Air Force Academy
Utah
Falcons Come Up Short To Utah In Triple Overtime
11/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov 1, 2003
By JOHN MOSSMAN
AP Sports Writer
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) - Tight end Ben Moa, taking a direct snap in the shotgun formation, ran for a 1-yard touchdown and then completed a 2-point conversion pass to Matt Hansen, leading Utah to a 45-43 win over Air Force in triple overtime Saturday.
The win gave Utah (7-2, 4-1 Mountain West) sole possession of first place in the conference.
Air Force (6-3, 3-2) rallied from a 23-7 third-quarter deficit, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter to force overtime.
Air Force, taking possession first in the initial overtime, got a 1-yard scoring run from quarterback Chance Harridge. Moa responded with a 1-yard run on Utah's first series.
Utah's Alex Smith threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Paris Warren in the second overtime, but Air Force countered on Harridge's 9-yard pass to Alex Messerall.
The Falcons went up 43-37 on Anthony Butler's 4-yard touchdown run in the third overtime, but Harridge slipped and fell short of the goal line on the required 2-point conversion.
The Utes won it after Smith passed 22 yards to Steve Savoy and Moa ran the final yard for the touchdown on fourth down. Expecting another run from Moa on the 2-point conversion, the Falcons left tight end Hansen uncovered in the rear of the end zone.
Moa carried nine times for 26 yards and ran for three touchdowns in the game, and Harridge also ran for three scores.
Fog shrouded Falcon Stadium early in the game, finally lifting early in the second quarter.
Freshman Mike Liti's 10-yard touchdown run capped a 70-yard scoring drive that gave Utah a 23-7 lead midway through in the third quarter. The Utes failed on the extra point when the snap was low.
Air Force then rallied for three scores in the fourth quarter, producing a 23-23 tie.
The Falcons marched 80 yards in 16 plays, helped by a pass interference penalty against Utah, and Darnell Stephens ran the final 3 yards on the first play of the fourth quarter. Harridge's 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete.
Three plays later, Liti fumbled and Air Force's Marchello Graddy recovered near midfield. Joey Ashcroft kicked a 45-yard field goal with 11:10 remaining.
Following a Utah punt, Air Force went 92 yards in 13 plays on a drive that included pass-interference and face-mask penalties against the Utes. Harridge hit J.P. Waller on 14- and 16-yard passes, and Harridge ran 2 yards off the left side for the tying touchdown with 3:09 left.
The Falcons had another scoring chance as time was running out in regulation, but Ashcroft's 50-yard field goal attempt was blocked.
Utah scored on three long scoring drives to take a 17-7 halftime lead.
