Saturday, October 21
Annapolis, Md.
10:00 am MT
Air Force Academy
at
Navy
Game 7: #22/22 Air Force at Navy
10/16/2023 10:56:00 AM | Football
Saturday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m. MT, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000), Annapolis, MD
#22/22 Air Force at Navy
Saturday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m. MT, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000), Annapolis, MD
THE GAME
• Air Force travels to Annapolis, Md., to take on service-academy rival Navy on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 10 a.m. MT at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
• Air Force football will honor the Doolittle Raiders with the 2023 edition of the Air Power Legacy Series uniforms. The Falcons will wear the uniform this week. Please see page 19 for more information on the uniforms, photos and the history of the APLS series.
• Air Force is ranked 22nd in both the AFCA Coaches poll and the Associated Press poll. The Falcons are ranked for the first time since the final season poll in 2019 when the team was 22nd in the AP poll and 23rd in the coaches poll.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
• Television: CBS
Rich Waltz (play-by-play), Aaron Taylor (analyst), Amanda Guerra (sidelines)
• Radio: KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs, 104.3 the Fan in Denver, SIRIUS XM 382
Jim Arthur (play-by-play), Jesse Kurtz (analyst)
• Live Stats: Navystats.com
GENERAL INFORMATION
Category Air Force Navy
2023 Record................... 6-0 (4-0 MW).............................................. 3-3 (2-2 AAC)
Current Streak................ W 11......................................................................... W 2
Rankings (AP/Coaches). .. 22nd / 22nd........................................................ NR / NR
Last Week...................... W 34-27 vs. Wyoming........................ W 14-0 at Charlotte
Next Week..................... at Colorado State.............................................. at Temple
Head Coach.................... Troy Calhoun........................................... Brian Newberry
.. Alma Mater (Yr)........... Air Force (1989)..................................... Nebraska (1982)
.. School Record.............. 127-78 (17th season)............................... 3-3 (1st season)
.. Career Record.............. Same...................................................................... Same
Record vs. Opp............... 8-8.............................................................. First Meeting
Location......................... Colorado Springs, CO................................. Annapolis, MD
Website......................... GoAirForceFalcons.com.......................... NavySports.com
Conference.................... Mountain West..................................... American Athletic
THE SERIES
• Air Force leads the overall series, 33-22.
• Air Force is 20-7 at home, 9-12 at Navy and 4-3 in neutral site games.
• Air Force has won three straight and four of the last five overall.
• Air Force defeated Navy, 13-10, last season in Falcon Stadium.
• The Falcons beat Navy, 23-3, in 2021 in the last meeting in Annapolis to snap a streak of eight straight in the series won by the home team dating back to 2012.
• Air Force holds a 30-21 mark in Commander-in-Chief's Trophy games (started in 1972).
• The team's first played in 1960 in Baltimore, Md., resulting in a 35-3 Navy win.
LAST SEASON
(Oct. 1, 2022) Air Force defeated Navy, 13-10, in Falcon Stadium to push its winning streak over the Midshipmen to three straight and four of the last five. The Falcons jumped to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter behind a Haaziq Daniels 67-yard touchdown pass to David Cormier and a Matthew Dapore 23-yard field goal. Navy took advantage of an Air Force fumble and kicked a field goal to make it 10-3 at the half. The Midshipmen tied the game with a Tai Lavatai five-yard touchdown run with 10:50 left in the fourth. The Falcons answered with a 22-yard field goal from Dapore to take the lead for good with 4:14 remaining. Following a Navy punt, the Falcons ran out the clock to secure the win. Daniels put the game away with an 18-yard run on third-and-six for a first down. A few kneel downs later ended the game. Air Force used a balanced attack to finish with 356 total yards, including 200 rushing and a season-best 156 passing. Brad Roberts led the team with 108 yards on 23 carries while Daniels added 65 rushing and hit six-of-eight passes for 156 yards and a score. The defense held Navy to 243 total yards. Alec Mock led the way with a career-high 13 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Vince Sanford added 10 tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss.
