GAME 12: Air Force at San Diego State

GAME 12: Air Force at San Diego State
Saturday, Nov. 26, 7 p.m. MT, Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego, CA)

BROADCAST INFORMATION
• Television: CBS Sports Network
Dave Ryan (play-by-play), Ross Tucker (analyst), Brandon Baylor (sidelines)
• Radio: KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs, 104.3 the Fan in Denver, SXM App 984
Jim Arthur (play-by-play), Jesse Kurtz (analyst)

THE SERIES
• Air Force leads the series, 19-18, with all games coming as conference foes
• The Falcons are 7-11 in San Diego, 11-7 at home and 1-0 in neutral site games
• San Diego State has won nine straight and 13 of the last 17 in the series
• Prior to San Diego State's nine-game streak, Air Force won three straight from 2007-09
• The Aztecs have won five straight at home
• Air Force's last win in San Diego came in 2008 (35-10)
• The Aztecs defeated Air Force, 27-24, in San Diego in the 2015 MW Championship game
• SDSU defeated Air Force, 21-17, in 2018 in the last meeting in San Diego
• SDSU defeated Air Force, 20-14, last season in Falcon Stadium
• The team's first played in 1980 in Falcon Stadium, resulting in a 13-10 Aztec win

LAST SEASON
(Oct. 23, 2021) No. 22/21 San Diego State defeated Air Force, 20-14, in Falcon Stadium. The Aztecs took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter with a field goal following an Air Force interception. SDSU added a Kaegun Williams one yard touchdown run and a Matt Araiza field goal to take a 13-0 halftime lead. Chance Bell scored on a three yard touchdown run on SDSU's opening drive of the second half to put the Aztecs in front, 20-0. The Falcons got on the board with a Warren Bryan to Dalton King 13 yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 20-7 late in the third. Dane Kinamon added a touchdown run with 3:59 left in the fourth to cut the lead to 20-14, but the Falcons were forced to punt in their next possession and the Aztecs were able to run out the clock to win the game. San Diego State had 229 total yards, including 157 rushing. Air Force finished with 259 total yards, including 192 rushing. Haaziq Daniels led the Falcons with 50 yards on nine carries. The defense was led by Trey Taylor, who had a career-best 11 tackles.

LAST TIME IN SAN DIEGO
(Oct. 12, 2018) San Diego State defeated Air Force, 21-17, in San Diego to record its eighth straight win in the series. The Aztecs scored on their opening drive with a Chase Jasmin four yard run to take a 7-0 lead. Air Force added a safety later in the first quarter, as the quarterback fell in the end zone to make it 7-2. The Falcons took the lead, 9-7, with the first of two Ronald Cleveland touchdown runs. The Aztecs took the lead back when Trenton Thompson returned a blocked punt 19 yards for a touchdown to give SDSU a 14-9 halftime lead. Cleveland scored his second touchdown on a four yard run to make it 17-14 with 9:25 remaining. Ryan Agnew hit Parker Houston on a 29 yard touchdown pass with 6:10 remaining to make up the final margin. Air Force's last chance ended with an interception in the final minutes. San Diego State had 297 total yards, including 213 passing. Jasmin finished with 70 yards rushing and a score while Agnew hit nine of 25 passes for 213 yards and a score. Air Force was led by Isaiah Sanders, who rushed for 49 yards and hit seven of 15 passes for 51 yards coming on in relief of injured starter Donald Hammond III. Air Force finished with 276 total yards.

AIR FORCE 29-8 LAST THREE SEASONS
• Air Force is 29-8 the last three full seasons, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Air Force is 8-3 this season, finished 10-3 last season and 11-2 in 2019. The losses have come at Wyoming, at Utah State and vs. Boise 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 17-6 in conference play, including a 3-3 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.

NATIONAL RANKINGS
Air Force is among others receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches poll for the eighth week this season. The Falcons are 36th with six points. Air Force received votes in the Associated Press poll the first three weeks of the season, but have not received votes since.

