Air Force opens season by hosting Lafayette

GAME 1: Air Force vs. Lafayette
Saturday, Sept. 4, Noon MT, Falcon Stadium (Colorado Springs, CO)
Depth chart will be posted at 2 p.m. MT Tuesday.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
• Television: Stadium
Chris Hassel (play-by-play), Sed Bonner (analyst)
• Radio: KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs, CO
Jim Arthur (play-by-play); Jesse Kurtz (analyst)

STORYLINES
• Current Department of Defense and Air Force Academy policies require all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask when indoors in all Academy facilities, including the press box, Blue and Silver Club, suites, elevators and restrooms. All individuals who have not been fully vaccinated must also wear masks outdoors at all times while on the installation. Fans who are fully vaccinated and are not required to wear a mask when outdoors. Anyone with a COVID-19 diagnosis within the previous 10 days, or any symptoms suggestive of possible COVID-19, or a recent close contact with an individual known to be positive for COVID-19 should not come to the stadium. These policies will be constantly evaluated and any changes will be communicated.

THE SERIES
This is the first meeting between the schools.

LOOKING AT LAFAYETTE
Lafayette finished 2-1 overall last season, finishing second in the Patriot League South Division ... Lafayette has an enrollment of 2,514 and was founded in 1826 ... The Leopards return eight starters on offense and 10 on defense, along with two specialists ... Lafayette averaged 19.0 points per game while allowing 20.3 last season ... Jade Sutton led the team in rushing with 104 yards and a touchdown, while Cole Northrup led the team in passing with 602 yards and four touchdowns and a 62.34 completion percentage ... The defense was led by Major Jordan, who had 21 total tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.

AIR FORCE VS. FCS TEAMS
Air Force is 24-0 all-time against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision. Head Coach Troy Calhoun is 14-0, including a 48-7 win over Colgate to open the 2019 season, the last time the Falcons played an FCS team.

Calhoun vs. FCS Teams
Date      Opponent                         Result
8-31-19 Colgate....................... W 48-7
9-1-18   Stony Brook................. W 38-0
9-3-17   VMI............................. W 62-0
9-3-16   Abilene Christian.......... W 37-21
9-5-15   Morgan State............... W 63-7
8-30-14 Nicholls State............... W 44-16
8-31-13 Colgate....................... W 38-13
9-1-12   Idaho State.................. W 49-21
9-24-11 Tennessee State........... W 63-24
9-3-11   South Dakota............... W 37-20
9-4-10   Northwestern State..... W 65-21
9-5-09   Nicholls State............... W 72-0
8-30-08 Southern Utah............. W 41-7
9-1-07   South Carolina State..... W 34-2

NON-CONFERENCE GAMES WITH CALHOUN
Air Force is 40-26 against non-conference opponents under head coach Troy Calhoun. The Falcons are 26-4 at home, 8-17 on the road and 6-5 in neutral site games. Air Force was 1-1 in 2020.

AIR FORCE AT HOME
• Air Force is 62-21 in Falcon Stadium under head coach Troy Calhoun.
• Air Force had a school-record 15-game winning streak from 2014 to Oct. 22, 2016.
• Air Force went 20-4 at home from 2014-17, posting the most wins in a four-year span, breaking the record of 19 set from 1982-85 and 1998-2001 when the program went 19-4 those years.
• Air Force set a record for the best three-year run from 2014-16 with a 17-1 record, breaking the mark of 15-2 from 1983-85.
• The Falcons have finished undefeated at home just six times overall in school history, four coming under Calhoun.

