored the go-ahead touchdown on the drive before pulling away for a 30-13 victory.

The Falcons compiled 261 rushing yards in the win, including 130 yards on 20 carries by Michel, who tacked on a 5-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

“We just keep fighting and keep pushing and just know that we’ve got to finish and eventually we’ll wear people out,” Michel said. “Nobody wants to take that punishment down the middle over and over again.”

Air Force limited the Rams to 42 rushing yards and posted three fourth-down stops.

“I’m just proud of this team in every single facet that we have,” said Air Force safety Trey Taylor, who finished with 10 tackles and a pass breakup.

Army (2-6) has lost five in a row, most recently falling 21-14 to Massachusetts last week.

The Black Knights came into the game 5-0 all time against the Minuteman.

UMass coach Don Brown said the Minuteman took advantage of their bye week “to adjust our game plan style to the new Army.”

“If you don’t, they’ll present problems,” Brown said. “I have a lot of respect for that football team.”

Army’s Champ Harris started at quarterback for the second straight game. The freshman attempted only eight passes but completed six for 130 yards while also scoring his first collegiate touchdown on a 36-yard scramble in the fourth quarter that pulled Army within 21-14.

Bryson Daily also took some snaps after missing the 62-0 loss to LSU the week before with an injury, but he was just 3-for-13 for 28 yards and two interceptions.

Army freshman running back Kanye Udoh ran the ball well, posting a team-high 76 rushing yards on 15 attempts.

Defensive back Jabari Moore is set to play in his 55th career game for the Black Knights, breaking a tie with Greg McGlasker (1973-1977) for most in team history.

–Field Level Media

Oct 21, 2023; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Air Force Falcons quarterback Zac Larrier (9) drops back to the pocket during the second half against the Navy Midshipmen at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

No. 19 Air Force aims to bottle up Colorado State

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Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said last week that quarterback Zac Larrier would be “out a while” after being injured in the Falcons’ previous game.

Navy sure wishes Calhoun were right.

Larrier threw for 151 yards, including a school-record 94-yard touchdown pass to Dane Kinamon, as Air Force stayed unbeaten and rose to No. 19 in the Top 25 after a 17-6 win over the Midshipmen in Annapolis, Md.

Larrier and the Falcons (7-0, 4-0 Mountain West) will look to keep rolling Saturday when they make the short trip to Fort Collins, Colo., to face Colorado State (3-4, 1-2).

A knee injury during a 34-27 victory over Wyoming on Oct. 14 put Larrier’s availability in doubt but ultimately did not alter Calhoun’s game plan. Larrier ran the ball 15 times, on par with his per-game average, and threw for his second-most yards of the year.

“They got me ready to play, and I felt ready,” Larrier said of the training staff. “I know my coaches wouldn’t have sent me in if I wasn’t ready or if they didn’t believe I was ready, so they let me get in there. And I’m happy they let me get in there.”

Equally as important was the Falcons’ defense. Navy finished with only 124 total yards, including 78 on a late touchdown drive that foiled Air Force’s shutout bid. The Midshipmen were limited to 22 rushing yards on 35 carries.

The result put the Falcons in the driver’s seat for their second straight Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. A win at home next week against Army would give them their 22nd trophy, extending their series record.

“It’s always a big deal,” Calhoun said. “It just moves you beyond football, too. You have future service members that have made a commitment to do everything they can to make our country a better place.”

Meanwhile, Colorado State is coming off a bitter 25-23 loss last week at UNLV on a 28-yard field goal by Jose Pizano with three seconds left. The Rams took a one-point edge on a 55-yard field goal by Jordan Noyes with 44 seconds left but couldn’t make one final stop on defense.

It was Pizano’s sixth field goal of the day.

“We just made too many little mistakes at critical times that could have helped us either move the ball offensively or get off the field on defense,” said Colorado State coach Jay Norvell. “We didn’t play as well on special teams as we needed to with the field position.”

It was a 180-degree turn from the previous week, when the Rams came up with three touchdowns in the final five minutes, including a Hail Mary on the last play, to stun Boise State 31-30.

Wasted in the outcome against UNLV were 235 passing yards from Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and seven receptions from Tory Horton, who in seven games already has 65 catches. That puts him on pace to finish with 110 for the year.

Air Force leads the series 38-21-1 and has won 14 of the last 16 meetings, including six in a row.

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2022; Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA; Air Force Falcons running back John Lee Eldridge III (24) is tackled by Colorado Buffaloes safety Trevor Woods (43) in the first quarter at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Brad Roberts, Air Force run wild in rout over Colorado

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Brad Roberts rushed for 174 yards and three touchdowns, John Eldridge III ran for 88 yards and a score, and the host Air Force Falcons beat the Colorado Buffaloes 41-10 on Saturday in Colorado Springs, Col.