AN AIR FORCE WIN WOULD
• Air Force would improve to 9-3 overall and 5-3 in Mountain West play.
• Air Force would win its fourth straight overall, extending the season-best streak.
• Air Force would win nine games for the seventh time in Troy Calhoun's 16 seasons.
• Air Force would improve to 20-18 in the series with San Diego State, including a 8-11 mark in San Diego.
• Air Force would snap a nine-game losing streak to San Diego State dating back to 2009.
Air Force would improve to 30-8 over the last three full season, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

LAST WEEK
Air Force defeated Colorado State, 24-12, to win for the sixth straight time in the series and ninth straight time at home. The Falcons jumped to a 17-0 halftime lead behind touchdown runs from DeAndre Hughes and Brad Roberts and a 44-yard field goal by Matthew Dapore. John Lee Eldridge III added a touchdown run in the third quarter to make it 24-0, before Colorado State quarterback Clay Millen threw two touchdown passes to make up the final margin. Air Force rolled up 359 total yards, all rushing, and held the ball for 37:29. Roberts led the way, recording career highs of 37 carries for 184 yards and a score. Hughes added a season-high 72 yards and a score while Eldridge added 50 and a score. The Air Force defense was led by Vince Sanford, who had seven tackles and a career-high five tackles for loss, including four sacks. TD Blackmon added eight tackles. The Falcons held Colorado State to 244 total yards and just 22:31 in time of possession. Millen hit 19-of-24 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns.

AIR FORCE AMONG THE NATION'S BEST IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES
• Air Force leads the nation in rushing with a 336.4 average and time of possession with a 36:00 mark. The Falcons are among the nation's top five in several categories. Air Force is third in fewest penalties per game (30.55), third in passing yards allowed (153.8), third in total defense (262.7), second in fourth down conversions (81.8) and fourth in first down defense (149).

AIR FORCE LEADS THE NATION IN RUSHING, AGAIN
• Air Force leads the nation in rushing with a 336.4 average, leading No. 2 Army by 34.5 yards per game. The Falcons have led the nation since the first week of the season and have set a new school record for consecutive weeks leading the nation with 12. Air Force led the nation 10 straight weeks last season.
• Air Force has rushed for 400-plus yards five times this season and are 5-0 when doing so. The Falcons have topped the 400-yard mark vs. Northern Iowa (582), Colorado (435), Nevada (461), UNLV (406) and New Mexico (421).
• Air Force 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 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. 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).............336.4
2. Army (Ind.).................... 301.9
3. Ole Miss (SEC)..............278.3
4. Michigan (Big Ten).........243.8
5. Navy (AAC)................... 239.5

BRAD ROBERTS HAVING RECORD-SETTING CAREER AT AIR FORCE
Senior fullback Brad Roberts leads the MW and ranks seventh nationally in rushing with a 129.5 per-game average. He leads the MW in all-purpose yards with a 130.36 mark. He has rushed for a conference-best 1,425 yards which ranks fifth nationally, on 273 carries and scored 14 touchdowns. His 1,425 yards is the third-most in Air Force history in a season.
• Roberts has topped the 100-yard mark in a conference-best nine games, three more than any other player. He recorded career highs with 37 carries and 184 yards with a touchdown vs. Colorado State. He rushed for 163 yards on 29 carries vs. New Mexico. Roberts rushed for 135 yards on a career-high-tying 33 carries vs. Army. Roberts rushed for 144 yards and a career-best four touchdowns at UNLV on 29 carries. He recorded 14 carries for first downs or touchdowns in the game, which is the most since the program began tracking the stat. He recorded 11 straight carries for 75 yards and a TD on the opening drive of the second half, recording every offensive play during the drive. Roberts was named MW offensive player of the week for the third time this season for his efforts. He rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries at Utah State. He rushed for 108 yards on 23 carries vs. Navy. Roberts rushed for 123 yards and tied a then-career high with three touchdowns vs. Nevada to earn Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second time this season. Roberts rushed for 174 yards and 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' 16 100-yard performances in consecutive seasons is the most in program history, breaking the mark he shared with Beau Morgan (1995-96), who had 14. Robert has nine this season and posted seven in 2021.
• Roberts has played in 28 career games and topped the 100-yard mark a school-record 18 times, breaking the record of 14 set by Beau Morgan (1994-96). He is averaging 115.6 yards per game in his career. He is 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 3,238 yards and 32 touchdowns in his career, which are both school records for fullbacks. He ranks fourth in program history in rushing and fifth in rushing touchdowns. Roberts ranks second in program history in career rushing attempts with 635, which leads all fullbacks.
• Roberts went over the 1,000-yard mark vs. Army to record his second straight 1,000-yard season, making him the fifth player in program history to tie the school record with two 1,000-yard seasons. He is just the fourth to do it in back-to-back seasons (Beau Morgan, 1995-96; Asher Clark, 2010-11; Jacobi Owens, 2014-15). Roberts' 1,425 yards ranks third in program history for a single season. He needs 70 yards to break the all-time single season mark of 1,494 yards set by Beau Morgan in 1996.
• Roberts is the top returning rusher 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.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

TD Blackmon

Ronald Cleveland

Donald Hammond III

Isaiah Sanders

Vince Sanford

Footer