GAME 7: Air Force at UNLV
10/10/2022 9:20:00 AM | Football
Saturday, Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m. PT, Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, NV)
GAME 7: Air Force at UNLV
Saturday, Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m. PT, Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, NV)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
• Television: CBS Sports Network
Carter Blackburn (play-by-play), Tom Herman (analyst)
• Radio: KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs, 104.3 the Fan in Denver, SIRIUS 384, SXM App 974
Jim Arthur (play-by-play), Jesse Kurtz (analyst)
THE SERIES
• Air Force and UNLV meet for the 23rd time overall and 22nd as conference foes
• Air Force leads the overall series, 16-6, and 16-5 mark in conference games
• The Falcons are 9-2 at home and 7-4 at UNLV
• Air Force has won four straight overall
• Air Force defeated UNLV, 48-14, last season in Falcon Stadium
• Air Force defeated UNLV, 41-35, in 2018 in the last meeting in Las Vegas
• The teams first played in 1981 in Las Vegas. UNLV won the game, 24-21
LAST SEASON
(Nov. 26, 2022) Air Force defeated UNLV, 48-14, in Falcon Stadium to close out the regular season. The Falcons controlled the game from the onset, taking advantage of a UNLV turnovers on the opening kickoff return first possession to take a 14-0 lead. Brad Roberts rushed for two short touchdowns to provide the scoring. Air Force extended the lead to 24-0 at the half behind a Matthew Dapore 37 yard field goal and a Brandon Lewis 41 yard touchdown run. The Falcons controlled the game in the second half, holding the ball for 26:12 of the 30 minutes. Air Force finished the game with 511 total yards, all rushing, marking the first time since 2012 the team didn't attempt a pass in a game. Emmanuel Michel led the Falcons with 123 yards on 12 carries while Roberts chipped in with 98 and two scores on 16 carries. The Falcons had 13 players carry the ball and finished with a 40:49 to 19:11 advantage in time of possession. UNLV finished with 214 total yards, including 144 passing. Charles Williams led the Rebels with 137 yards rushing and two touchdowns, 72 coming on a fourth-quarter touchdown run.
THE LAST TIME AT UNLV
(Oct. 19, 2018) Air Force defeated UNLV, 41-35, to pick up its first conference win of the season and snap a four-game road losing streak. Junior quarterback Isaiah Sanders rolled up 390 yards of total offense to lead the Falcons. Sanders rushed for a season-high 173 yards and three touchdowns while hitting nine of 11 passes for a career-best 217 yards and a score. Sanders scored his third rushing touchdown to open the third quarter and give the Falcons the lead for good, 27-21. He then connecting on a career-long 69 yard touchdown pass to Ronald Cleveland to make it 34-21. Cole Fagan added a career-long 49 yard run for a touchdown to put Air Force in front, 41-21, with 5:45 left in the third. UNLV came back with a pair of scores, the last coming with 7:34 left to make it 41-35. Sophomore Jordan Jackson tipped a pass attempt on fourth down with UNLV deep in Air Force territory with 1:44 remaining. The offense ran out the clock from that point to secure the win. Air Force had season bests of 572 total yards, 355 rushing yards and 217 yards passing. Cleveland chipped in with three catches for a career-best 100 yards. The defense was led by Jeremy Fejedelem, who had 13 tackles and an interception. Kyle Johnson added a career-best 12 tackles and Brody Bagnall had 10 with a career-best 2.5 tackles for loss. UNLV had 400 total yards. Max Gilliam led the way with 261 yards on 26-of-38 passing.
AIR FORCE 25-7 LAST THREE SEASONS
Air Force is 25-7 the last three full seasons, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Air Force is 4-2 this season, finished 10-3 last season and 11-2 in 2019. The losses have come at Wyoming and Utah State this season, vs. Utah State, San Diego State and Army (N) last season and at Boise State and Navy in 2019.
