Air Force Academy
3-5 , 1-4
Boise State
6-2 , 4-1
Boise State outscores Air Force, 48-38
10/27/2018 9:33:00 PM | Football
Isaiah Sanders passed for 210 yards and two touchdowns
Post Game Interviews
USAFA, Colo. – In a shootout at Falcon Stadium, Air Force fell to Boise State, 48-38, in a Mountain West Conference game Saturday, Oct. 27. The high-scoring affair led to the fifth loss of the season for the Falcons, moving their record to 3-5 on the year.
The first quarter featured impressive efforts by both teams' offenses, where the Boise State Broncos (6-2, 4-1 MW) struck first on their opening drive, going 75 yards in five plays, capped off by a 44-yard bomb to John Hightower in the north end zone and taking only 2:08 off the clock.
The Air Force Falcons (3-5, 1-4 MW) responded with a quick-strike scoring drive of their own, driving 75 yards in just six plays. Cole Fagan took a run up the middle of the Broncos' defense, capping off the drive with a 17-yard sprint to the end zone.
Boise State struck back with a second 75-yard drive that ended in Hightower's second touchdown catch of the day, going for 18 yards as the Broncos carried a 14-7 lead into the second quarter. Air Force scored on the first play of the second quarter with a 20-yard dart from Isaiah Sanders to Marcus Bennett in the north end zone.
The offensive production for both teams continued as the Falcons and Broncos exchanged touchdowns until the Air Force defense forced the first punt of the game, after Kyle Floyd stepped in front of Rypien's pass on third down.
Both teams exchanged punts midway through the second quarter until Rypien mishandled the snap, bringing up fourth down. Boise State decided to go for it on fourth-and-14, which resulted in a Zane Lewis near-interception at the goal line, setting up Air Force on the Boise State 40.
The Falcons capitalized on the great field position with a trick-play when running back Joseph Saucier took a toss and threw it for 32 yards to Andrew Smith in the end zone. Boise State responded to end the half with Rypien marching the Broncos down the field to tie the game, 28-28, going to halftime.
Air Force received the ball to start the half. After pushing to their own 48-yard line, the Falcons were forced to punt, setting up the Broncos on their own 20. Boise marched down the field to the Air Force 13 where they were forced to kick a field goal after a third down stop, giving them a 31-28 lead.
Air Force was unable to get anything going on their following drive, and Boise returned the punt for a 67 yards to the Air Force five-yard line. BSU ran two straight-ahead runs for five yards and the score, for a 38-28 advantage.
The Falcons responded by marching 55 yards and converting their first fourth down of the game on an Isaiah Sanders to Geraud Sanders 13-yard pass. The drive stalled out on the Broncos' 20-yard line, resulting in a 38-yard Jake Koehnke field goal to bring the game back within seven points, 38-31 Broncos.
As the Broncos drove down the field, linebacker Kyle Floyd sacked Brett Rypien on third down for a 12-yard loss. BSU converted the 47-yard field goal attempt, putting the visitors ahead, 41-31.
Down 10 points in the fourth quarter, Air Force responded with a 13-play touchdown drive capped off by a five-yard pitch-pass on the right side from Isaiah Sanders to Kadin Remsberg, moving the score to within three points, 41-38 Boise State with 5:24 to play.
Rypien and Hightower connected again, this time for a 61-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline to push the score to a 10-point difference with 3:21 remaining. The touchdown was Rypien's fifth on the night, tying a career-high mark for the senior quarterback. Troy Hightower led the Broncos in receiving with eight catches for 182 yards and three scores, averaging 22.75 yards per catch.
The Falcons' last drive ended when Remsberg came up just short on a fourth-and-five run, resulting in a turnover on downs with 1:11 left in the fourth quarter. Boise State took two knees to end the game for a 48-38 win over the Falcons.
Isaiah Sanders threw 10-15 for 210 yards, and finished with two touchdown passes to go along with 97 yards rushing and a score on the ground.
Air Force looks to rebound from the loss as the Falcons travel to Army West Point in their final leg of the Commander-in-Chief series. Air Force leads the series against Army with a record of 36-15. Coach Troy Calhoun has led his teams at Air Force to an 11-2 record against Army since 2007. Army defeated Air Force last year, 21-0, at Falcon Stadium. Kickoff is at 10 a.m. MT, Saturday, Nov. 3.
Team Stats
BSU 7, AF 0
BSU - HIGHTOWER, J. 44 yd pass from RYPIEN, Brett (HOGGARTH, Haden kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:08
BSU 7, AF 7
AF - FAGAN, Cole 17 yd run (KOEHNKE, Jake kick), 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:55
BSU 14, AF 7
BSU - HIGHTOWER, J. 18 yd pass from RYPIEN, Brett (HOGGARTH, Haden kick) 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:01
BSU 14, AF 14
AF - BENNETT, Marcus 20 yd pass from SANDERS, Isaiah (KOEHNKE, Jake kick) 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 6:00
BSU 21, AF 14
BSU - RICHARDSON, AJ 21 yd pass from RYPIEN, Brett (HOGGARTH, Haden kick) 8 plays, 79 yards, TOP 3:13
BSU 21, AF 21
AF - SANDERS, Isaiah 5 yd run (KOEHNKE, Jake kick), 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:08
BSU 21, AF 28
AF - SMITH, Andrew 32 yd pass from SAUCIER, Joseph (KOEHNKE, Jake kick) 4 plays, 60 yards, TOP 1:23
BSU 28, AF 28
BSU - THOMAS, CT 35 yd pass from RYPIEN, Brett (HOGGARTH, Haden kick) 11 plays, 79 yards, TOP 1:01
BSU 31, AF 28
BSU - HOGGARTH, Haden 30 yd field goal 10 plays, 67 yards, TOP 4:16
BSU 38, AF 28
BSU - MATTISON, Alex 1 yd run (HOGGARTH, Haden kick), 2 plays, 5 yards, TOP 0:39
BSU 38, AF 31
AF - KOEHNKE, Jake 38 yd field goal 11 plays, 55 yards, TOP 5:44
BSU 41, AF 31
BSU - HOGGARTH, Haden 47 yd field goal 7 plays, 45 yards, TOP 3:01
BSU 41, AF 38
AF - REMSBERG, KADIN 5 yd pass from SANDERS, Isaiah (KOEHNKE, Jake kick) 13 plays, 75 yards, TOP 6:50
BSU 48, AF 38
BSU - HIGHTOWER, J. 61 yd pass from RYPIEN, Brett (HOGGARTH, Haden kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:03
