Air Force Academy
Fresno State
Roberts Leads Falcons to 42-14 Win Over Fresno State
10/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
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AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) Quarterback Karson Roberts rushed for four touchdowns and caught another on a trick play, helping Air Force overcome a sluggish start to beat Fresno State 42-14 on Saturday.
Roberts' five total touchdowns ties for the second-most in school history, one behind the mark set by QB Dee Dowis in 1989.
In addition to four short scoring runs, Roberts also hauled in a 20-yard TD pass from receiver Jalen Robinette to help the Falcons (4-3, 3-1 Mountain West) roll to their 10th straight home win.
Fresno State (2-6, 1-4) jumped out to a 14-0 lead on long runs by Marteze Waller and Dustin Garrison, only to have the Falcons respond with 42 unanswered points.
Bryan Driskell finished with 144 yards rushing for Air Force and Jacobi Owens added 137, along with a score. Even without injured fullbacks Shayne Davern and D.J. Johnson, the Falcons still rushed for 458 yards.
Roberts' big afternoon included three QB sneaks from the 1-yard line and another on a 6-yard scamper. He's the first Falcons quarterback to rush for four TDs in a game since Shaun Carney in 2005. Roberts finished with 92 yards rushing and another 108 through the air.
The play of the day was a reverse in the third quarter, when Robinette took a pitch from Owens, spun out of a tackle and lofted a pass to a wide open Roberts.
After some early trouble, the Falcons defense settled into a groove, allowing 77 yards and just five first downs after the first quarter. They sacked redshirt freshman Kilton Anderson twice and intercepted him once.
The Bulldogs led by two touchdowns early when Waller raced 64 yards for a score and Garrison soon followed with a 60-yard TD burst. It marked the first time this season Air Force has trailed at home.
Stampeded for 234 yards in the first quarter, Air Force's defense clamped down in the second, allowing no first downs and a total of minus-9 yards. Defensive back Roland Ladipo stepped in front of a receiver deep in Bulldog territory and picked off an Anderson pass to set up Roberts' game-tying quarterback sneak.
Roberts gave the Falcons the lead for good when he trotted in from 6 yards with 5:58 remaining before halftime.
This was a homecoming of sorts for Fresno State coach by Tim DeRuyter, who graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1985. He also served as the defensive coordinator under Falcons coach Troy Calhoun from 2007-09.
