Air Force Academy
UNLV
Falcons Overcome 27-Point Deficit to Beat UNLV 34-30
10/14/2017 12:00:00 AM | Football
Post Game Interviews | Highlights
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Behind junior quarterback Arion Worthman's career day, the Air Force football team overcame a 27-point deficit to defeat UNLV 34-30 Saturday afternoon at Falcon Stadium. The Rebels led 27-0 with 3:28 to play in the first half, but the Falcons outscored UNLV 34-3 from then on including four unanswered touchdowns in the second half on their way to the second largest comeback in school history.
Worthman finished his amazing day with 166 yards rushing and a career-high five touchdowns on 30 carries, including four coming in the second half. The five rushing touchdowns tied Marty Louthan (1983) for the second most in school history. Worthman scored the game-winner on a 1-yard run with 2:14 left to play, giving the Falcons their first lead of the game.
The Falcons, who snapped a four-game skid, improved to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the Mountain West while the Rebels fall to 2-4 and 1-2 in conference play. Air Force also improved its school record scoring streak to 304 games, the third longest in the nation.
The Rebels were able to score on five of their first six drives in the first half, opening the game with a 55-yard rushing touchdown by Lexington Thomas to put UNLV up 7-0.
On the Falcons first possession, the offense reached the UNLV 41-yard line to set up Luke Strebel with a 58-yard field goal, but the senior missed wide left.
Air Force freshman Lakota Wills recorded his first career interception from UNLV's Armani Rogers on the next drive while the Rebels were well within field goal range, but a three-and-out on the Falcons next possession gave the ball back to UNLV. The Rebels capitalized, scoring on a 1-yard rush by Xzaviar Campbell to go up 14-0.
After a muffed kick that was recovered by UNLV, the Rebels added a field goal to go up 17-0 at the end of the first quarter and tacked on another field goal midway through the second quarter to take a 20-0 lead.
UNLV stretched the lead to 27-0 with a 3-yard touchdown run by Rogers with 3:28 to play until the half, using an Air Force fumble on the previous drive to set up the offense near midfield.
Air Force took some momentum into the half, as the Falcons broke through with a touchdown to make it a 27-7 UNLV lead. Arion Worthman capped off a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown, leaving 42-seconds on the clock for UNLV before the half.
After fumbles on back-to-back drives to open the second half for Air Force, UNLV added its third field goal of the game, this one a 34-yarder to put the Rebels up 30-7 with 12:00 to play in the third quarter.
The Falcons answered with a touchdown on their next drive, taking it 61 yards and finishing with a 1-yard Worthman touchdown to make it 30-14 UNLV. On the Rebels next drive, the Falcon defense forced a punt and sophomore Kyle Johnson broke through the middle to record his first career blocked punt. It set up the Falcon offense for a touchdown on their second straight drive, this one coming on a 5-yard rush by Worthman for his third touchdown of the game. The score made it 30-20 UNLV, prompting Air Force to try the two-point conversation to make it a one possession game, but the UNLV defense held up to keep the score 30-20 Rebels.
The Falcon offense stayed hot on the next drive, cutting into the UNLV lead with their third touchdown in as many drives. Worthman punched it in from six yards out to make it 30-27 UNLV. During the drive, the Falcons saw a 37-yard touchdown called back because of holding and converted a 3rd-and 24 as Worthman found Ryan Reffitt for 27 yards.
Air Force lost its fourth fumble of the game on the next drive while on the UNLV 39-yard line, but the Rebels couldn't make it a two score game following the turnover. UNLV saw a 21-yard rush to the Air Force 20-yard line end up a fumble that was mishandled by both teams all the way to the end zone where the Falcons fell on it, resulting in a touchback with 5:54 to play. The Falcons drove it down for the game-winning touchdown on the next possession and held off the Rebels to seal the win.
Worthman finished 4-for-8 for 72 yards along with the monster game on the ground. Ronald Cleveland finished with a career-high 86 yards including a career-long 36 yard rush. Senior Tim McVey had 56 yards on 10 carries and added 83 kick return yards. He moved into fifth place all-time in kick return yardage and eight place all-time in career all-purpose yards (2,962).
Defensively, Jack Flor led the team with eight tackles while James Jones and Grant Ross each finished with six. Cody Gessler added a sack and 2.0 tackles for loss while Wills had his first career interception.
Air Force will hit the road for two straight games before returning home for three of its last four. The Falcons will battle Nevada in Reno on Friday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. next week then head to Colorado State on Saturday, Oct. 28 for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