Haaziq Daniels also had a touchdown run for the Falcons (2-0), who rushed for 435 yards against just eight passing yards.

Deion Smith ran for 59 yards and a touchdown but quarterback J.T. Shrout was 5-for-21 passing with 51 yards and an interception for the Buffaloes (0-2).

Shrout fumbled on the second snap of the game and it was recovered by Air Force’s Christopher Herrera at the Colorado 14. Roberts then ran it in to give the Falcons a 7-0 lead.

The Buffaloes went three-and-out on their next drive and Air Force got the ball at its 34-yard line. The Falcons moved to the Colorado 37, and Matthew Dapore kicked a career-long 54-yard field goal to make it 10-0.

After a Buffaloes punt, Air Force drove to the Colorado 30 before settling for anther Dapore field goal, this one from 47 yards, to increase the lead to 13-0.

Camby Goff intercepted Shrout on the next Buffaloes possession, setting up the Falcons at the Colorado 35. Four plays later Roberts scored on a 20-yard run to make it 20-0 early in the second quarter.

The Buffaloes responded quickly, going 71 yards in four plays, capped by Smith’s 25-yard TD run.

Air Force threatened again but Colorado forced a goal-line fumble to thwart the drive. Later in the quarter Colorado forced an Air Force fumble at the Falcons 23. The Buffaloes settled for a 41-yard field goal by Cole Becker to make it 20-10 at halftime.

Colorado had a first-and-goal at the 2 early in the third quarter but Alex Fontenot fumbled as he tried to punch it in and Air Force recovered.

The Buffaloes forced a punt but failed to convert on a fourth-and-2 at the Falcons 32, and nine plays later Daniels scored on a one-yard keeper.

Roberts had a 46-yard TD run with 11:12 left and Eldridge scored on an 11-yard run with 3:03 remaining to complete the scoring.

–Field Level Media

Sep 3, 2022; Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA; Air Force Falcons running back John Lee Eldridge III (24) runs through the tackle of Northern Iowa Panthers linebacker Cameron Baker (39) in the third quarter at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Colorado visits Air Force for first time in 48 years

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The two institutions are separated by less than 90 miles but the Colorado Buffaloes will drive down to the Colorado Springs area to visit the Air Force Academy for the first time in nearly half a century Saturday.

The teams met regularly before ending the in-state series following the game in 1974 and didn’t play again until the Falcons traveled to Boulder in 2019. Air Force won that one in a 30-23 overtime thriller.

Both teams played on opening weekend with very different outcomes. Air Force (1-0) handled Northern Iowa, 48-17, while the Buffaloes (0-1) lost to TCU at home 38-13 Friday night.

In the loss to TCU, the Buffs trailed just 7-6 at halftime and were still within reach at 17-6 after three quarters before they collapsed under three fourth-quarter Horned Frog touchdowns.

It was an ominous start for head coach Karl Dorrell and his staff, which is trying to get the Buffaloes back to their glory days. He’s still trying to settle on a quarterback. Brendon Lewis started against the Horned Frogs but threw for just 78 yards before J.T. Shrout came on in the second half in his Colorado debut.

The junior transfer from Tennessee passed for 157 yards and produced Colorado’s lone TD drive of the game, but Dorrell has not publicly committed to a starter.

“We do have a plan,” Dorrell said during his weekly press conference on Monday. “We talked about and worked through it. We will not discuss that plan today with you guys but we do have a plan moving forward.”

The Falcons are used to playing Power Five opponents under head coach Troy Calhoun. They are 5-9 in those games and have won their last three, including a win over Louisville in the First Responder Bowl last December.

The players aren’t getting overhyped about playing the Buffaloes, who lead the all-time series 12-5.

“I would just say it’s really just the next game — the next game’s most important,” safety Camby Goff said. “That’s what it means to us. They’re a good team. We know about them. … But we’ll just prepare for the next game.”

Against Northern Iowa, the Falcons had 582 yards rushing and threw only six passes (completing three for 109 yards and a touchdown).

Brad Roberts gained 114 yards and Haaziq Daniels 107 as 16 different players carried the ball for Air Force, which led 31-3 after three quarters.

–Field Level Media

Nov 26, 2021; Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA; Air Force Falcons quarterback Jensen Jones (5) hands the ball off to outside linebacker Jet Harris (33) in the fourth quarter against the UNLV Rebels at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Louisville braces for Air Force option in First Responder Bowl

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The game may be on a Tuesday, but Air Force coach Troy Calhoun is doing his best to structure the week of the First Responder Bowl like a normal game week.