• The Falcons are 14-5 in conference play, including a 1-2 mark this season. Air Force shared the Mountain Division title with a 6-2 mark last season and finished second with a 7-1 mark in 2019.
AN AIR FORCE WIN WOULD
• Air Force would improve to 5-2 overall this season, including a 2-2 mark in the Mountain West.
• Air Force would snap a two-game road losing streak and improve to 1-2 on the road this season.
• Air Force would improve to 26-7 the last three full seasons, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 seasons. Air Force would improve to 15-5 in MW games over the same period.
• Air Force would win its fifth straight game over UNLV, including its third straight at UNLV.
• Air Force would improve to 17-6 all-time vs. UNLV, including a 17-6 mark in conference meetings.
LAST WEEK
Utah State defeated Air Force, 34-27, in Logan to win its second straight over the Falcons. Brad Roberts and Haaziq Daniels scored on one-yard touchdown runs to stake the Falcons to a 14-13 halftime lead. Matthew Dapore made it 17-13 early in the third with a field goal before the Aggies took the lead, 20-17, on a Calvin Tyler touchdown run. Air Force answered with a Daniels to Amari Terry 40-yard touchdown pass to retake the lead, 24-20, with 13:33 to play. Utah State added a Cooper Legas to Terrell Vaughn touchdown pass to take a 27-24 lead. The Aggies cashed in an Air Force fumble with a Legas 32-yard touchdown run to extend lead the lead to 34-24. Dapore hit a 51-yard field goal to make up the final margin and the Aggies recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to end it. Air Force finished with 359 total yards, including 264 rushing. Roberts led the way with 136 yards and a TD on 29 carries. The defense was led by TD Blackmon, who recorded career highs of 12 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss. Utah State finished with 414 total yards, including 199 rushing and 228 passing.
AIR FORCE AMONG THE NATION'S BEST IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES
• Air Force leads the nation in rushing with a 352.2 average. The Falcons are among the nation's top five in three other categories, ranking fourth in fewest penalties, third in time of possession and fourth in passing efficiency.
AIR FORCE LEADS THE NATION IN RUSHING, AGAIN
Air Force leads the nation in rushing with a 352.2 average, leading No. 2 Army by 34.6 yards per game. The Falcons rushed for 582 yards in the season opener vs. Northern Iowa, which is the sixth most in school history and the most since rushing for 595 vs. Tennessee State in 2011. Air Force rushed for 435 yards vs. Colorado and 461 vs. Nevada.
Air Force won its second straight NCAA rushing title last season. The Falcons averaged 327.7 yards, winning the title by 47.1 yards per game over second place Army, who averaged 280.6.
Air Force led the nation for a school-record 10 consecutive weeks during the season, breaking the record of eight weeks set in 2010. The Falcons out-rushed 12 of 13 opponents and topped the 400-yard mark five times. The Falcons averaged 498 yards their final two regular season games of the season, rushing for a season-high 511 vs. UNLV and 485 vs. Nevada. Air Force rushed for 400-plus in a school-record three straight games, gaining 437 vs. Utah State, 446 vs. FAU and 408 vs. New Mexico.
Air Force won the national rushing title in 2020 with a 305.7 per-game average. The Falcons won their first title in 2002 with a 307.8 per-game average. Air Force has ranked among the nation's top 10 nine straight years and 34 of the last 35 overall.
2022 NCAA Rushing Leaders
# Team (Conf.) Avg.
1. Air Force (MW) 352.2
2. Army (Ind.) 286.8
3. Alabama (SEC) 257.2
4. UCF (AAC) 252.6
5. Kansas State (Big 12) 244.5
ROBERTS RUSHING
• Senior fullback Brad Roberts leads the Mountain West and is eighth nationally in rushing with a 118.2 average. He has rushed for 709 yards and eight touchdowns on 120 carries and is averaging 5.9 yards per carry, which leads the MW and ranks 38th nationally. Roberts ranks fourth in the conference in scoring with an 8.0 average.