LAST TIME AT NAVY
(Nov. 11, 2021) Air Force defeated Navy, 23-3, in Annapolis on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Navy opened the scoring with a 23 yard field goal early in the second quarter. Air Force answered with the first of two Brad Roberts touchdown runs to take a 7-3 halftime lead. Haaziq Daniels scored on a 28-yard run late in the third quarter to make it 14-3. Following a safety, Roberts added his second TD run to make it 23-3 with 9:13 left. Roberts led the offense with 97 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries while Daniels added 51 yards and a score while hitting 3-10 passes for 49 yards. Air Force had 225 total yards, including 176 rushing. The story of the day, however, was the Air Force defense. The Falcons held Navy to just 68 total yards and six first downs. The Mids managed just one first down in the first three quarters. Air Force forced Navy to just 1-12 on third down, 1.1 yards per rush and 1.5 yards per play overall. TD Blackmon led the way with 11 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S TROPHY
The 2023 season marks the 52nd year of Commander-in-Chief's trophy competition. The trophy goes annually to the winning academy with the best record in the round-robin competition. The winning team goes to the White House to receive the trophy from the President of the United States. Air Force won a series-record 21st title last year, its first since 2016.
Team Record Titles Last
Air Force 65-37-0 21 2022
Navy 52-49-1 16 2019
Army 35-66-1 9 2020
Air Force outright CIC title years:
'82, '83, '85, '87, '89, '90, '91, '92, '94, '95, '97, '98, '99, '00, '01, '02, '10, '11, '14, '16, '22
AIR FORCE - NAVY TIES
Air Force football executive and assistant recruiting coordinator Chuck Petersen was an offensive assistant at Navy last season. Petersen's son Brady is a 2019 graduate of the Naval Academy and played football. He is an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Petersen is a 1985 graduate of Air Force where he spent 17 years as an assistant at Air Force, coaching running backs (1990), receivers (1991-96) and quarterback/fullbacks (1997-06). He was the primary play caller from 1997-06 and served as offensive coordinator from 2000-06. Petersen was a four-year letterwinner at cornerback and served as a team captain his senior year. As a player, he helped the program win the first two Commander-In-Chief's Trophies in school history and helped lead Air Force to its first two bowl wins in school history (Vanderbilt in the 1982 Hall of Fame Bowl and Ole Miss in the 1983 Independence Bowl).
AIR FORCE'S 11 GAME STREAK FOURTH BEST NATIONALLY
Air Force has won 11 straight games dating back to last season which is the fourth longest active streak in the nation. The streak is tied as the second-longest in program history with the 1998-99 teams. The Falcons have opened the season 6-0 for the first time since 2002. Air Force is 4-0 in Mountain West play for the first time in program history.
Longest Current FBS Winning Streaks Longest Air Force Winning Streaks
# Team Streak # Years Streak
1. Georgia 24 1. 1984-85 13
2. Washington 13 2. 1998-99 11
3. Florida State 12 2022-23 11
4. Air Force 11 4. 1983-84 10
Penn State 11 5. 2019-20 9
AIR FORCE ONE OF 11 UNDEFEATED TEAMS
Air Force is one of 11 undefeated teams in the nation. The Falcons are the only Mountain West team and one of just three Group of 5 undefeated teams. Air Force is joined in the ranks of the undefeated by Florida State, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Liberty, Washington, Georgia and James Madison.
AIR FORCE OFF TO BEST START SINCE 2002
Air Force's 6-0 start is its best since 2002 and tied as the fifth best to start a season in program history. The Falcons are 4-0 in Mountain West play for the first time in program history. The conference start is tied for second all-time with the 1997 and 1989 teams that opened Western Athletic Conference play at 4-0. The best conference start in program history came in 1985, at 6-0 in the WAC.