“Today is like a Monday,” Calhoun said Thursday after his first practice in the Dallas area, where the Falcons meet Louisville on Dec. 28. “Then tomorrow (Friday) is a Tuesday and we will proceed from there.”

How Air Force (9-3) proceeds from there will probably depend on how the Cardinals (6-6) react to the Falcons’ triple-option ground game. The Falcons lead FBS in rushing yards per game with 341.4, while Louisville allows 156.7, but rarely faces the option.

Brad Roberts paces Air Force’s rushing attack with 1,279 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 4.6 yards a carry. Quarterback Hazziq Daniels has gained 705 yards and nine scores on 5.0 yards per carry, while Deandre Hughes has contributed 471 (8.6 ypc) and Emmanuel Michel 421 (6.1 ypc).

The Falcons came pretty close to going 12-0 and playing for the Mountain West Conference title. Their three losses were all one-possession defeats, by a total of 17 points. They’re coming off a 48-14 rout of UNLV in their regular-season finale on Nov. 26, when they rushed for 511 yards and did not have to throw a single pass.

Meanwhile, Louisville aims to secure a winning season after dropping its regular-season finale on Nov. 26 to in-state rival Kentucky 52-21. The Cardinals’ rushing defense allowed 362 yards in that one.

“It was a bad night for us,” Louisville coach Scott Satterfield said. “This night does not speak of what we’ve done this season. We’ve been in most every game we’ve played… I think we’re getting better as a football team.”

The Cardinals’ offense revolves around quarterback Malik Cunningham. He has thrown for 2,734 yards and 18 touchdowns and needs just 32 yards to reach 1,000 rushing. Having rushed for 19 touchdowns, he has been responsible for 37 scores.

Cunningham is the only player in the country who has both rushed and passed for more than 15 touchdowns.

This will be the first meeting of the two programs, which are both .500 all-time in bowl games: Louisville is 11-11-1 and Air Force is 13-13-1.

–Field Level Media

Oct 15, 2021; San Jose, California, USA; San Diego State Aztecs running back Greg Bell (22) warms up before the game against the San Jose State Spartans at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

No. 22 San Diego State attempts to ground Air Force

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A major reason for San Diego State’s undefeated start this season is its defense’s strong ability to stop the run.

That aspect of the 22nd-ranked Aztecs’ game will be put to a serious test on Saturday, when they try to keep surging host Air Force from recording a fifth consecutive victory in a Mountain West Conference contest in Colorado Springs, Colo.

San Diego State (6-0, 2-0 Mountain West) enters this week’s slate of action as one of 11 unbeaten teams in the FBS, but the Aztecs needed double overtime to win 19-13 at San Jose State last weekend. While the offense struggled to score at least 28 points for the first time this season, the Aztecs’ defense, which allows an average of 16, remained stout.

They did allow a season-high 117 rushing yards to the Spartans, but they still lead the nation giving up just 61.2 yards on the ground per contest. Now, San Diego State faces a potentially greater challenge against Air Force (6-1, 3-1 Mountain West), which has lost eight straight in this series but leads the nation with a triple-option rushing attack that averages a national-leading 336.4 yards.

Running back Brad Roberts enters the week ranked fifth in the nation with 818 rushing yards and has scored eight touchdowns.

“We just have to keep working,” San Diego State coach Brady Hoke said. “We’re excited at where we are at. Air Force is very dominant at the line of scrimmage. They take care of the football. …This is definitely our biggest challenge of the year.”

In addition to the challenge San Diego State faces on the defensive side of the ball, it will have a new starting quarterback Saturday. Lucas Johnson, who began his collegiate career at Georgia Tech, has thrown for 234 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception. After coming on late at San Jose State, Johnson takes over for the struggling Jordan Brookshire (47.7 completion percentage, 560 yards, two touchdowns, one interception) under center this time.

Johnson likely faces a stern task against an Air Force defense that has allowed 48 points and an average of 259.8 yards during the squad’s four-game winning streak. The Falcons gave up just 78 rushing yards during last weekend’s 24-17 win at Boise State.

San Diego State’s Greg Bell has rushed for 561 yards and five touchdowns this season, but he was held to 41 on 19 carries against San Jose State. Still, Air Force understands the overall challenge it faces this weekend in trying to stay hot and take down the top team in the Mountain West.

The Falcons have averaged 184.8 rushing yards during their eight-game losing streak to SDSU, though these teams last met in 2018.

“(San Diego State moves) exceptionally well. They’re large,” Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said. “They’re a really, really strong group. No matter what you use — any metric or just based upon the eye of the film — they are outstanding.”

The Falcons have lost four straight games against ranked opponents since beating then-No. 20 Boise State in November 2016.

–Field Level Media