• Roberts has topped the 100-yard mark in a conference-best five games, two more than any other player. He rushed for a game-high 136 yards and a touchdown on a season-high 29 carries at Utah State. He rushed for 108 yards on 23 carries vs. Navy. Roberts rushed for 123 yards and tied a career high with three touchdowns vs. Nevada to earn Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second time this season. The three-TD game is the third of his career (New Mexico in 2020, Colorado earlier this season). Roberts rushed for 174 yards and matched his career high with three touchdowns vs. Colorado. He went over the 2,000-yard mark for his career in the game, becoming the 11th player in program history to hit the 2K mark and just the third fullback. Roberts earned Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance.
• Roberts has played in 23 career games and topped the 100-yard mark 14 times which ties as the most in program history with Beau Morgan (1994-96). He is averaging 109.7 yards per game in his career. He could become just the fourth player in program history to lead the team in rushing three straight years, joining Ken Wood (1974-76), John Kershner (1981-83) and Jacobi Owens (2014-16).
• Roberts has rushed for 2,522 yards and 26 touchdowns in his career. He ranks eighth in program history in rushing and is tied for eighth in rushing touchdowns. He is second among fullbacks in career rushing yards and leads all fullbacks in rushing touchdowns.
• Roberts is the top returning rushing in the Mountain West and among the top nationally. He is one of 52 players named to the 2022 Walter Camp Award watch list, announced by the Walter Camp Football Foundation. He was also named to the Maxwell Award watch list earlier this season.
2022 NCAA Rushing Leaders
# Player (Team)........................... Game/Avg
1. DeWayne McBride (UAB)........... 160.2
2. Chase Brown (Illinois)................. 146.5
3. Khalan Laborn (Marshall)............ 146.2
4. Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota).. 141.8
5. Israel Abanikanda (Pittsburgh).... 138.3
6. Zach Charbonnet (UCLA)............ 123.0
7. Blake Corum (Michigan)............. 122.5
8. Brad Roberts (Air Force)............118.2
Saturday, Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m. PT, Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, NV)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
• Television: CBS Sports Network
Carter Blackburn (play-by-play), Tom Herman (analyst)
• Radio: KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs, 104.3 the Fan in Denver, SIRIUS 384, SXM App 974
Jim Arthur (play-by-play), Jesse Kurtz (analyst)
THE SERIES
• Air Force and UNLV meet for the 23rd time overall and 22nd as conference foes
• Air Force leads the overall series, 16-6, and 16-5 mark in conference games
• The Falcons are 9-2 at home and 7-4 at UNLV
• Air Force has won four straight overall
• Air Force defeated UNLV, 48-14, last season in Falcon Stadium
• Air Force defeated UNLV, 41-35, in 2018 in the last meeting in Las Vegas
• The teams first played in 1981 in Las Vegas. UNLV won the game, 24-21
LAST SEASON
(Nov. 26, 2022) Air Force defeated UNLV, 48-14, in Falcon Stadium to close out the regular season. The Falcons controlled the game from the onset, taking advantage of a UNLV turnovers on the opening kickoff return first possession to take a 14-0 lead. Brad Roberts rushed for two short touchdowns to provide the scoring. Air Force extended the lead to 24-0 at the half behind a Matthew Dapore 37 yard field goal and a Brandon Lewis 41 yard touchdown run. The Falcons controlled the game in the second half, holding the ball for 26:12 of the 30 minutes. Air Force finished the game with 511 total yards, all rushing, marking the first time since 2012 the team didn't attempt a pass in a game. Emmanuel Michel led the Falcons with 123 yards on 12 carries while Roberts chipped in with 98 and two scores on 16 carries. The Falcons had 13 players carry the ball and finished with a 40:49 to 19:11 advantage in time of possession. UNLV finished with 214 total yards, including 144 passing. Charles Williams led the Rebels with 137 yards rushing and two touchdowns, 72 coming on a fourth-quarter touchdown run.