Year    Rec. Notes
2020    2-1    Loss came to No. 25 Boise State
2019    6-0    Sixth undefeated season in program history, fourth under Calhoun
2018    4-2    Air Force posts four or more wins for ninth time in 12 seasons
2017    3-3    20 wins over four years is best four-year run in school history
2016    5-1    Air Force went 17-1 in home games from 2014-16
2015    6-0    Fifth 6-0 mark in AF history, third under Calhoun
2014    6-0    Fourth 6-0 mark in AF history, second under Calhoun
2013    2-5    Lone losing record in Calhoun era
2012    5-1    Second-best mark in school history
2011    4-3    Air Force goes 14-5 from 2009-11
2010    5-1    Combined with 2009, 10 wins in two seasons is third-best in AF history
2009    5-1    Second-best mark in school history
2008    3-3    Two losses at the hands of nationally ranked teams
2007    6-0    Just the third undefeated home record in school history
Total   62-21

SEASON OPENERS
• Air Force is 44-19-2 in season openers, including a 38-8 mark in season openers at home.
• Air Force has won 14 straight and 15 of the last 17 season openers with the only losses coming at No. 11 Tennessee in 2006 and vs. No. 13 California in 2004.
• The Falcons have won 16 of the last 17 season openers at home with the only loss coming vs. No. 13 California in 2004.
• Air Force has won 23 straight season openers vs. unranked teams dating back to a 34-21 setback vs. Colorado State in 1994.
• Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun is 14-0 in season openers, all coming at home.
• Air Force defeated Navy, 40-7, in last season's opener, which was the first against an FBS opponent since Air Force played at #11 Tennessee in 2006 (Tennessee W 31-30). The game was the first season home opener against an FBS team since hosting #13 California in 2004 (California W 56-14)
• Air Force has out-scored its opponents 188-14 in the last four season openers.

Air Force Season Openers Under Troy Calhoun
Year   Opponent                      Result
2020 Navy                                W 40-7
2019 Colgate                           W 48-7
2018 Stony Brook                   W 38-0
2017 VMI                                  W 62-0
2016 Abilene Christian          W 37-21
2015 Morgan State                W 63-7
2014 Nicholls State                W 44-16
2013 Colgate                           W 38-13
2012 Idaho State                    W 49-21
2011 South Dakota                W 37-20
2010 Northwestern State     W 65-21
2009 Nicholls State                W 72-0
2008 Southern Utah              W 41-7
2007 South Carolina State    W 34-3

LAST SEASON'S OPENER
Air Force defeated Navy, 40-7, in Falcon Stadium Oct. 3 in the season opener. Kicker Tevye Schuettpelz-Rohl opened the scoring with a career-best 48-yard field goal to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. Navy answered with a 73-yard touchdown connection from Tyger Gosling to Myles Fells early in the second quarter to take a 7-3 lead. Haaziq Daniels scored his first-career touchdown to put the Falcons in front for good, 10-7, on Air Force's next drive. Schuettpelz-Rohl added two more field goals to make it 16-7 at the half. Following a school-record-tying fourth field goal by Schuettpelz-Rohl to open the second half, the Falcons added three fourth-quarter touchdown runs to make up the final margin. Air Force rushed for 369 yards and had 410 total yards. The defense held Navy to just 241 total yards, 90 yards rushing and 10 first downs. Timothy Jackson led the offense with 118 yards rushing while Brad Roberts added 103 yards and a touchdown in his first-career game. Daniels added 96 yards rushing and a score while hitting 4-9 passes for 41 yards. George Silvanic led the defense with seven tackles and 1.5 sacks. Alec Mock added seven tackles and a sack. Grant Donaldson chipped in with six tackles.

AN AIR FORCE WIN WOULD
• Air Force would open the season 1-0 for the 15th consecutive season.
• Air Force would improve to 25-0 all-time vs. FCS opponents, including a 15-0 mark under head coach Troy Calhoun.
• Air Force would improve to 41-26 against non-conference opponents under head coach Troy Calhoun, including a 27-4 mark at home.
• Air Force would improve to 63-21 in Falcon Stadium under head coach Troy Calhoun.
• Air Force would improve to 45-19-2 all-time in season openers, including a 39-8 mark at home.
• Air Force would win its 15th straight season opener.
• Air Force would win its 24th straight season opener vs. an unranked team dating back to 1994.
• Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun would improve to 15-0 in season openers.

Players Mentioned

Haaziq Daniels

Grant Donaldson

Timothy Jackson

Alec Mock

Brad Roberts

Tevye Schuettpelz-Rohl

George Silvanic

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