Best overall starts in Air Force history Best conference starts in Air Force history
# Year............... Record # Year (Conf.)....... Record
1. 1985.............. 10-0 1. 1985 (WAC)....... 6-0
2. 1958.............. 9-0-1 2. 2023 (MW)........ 4-0
3. 1970.............. 8-0 1997 (WAC).....4-0
4. 1997.............. 7-0 1989 (WAC).....4-0
5. 2023.............. 6-0
2002.............. 6-0
1989.............. 6-0
1956.............. 6-0
CURRENT STREAKS
• Air Force has out-rushed 16 straight opponents dating back to last season.
• Air Force has won six straight games on the road/neutral sites, including three straight in true road games, all in Mountain West play (San Diego State, UNLV, San Jose State).
• The Falcons have won 17 straight games when forcing two or more turnovers in a game.
• Air Force has won eight straight games vs. non-conference opponents.
• Air Force has gone three straight games allowing seven points or less in the second half. The Falcons have allowed seven or less in five of six games this season.
AIR FORCE 37-8 LAST FOUR SEASONS
• Air Force is 37-8 the last four full seasons, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Air Force is 6-0 this season and finished 10-3 in 2022 and 2021 and 11-2 in 2019.
• Air Force, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Utah and Oregon are the only teams to win 10-plus games the last three full seasons (2019, 2021, 2022).
• The Falcons are 22-6 in conference play during the same stretch. Air Force is 4-0 this season and was 5-3 and finished second in the Mountain Division last season. Air Force shared the Mountain Division title with a 6-2 mark in 2021 and finished second with a 7-1 mark in 2019.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Air Force is ranked 22nd in both the AFCA Coaches Poll and the Associated Press poll. The Falcons are ranked for the first time since the final season poll in 2019 when the team was 22nd in the AP poll and 23rd in the coaches poll.
The regular season ranking is the first since Oct. 3, 2010, when Air Force was ranked 25th in the AP poll. The ranking in both polls in the regular season is the first since Oct. 10, 2010, when the Falcons were 23rd in each poll. Air Force has been receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches poll since the beginning of the season and in the AP poll the previous two weeks.
2023 SCHEDULE FEATURES GAMES IN ALL FIVE TIME ZONES
The Air Force schedule features five games in Falcon Stadium, including Robert Morris, Utah State, San Diego State, Wyoming and UNLV, along with a home game vs. Army at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. The Falcons' road schedule features games in all five time zones.
Zone.......... Opponent
Hawaii........ at Hawaii (11/11)
Pacific........ at San Jose State (9/22)
Mountain... at Colorado State (10/28); at Boise State (11/24)
Central....... at San Houston (9/9)
Eastern...... at Navy (10/21)
ROAD STREAK AT SIX
Air Force has won six straight away from home overall and three straight in true road games dating back to last season. Air Force's last true road game loss came last season at Utah State, 34-27, Oct. 8.
Date................ Opponent (Site).................... Result
Sept. 23, 2023. at San Jose State.................... W 45-20
Sept. 9, 2023... vs. Sam Houston (NRG).......... W 13-3
Dec. 22, 2022.. vs. Baylor (Fort Worth, TX)..... W 30-15
Nov. 26, 2022.. at San Diego State................. W 13-3
Nov. 5, 2022.... vs. Army (Arlington, TX)......... W 13-7
Oct. 15, 2022... at UNLV................................ W 42-7
AIR FORCE VS. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS
• Air Force is 2-0 this season and is 11-1 over the last three seasons vs. non-conferences foes.
• The Falcons have won eight straight.
• Air Force is 50-27 against non-conference opponents under head coach Troy Calhoun.
• The Falcons are 31-4 at home, 10-17 on the road and 9-6 in neutral site games.
