Falcons take on #4 Michigan State in East Lansing
9/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION: ABC (full national)
Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Brian Griese (analyst), Tom Luginbill (sidelines)
RADIO: KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs, CO; The Fan 104.3 in Denver; KTMM 1340 AM in Grand Junction; goairforcefalcons.com. Jim Arthur (play-by-play), Jesse Kurtz (analyst)
NOTES
- Air Force is playing its first game against a team from the Big Ten since playing at Michigan Sept. 8, 2012. Michigan won the game, 31-25.
- Air Force is 5-10-2 all-time against teams from the Big Ten.
- Air Force was the only team in the Mountain West to win last week, beating San Jose State, 37-16, in Falcon Stadium.
- Air Force is 17-71-4 all-time vs. nationally ranked teams...the Falcons last played a ranked team Nov. 28 of last season, defeating #21 Colorado State, 27-24, in Falcon Stadium.
- The Falcons are 2-0 for the fourth time under head coach Troy Calhoun...Air Force has won nine games twice and eight games once when opening 2-0 under Calhoun.
- Air Force is 26-16 against non-conference opponents under head coach Troy Calhoun. The Falcons are 16-3 at home, 6-9 on the road and 4-4 in neutral site games.
THE SERIES
- Air Force and Michigan State are meeting for the first time.
AIR FORCE VS. THE BIG TEN
- This week's game is the first for Air Force vs. a team from the Big Ten since 2012.
- Air Force lost at Michigan, 31-25, Sept. 8, 2012 in the last meeting vs. a Big Ten team.
- Air Force has lost two straight to Big Ten teams dating back to a 22-21 win at Northwestern on Sept. 6, 2003.
AIR FORCE VS. RANKED TEAMS
- Air Force is 17-71-4 all-time vs. nationally ranked teams.
- The Falcons last played a ranked team Nov. 28 of last season, defeating #21 Colorado State, 27-24, in Falcon Stadium.
- The win snapped a six-game losing streak vs. ranked team and was the team's first win over a ranked team since beating #24 BYU, 31-14, in 2010.
- Air Force's last win over a ranked team on the road came at #23 California, 23-21, Sept. 21, 2002. The Falcons have lost 11 straight against ranked teams on the road since.
- # 4 Michigan State is the highest ranked team Air Force has faced since playing at #4/5 Boise State on Oct. 22, 2011 (Lost 37-26).
Highest ranked team ever played
1/1 Notre Dame (Oct. 14, 1989) L 27-41
Highest ranked team Air Force has ever beaten
6/6 Stanford (Nov. 14, 1970) W 31-14 at AFA
6/9 Missouri (Sept. 26, 1970) W 37-14 N
9/8 Notre Dame (Nov. 18, 1995) W 20-17 at N.D.
10 Washington (Sept. 21, 1963) W 10-7 at AFA
10 Nebraska (Oct. 12, 1963) W 17-13 at Nebraska
AIR FORCE VS. NON-CONFERENCE FOES UNDER CALHOUN
Air Force is 26-16 against non-conference opponents under head coach Troy Calhoun. The Falcons are 16-3 at home, 6-9 on the road and 4-4 in neutral site games. Air Force was 5-0 last season in non-conference games and have won seven straight dating back to 2013.
LOOKING AT MICHIGAN STATE
Michigan State is one of the winningest programs this decade, posting 55 wins which is the most in the Big Ten and tied as the sixth-most nationally ... The Spartans have scored 30-plus points in a school-record 10 straight games ... They have scored 30-plus in 13 of the last 15 games overall ... Michigan State is 54-19 in non-conference games since 1999 ... Head Coach Mark Dantonio is 31-11 against non-conference opponents, including a 23-2 mark in Spartan Stadium ... Michigan State has posted nine consecutive nine-win seasons, a program first ... MSU has won 55 of its last 69 games dating back to the beginning of the 2010 season, including 26 wins (26-3) since the start of the 2013 season.
THE SIZE FACTOR
Michigan State's offensive line and tight end averages 6-foot-4 and 302 pounds while the defensive line is 6-5, 281 pounds on the average. Air Force's offensive line averages 6-2 and 272 pounds while the defensive line averages 6-3, 240 pounds. When the Spartans have the ball they will enjoy a one-inch and 62-pound per-man advantage up front. Defensively, Michigan State will have a three-inch, nine-pound per-man advantage.
AIR FORCE, MICHIGAN STATE CONNECTIONS
- Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun and Michigan State's Mark Dantonio each arrived at their respective schools the same year, 2007.
- Michigan State Athletic Director Mark Hollis worked in the Western Athletic Conference business office when Air Force was a member of the conference.
- Michigan State defensive line coach Ron Burton spent 10 years at Air Force as the defensive line coach (2003-12) under the legendary Fisher DeBerry and current Falcon coach Troy Calhoun.