THE LAST TIME AT UNLV
(Oct. 19, 2018) Air Force defeated UNLV, 41-35, to pick up its first conference win of the season and snap a four-game road losing streak. Junior quarterback Isaiah Sanders rolled up 390 yards of total offense to lead the Falcons. Sanders rushed for a season-high 173 yards and three touchdowns while hitting nine of 11 passes for a career-best 217 yards and a score. Sanders scored his third rushing touchdown to open the third quarter and give the Falcons the lead for good, 27-21. He then connecting on a career-long 69 yard touchdown pass to Ronald Cleveland to make it 34-21. Cole Fagan added a career-long 49 yard run for a touchdown to put Air Force in front, 41-21, with 5:45 left in the third. UNLV came back with a pair of scores, the last coming with 7:34 left to make it 41-35. Sophomore Jordan Jackson tipped a pass attempt on fourth down with UNLV deep in Air Force territory with 1:44 remaining. The offense ran out the clock from that point to secure the win. Air Force had season bests of 572 total yards, 355 rushing yards and 217 yards passing. Cleveland chipped in with three catches for a career-best 100 yards. The defense was led by Jeremy Fejedelem, who had 13 tackles and an interception. Kyle Johnson added a career-best 12 tackles and Brody Bagnall had 10 with a career-best 2.5 tackles for loss. UNLV had 400 total yards. Max Gilliam led the way with 261 yards on 26-of-38 passing.
AIR FORCE 25-7 LAST THREE SEASONS
Air Force is 25-7 the last three full seasons, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Air Force is 4-2 this season, finished 10-3 last season and 11-2 in 2019. The losses have come at Wyoming and Utah State this season, vs. Utah State, San Diego State and Army (N) last season and at Boise State and Navy in 2019.
• The Falcons are 14-5 in conference play, including a 1-2 mark this season. Air Force shared the Mountain Division title with a 6-2 mark last season and finished second with a 7-1 mark in 2019.
AN AIR FORCE WIN WOULD
• Air Force would improve to 5-2 overall this season, including a 2-2 mark in the Mountain West.
• Air Force would snap a two-game road losing streak and improve to 1-2 on the road this season.
• Air Force would improve to 26-7 the last three full seasons, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 seasons. Air Force would improve to 15-5 in MW games over the same period.
• Air Force would win its fifth straight game over UNLV, including its third straight at UNLV.
• Air Force would improve to 17-6 all-time vs. UNLV, including a 17-6 mark in conference meetings.
LAST WEEK
Utah State defeated Air Force, 34-27, in Logan to win its second straight over the Falcons. Brad Roberts and Haaziq Daniels scored on one-yard touchdown runs to stake the Falcons to a 14-13 halftime lead. Matthew Dapore made it 17-13 early in the third with a field goal before the Aggies took the lead, 20-17, on a Calvin Tyler touchdown run. Air Force answered with a Daniels to Amari Terry 40-yard touchdown pass to retake the lead, 24-20, with 13:33 to play. Utah State added a Cooper Legas to Terrell Vaughn touchdown pass to take a 27-24 lead. The Aggies cashed in an Air Force fumble with a Legas 32-yard touchdown run to extend lead the lead to 34-24. Dapore hit a 51-yard field goal to make up the final margin and the Aggies recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to end it. Air Force finished with 359 total yards, including 264 rushing. Roberts led the way with 136 yards and a TD on 29 carries. The defense was led by TD Blackmon, who recorded career highs of 12 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss. Utah State finished with 414 total yards, including 199 rushing and 228 passing.
AIR FORCE AMONG THE NATION'S BEST IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES
• Air Force leads the nation in rushing with a 352.2 average. The Falcons are among the nation's top five in three other categories, ranking fourth in fewest penalties, third in time of possession and fourth in passing efficiency.