2021-23 Non-Conference Results
2023
Sept. 9 at Sam Houston W 13-3
Sept. 2 vs. Robert Morris W 42-7
2022
Dec. 22 vs. Baylor (N) W 30-15
Nov. 5 vs. Army (N) W 13-7
Oct. 1 vs. Navy W 13-10
Sept. 10 vs. Colorado W 41-10
Sept. 3 vs. Northern Iowa W 48-17
2021
Dec. 28 vs. Louisville (N) W 31-28
Nov. 6 vs. Army (N) L 14-21 OT
Sept. 25 vs. Florida Atlantic W 31-7
Sept. 11 at Navy W 23-3
Sept. 4 vs. Lafayette W 35-14
LAST WEEK
Air Force overcame a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to defeat Wyoming, 34-27, in Falcon Stadium. The Cowboys jumped to a 14-0 lead with an Andrew Peasley touchdown run and pass. Owen Burk got the Falcons on the board with a 15-yard TD run to cut the lead to 14-7 late in the first quarter. John Lee Eldridge III tied the score midway through the second quarter with a 17-yard touchdown reception from Zac Larrier. Following another Peasley TD pass, Matthew Dapore kicked a 24-yard field goal to make it 21-17 at the half. The Falcons opened the second half with a 17-play, 75-yard touchdown march that took the first 10:13 off the clock and took their first lead, 24-21, when Larrier capped the drive with a one-yard run. Dapore added a 43-yard field goal to make it 27-21 with 11:31 left in the fourth. Peasley threw his third TD pass of the game to tie it at 27-all. Trey Taylor kept it tied, blocking the PAT. Eldridge III clinched it for Air Force with a 58-yard scoring run to make up the final margin. Air Force finished with 414 total yards, including 356 rushing. Larrier led the way with a career-high 111 yards rushing while Emmanuel Michel chipped in with 97 yards. The defense was led by Taylor, who had a season-high 10 tackles, a tackle for loss and the blocked PAT. Alec Mock added 10 tackles and Bo Richter had two tackles for loss and a sack.
LAST WEEK'S GAME NOTES
Team Notes
• Air Force improved to 6-0 overall for the first time since 2002. The Falcons improved to 4-0 in Mountain West play for the first time in program history. The last time the Falcons were 4-0 in conference play was 1997 in the Western Athletic Conference. Air Force was also 4-0 in the WAC in 1989 and a school-record 6-0 in WAC play in 1985.
• Air Force improved its winning streak to 11 games dating back to last season, which is the fourth-longest active streak in the FBS. The streak is tied as the second-longest in Air Force history with the 1998-99 teams.
• Air Force became bowl eligible for the 14th time in 17 seasons with Troy Calhoun as head coach. This season is the fifth straight season to reach bowl eligibility.
• Air Force improved to 31-27-3 overall vs. Wyoming, including a 22-20 mark in conference games. The Falcons im-proved to 19-12-1 at home vs. the Cowboys. Air Force has won three straight at home and three of the last four overall in the series.
• Air Force improved to 7-4 following an open week the last 11 games dating back to 2014. The Falcons improved to 4-1 in the last five games following an open week.
• Air Force's opening drive of the third quarter was the second-longest in terms of time of possession at 10:13. The Falcons had a 10:20 drive against SDSU.
• The blocked PAT by Trey Taylor is the first blocked kick by a Falcon since Jordan Jackson blocked a PAT against Utah State, Sept. 18, 2021. Since 1990, the Falcons have blocked 142 kicks (41 field goals, 40 PATs and 61 punts)
Individual Notes
• Senior FB Owen Burk's 39-yard run on the fake punt is the longest run of his career. His previous long was 27 earlier this season vs. Robert Morris.
• Junior Jared Roznos had a career high three receptions.
• Senior tight end Caleb Rillos posted a career-high two receptions.
• Senior QB Zac Larrier rushed for a career high 111 yards. His previous high was 103 vs. San Diego State. For the second straight game, Larrier completed six consecutive passes (SDSU and Wyoming). Larrier became the first QB in program history to start 6-0 since Arion Worthman was 6-0 in 2016-17. He is one of just six QBs in AF history to start their career with 6 or more wins.
