Falcons head to San Diego State for MW showdown
11/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 17, 2014
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION: CBS Sports Network
RADIO: KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs, CO; The Fan 104.3 in Denver; goairforcefalcons.com Jim Arthur (play-by-play), Jesse Kurtz (analyst)
DID YOU KNOW
• Air Force has gone from 2-8 at this time last year to 8-2 this season. The six-game turnaround ties a school record. The 1958 team also had a six-game turnaround, going 9-0-2 following a 3-6-1 mark in 1957. • Air Force is 2-2 in Friday games under head coach Troy Calhoun. • Air Force played its first overtime game since 2012 last week, defeating Nevada 45-38 in Falcon Stadium. Air Force is 7-5 overall and 5-2 in conference overtime games. The Falcons are 4-2 at home and 3-3 on the road. • Air Force quarterback Kale Pearson has a quarterback efficiency rating of 169.73 which is the best in school history, topping the mark of Connor Dietz (165.23 in 2012) and current quarterback coach Blane Morgan (162.6 in 1998).
THE SERIES
• Air Force leads the series, 19-13, with all games coming as conference foes. • The Falcons are 7-7 in San Diego, 11-6 at home and 1-0 in neutral site games. • San Diego State has won four straight and eight of the last 12 in the series. • Prior to San Diego State's four-game streak, Air Force had won three straight from 2007-09. • The Aztecs defeated Air Force, 28-9, the last time the two played in San Diego in 2012. • San Diego State defeated Air Force, 27-20, last season in Falcon Stadium. • The teams first played in 1980 in Falcon Stadium, resulting in a 13-10 Aztec win.
LAST SEASON VS. SDSU: San Diego State defeated Air Force, 27-20, in Falcon Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 10. The Aztecs used a 21-point fourth quarter to complete the comeback win. The Aztecs took a 6-0 lead with a Quinn Kaehler to Eric Judge 44-yard TD pass in the first quarter. The Falcons answered with a Nate Romine 16 yard scoring run to take a 7-6 lead. Romine entered the game for an injured Karson Roberts. Will Conant hit the first of two field goals to give the Falcons the halftime lead, 10-6. Conant's second field goal extended the lead to 13-6 early in the third quarter before Romine hit Sam Gagliano with a 71-yard scoring toss to extend the lead to 20-6 entering the fourth. Kaehler tossed a pair of fourth quarter touchdown passes, one to Donne Pumphrey, who added his second TD on a 10-yard run with 1:39 remaining to secure the win. Pumphrey led the Aztecs with 117 yards rushing while Kaehler hit 15-of-26 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns. Air Force was led by Anthony LaCoste, who rushed for a career-high 109 yards. Romine hit five-of-11 passes for 111 yards and a score.
LAST TIME AT SDSU: San Diego State defeated Air Force, 28-9, in San Diego. Air Force opened the scoring with a Parker Herrington field goal to take a 3-0 lead. The Aztecs converted an Air Force interception into points with a 20-yard touchdown run by Adam Muema to take the lead for good, 7-3. San Diego State took a 14-3 halftime lead behind another TD run by Muema. Everett Beed returned a fumble 52 yards for a touchdown and Chad Young scored on a touchdown pass from Adam Dingwell following another Air Force turnover to give the Aztecs a 28-3 lead. Wes Cobb scored on a five-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter. Air Force missed the extra point to make up the final margin. The Aztecs were led by Walter Kazee, who rushed for 106 yards. Muema added 81 yards as the Aztecs had 268 total yards. The Falcons, who had four turnovers, had 393 total yards. Cody Getz rushed for 55 yards to lead Air Force to a 320-yard rushing effort. Alex Means led the defense with 10 total tackles.
CALIFORNIA CONNECTIONS: Air Force has six players on the varsity roster from the state of California. This list follows (Name, Hometown (High School): Justin DeCoud, Fontanta, CA (Martin Luther King, Jr.); Haji Dunn, Jr., San Bernadino, CA (Pleasant Grove); Donnie Wharton, Brawley, CA (Brawley Union); Shayne Davern, Carlsbad, CA (La Costa Canyon); Ari Uzo-Okereke, Ladera Ranch, CA (San Juan Hills); Marcus Hendricks, Folsom, CA (Folsom).
AIR FORCE FINISHES SEASON WITH ALL FIRST-PLACE TEAMS: Air Force's final three regular season games are against first-place teams. It started last week by hosting Nevada, who was tied for first with San Diego State in the West Division. This week the Falcons play at San Diego State, who is currently tied for the lead in the West Division. The Falcons close the run out next week by hosting Mountain Division co-leader Colorado State. The combined record of the three opponents is 20-9 overall and 11-7 in conference play.
AIR FORCE LAST WEEK: Air Force defeated Nevada, 45-38, in overtime in Falcon Stadium in one of the most entertaining games in school history. The game was as even as it could be, with the team's exchanging scores throughout the game. Air Force would score, then Nevada. The Falcons led throughout the game until kicking a field goal to take a 31-28 lead early in the fourth quarter. Nevada answered with a touchdown to take its only lead of the game, 35-31, with 7:03 remaining. Kale Pearson put the Falcons back on top for good with a 16-yard run to make it 38-35 with 4:13 left. Nevada added a 22-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining to force overtime. Shayne Davern scored from three yards in overtime to give the Falcons the 45-38 margin and Air Force held Nevada to secure the win. Air Force finished with 471 total yards on 80 plays while Nevada had 498 yards on 81 plays. The Falcons held a 44:03 to 30:57 edge in time of possession. Pearson led the way for Air Force with 109 yards rushing and a touchdown while hitting 11 of 15 passes for 129 yards and three touchdowns. Davern added a career-best 97 yards and two scores on 21 carries while Jacobi Owens topped the 1,000-yard mark on the season with 66 yards on 16 carries. Jalen Robinette had four catches for 36 yards and a pair of scores. Jordan Pierce led the defense with 13 tackles and a tackle for loss while Connor Healy chipped in with 10 stops. Dexter Walker added nine tackles and two tackles for loss while Western Steelhammer had eight tackles and his fourth interception of the season.
THIS SEASON'S TURNAROUND TIES AS BEST EVER: Air Force has gone from 2-8 a year ago to 8-2 this season with at least two games left. The six-game turnaround ties with the 1958 team that went 9-0-2 following a 3-6-1 mark the previous year. The six-game turnaround is one better than the five-game mark head coach Troy Calhoun set in his first year as head coach. Air Force went 9-4 in 2007 after a 4-8 season in 2006.
FOUR-GAME WINNING STREAK BEST SINCE: Air Force's current four-game winning streak is the second-best under head coach Troy Calhoun and best since a five-game streak in 2008, Calhoun's second year at the Academy. The four-game streak is tied as the third-best active streak in the conference, following Colorado State's eight-game streak and Boise State's five-game mark. Utah State is tied with Air Force with a four-game streak.