AIR FORCE LEADS THE NATION IN RUSHING, AGAIN
Air Force leads the nation in rushing with a 352.2 average, leading No. 2 Army by 34.6 yards per game. The Falcons rushed for 582 yards in the season opener vs. Northern Iowa, which is the sixth most in school history and the most since rushing for 595 vs. Tennessee State in 2011. Air Force rushed for 435 yards vs. Colorado and 461 vs. Nevada.
Air Force won its second straight NCAA rushing title last season. The Falcons averaged 327.7 yards, winning the title by 47.1 yards per game over second place Army, who averaged 280.6.
Air Force led the nation for a school-record 10 consecutive weeks during the season, breaking the record of eight weeks set in 2010. The Falcons out-rushed 12 of 13 opponents and topped the 400-yard mark five times. The Falcons averaged 498 yards their final two regular season games of the season, rushing for a season-high 511 vs. UNLV and 485 vs. Nevada. Air Force rushed for 400-plus in a school-record three straight games, gaining 437 vs. Utah State, 446 vs. FAU and 408 vs. New Mexico.
Air Force won the national rushing title in 2020 with a 305.7 per-game average. The Falcons won their first title in 2002 with a 307.8 per-game average. Air Force has ranked among the nation's top 10 nine straight years and 34 of the last 35 overall.
2022 NCAA Rushing Leaders
# Team (Conf.) Avg.
1. Air Force (MW) 352.2
2. Army (Ind.) 286.8
3. Alabama (SEC) 257.2
4. UCF (AAC) 252.6
5. Kansas State (Big 12) 244.5
ROBERTS RUSHING
• Senior fullback Brad Roberts leads the Mountain West and is eighth nationally in rushing with a 118.2 average. He has rushed for 709 yards and eight touchdowns on 120 carries and is averaging 5.9 yards per carry, which leads the MW and ranks 38th nationally. Roberts ranks fourth in the conference in scoring with an 8.0 average.
• Roberts has topped the 100-yard mark in a conference-best five games, two more than any other player. He rushed for a game-high 136 yards and a touchdown on a season-high 29 carries at Utah State. He rushed for 108 yards on 23 carries vs. Navy. Roberts rushed for 123 yards and tied a career high with three touchdowns vs. Nevada to earn Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second time this season. The three-TD game is the third of his career (New Mexico in 2020, Colorado earlier this season). Roberts rushed for 174 yards and matched his career high with three touchdowns vs. Colorado. He went over the 2,000-yard mark for his career in the game, becoming the 11th player in program history to hit the 2K mark and just the third fullback. Roberts earned Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance.
• Roberts has played in 23 career games and topped the 100-yard mark 14 times which ties as the most in program history with Beau Morgan (1994-96). He is averaging 109.7 yards per game in his career. He could become just the fourth player in program history to lead the team in rushing three straight years, joining Ken Wood (1974-76), John Kershner (1981-83) and Jacobi Owens (2014-16).
• Roberts has rushed for 2,522 yards and 26 touchdowns in his career. He ranks eighth in program history in rushing and is tied for eighth in rushing touchdowns. He is second among fullbacks in career rushing yards and leads all fullbacks in rushing touchdowns.
• Roberts is the top returning rushing in the Mountain West and among the top nationally. He is one of 52 players named to the 2022 Walter Camp Award watch list, announced by the Walter Camp Football Foundation. He was also named to the Maxwell Award watch list earlier this season.
2022 NCAA Rushing Leaders
# Player (Team)........................... Game/Avg
1. DeWayne McBride (UAB)........... 160.2
2. Chase Brown (Illinois)................. 146.5
3. Khalan Laborn (Marshall)............ 146.2
4. Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota).. 141.8
5. Israel Abanikanda (Pittsburgh).... 138.3
6. Zach Charbonnet (UCLA)............ 123.0
7. Blake Corum (Michigan)............. 122.5
8. Brad Roberts (Air Force)............118.2
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