• Junior kicker Matthew Dapore is perfect on the season, going 5-for-5 on field goals and 20-for-20 on PATs. Dapore tied his career high with two field goals made (second time this season and 10th of his career).
• Senior DL P.J. Ramsey has had a sack in four of the last six games this season.
• Senior DB Trey Taylor has a tackle for loss in three of his last four games.
• Taylor blocked the first kick of his career, a PAT in the fourth quarter.
• Senior Bo Richter tied his career high with two tackles for loss. He also had two vs. SDSU.
Saturday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m. MT, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000), Annapolis, MD
THE GAME
• Air Force travels to Annapolis, Md., to take on service-academy rival Navy on Saturday, Oct. 21, at 10 a.m. MT at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
• Air Force football will honor the Doolittle Raiders with the 2023 edition of the Air Power Legacy Series uniforms. The Falcons will wear the uniform this week. Please see page 19 for more information on the uniforms, photos and the history of the APLS series.
• Air Force is ranked 22nd in both the AFCA Coaches poll and the Associated Press poll. The Falcons are ranked for the first time since the final season poll in 2019 when the team was 22nd in the AP poll and 23rd in the coaches poll.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
• Television: CBS
Rich Waltz (play-by-play), Aaron Taylor (analyst), Amanda Guerra (sidelines)
• Radio: KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs, 104.3 the Fan in Denver, SIRIUS XM 382
Jim Arthur (play-by-play), Jesse Kurtz (analyst)
• Live Stats: Navystats.com
GENERAL INFORMATION
Category Air Force Navy
2023 Record................... 6-0 (4-0 MW).............................................. 3-3 (2-2 AAC)
Current Streak................ W 11......................................................................... W 2
Rankings (AP/Coaches). .. 22nd / 22nd........................................................ NR / NR
Last Week...................... W 34-27 vs. Wyoming........................ W 14-0 at Charlotte
Next Week..................... at Colorado State.............................................. at Temple
Head Coach.................... Troy Calhoun........................................... Brian Newberry
.. Alma Mater (Yr)........... Air Force (1989)..................................... Nebraska (1982)
.. School Record.............. 127-78 (17th season)............................... 3-3 (1st season)
.. Career Record.............. Same...................................................................... Same
Record vs. Opp............... 8-8.............................................................. First Meeting
Location......................... Colorado Springs, CO................................. Annapolis, MD
Website......................... GoAirForceFalcons.com.......................... NavySports.com
Conference.................... Mountain West..................................... American Athletic
THE SERIES
• Air Force leads the overall series, 33-22.
• Air Force is 20-7 at home, 9-12 at Navy and 4-3 in neutral site games.
• Air Force has won three straight and four of the last five overall.
• Air Force defeated Navy, 13-10, last season in Falcon Stadium.
• The Falcons beat Navy, 23-3, in 2021 in the last meeting in Annapolis to snap a streak of eight straight in the series won by the home team dating back to 2012.
• Air Force holds a 30-21 mark in Commander-in-Chief's Trophy games (started in 1972).
• The team's first played in 1960 in Baltimore, Md., resulting in a 35-3 Navy win.
LAST SEASON
(Oct. 1, 2022) Air Force defeated Navy, 13-10, in Falcon Stadium to push its winning streak over the Midshipmen to three straight and four of the last five. The Falcons jumped to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter behind a Haaziq Daniels 67-yard touchdown pass to David Cormier and a Matthew Dapore 23-yard field goal. Navy took advantage of an Air Force fumble and kicked a field goal to make it 10-3 at the half. The Midshipmen tied the game with a Tai Lavatai five-yard touchdown run with 10:50 left in the fourth. The Falcons answered with a 22-yard field goal from Dapore to take the lead for good with 4:14 remaining. Following a Navy punt, the Falcons ran out the clock to secure the win. Daniels put the game away with an 18-yard run on third-and-six for a first down. A few kneel downs later ended the game. Air Force used a balanced attack to finish with 356 total yards, including 200 rushing and a season-best 156 passing. Brad Roberts led the team with 108 yards on 23 carries while Daniels added 65 rushing and hit six-of-eight passes for 156 yards and a score. The defense held Navy to 243 total yards. Alec Mock led the way with a career-high 13 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Vince Sanford added 10 tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss.
LAST TIME AT NAVY
(Nov. 11, 2021) Air Force defeated Navy, 23-3, in Annapolis on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Navy opened the scoring with a 23 yard field goal early in the second quarter. Air Force answered with the first of two Brad Roberts touchdown runs to take a 7-3 halftime lead. Haaziq Daniels scored on a 28-yard run late in the third quarter to make it 14-3. Following a safety, Roberts added his second TD run to make it 23-3 with 9:13 left. Roberts led the offense with 97 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries while Daniels added 51 yards and a score while hitting 3-10 passes for 49 yards. Air Force had 225 total yards, including 176 rushing. The story of the day, however, was the Air Force defense. The Falcons held Navy to just 68 total yards and six first downs. The Mids managed just one first down in the first three quarters. Air Force forced Navy to just 1-12 on third down, 1.1 yards per rush and 1.5 yards per play overall. TD Blackmon led the way with 11 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S TROPHY
The 2023 season marks the 52nd year of Commander-in-Chief's trophy competition. The trophy goes annually to the winning academy with the best record in the round-robin competition. The winning team goes to the White House to receive the trophy from the President of the United States. Air Force won a series-record 21st title last year, its first since 2016.
Team Record Titles Last
Air Force 65-37-0 21 2022
Navy 52-49-1 16 2019
Army 35-66-1 9 2020
Air Force outright CIC title years:
'82, '83, '85, '87, '89, '90, '91, '92, '94, '95, '97, '98, '99, '00, '01, '02, '10, '11, '14, '16, '22
AIR FORCE - NAVY TIES
Air Force football executive and assistant recruiting coordinator Chuck Petersen was an offensive assistant at Navy last season. Petersen's son Brady is a 2019 graduate of the Naval Academy and played football. He is an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Petersen is a 1985 graduate of Air Force where he spent 17 years as an assistant at Air Force, coaching running backs (1990), receivers (1991-96) and quarterback/fullbacks (1997-06). He was the primary play caller from 1997-06 and served as offensive coordinator from 2000-06. Petersen was a four-year letterwinner at cornerback and served as a team captain his senior year. As a player, he helped the program win the first two Commander-In-Chief's Trophies in school history and helped lead Air Force to its first two bowl wins in school history (Vanderbilt in the 1982 Hall of Fame Bowl and Ole Miss in the 1983 Independence Bowl).
AIR FORCE'S 11 GAME STREAK FOURTH BEST NATIONALLY
Air Force has won 11 straight games dating back to last season which is the fourth longest active streak in the nation. The streak is tied as the second-longest in program history with the 1998-99 teams. The Falcons have opened the season 6-0 for the first time since 2002. Air Force is 4-0 in Mountain West play for the first time in program history.
Longest Current FBS Winning Streaks Longest Air Force Winning Streaks
# Team Streak # Years Streak
1. Georgia 24 1. 1984-85 13
2. Washington 13 2. 1998-99 11
3. Florida State 12 2022-23 11
4. Air Force 11 4. 1983-84 10
Penn State 11 5. 2019-20 9
AIR FORCE ONE OF 11 UNDEFEATED TEAMS
Air Force is one of 11 undefeated teams in the nation. The Falcons are the only Mountain West team and one of just three Group of 5 undefeated teams. Air Force is joined in the ranks of the undefeated by Florida State, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Liberty, Washington, Georgia and James Madison.
AIR FORCE OFF TO BEST START SINCE 2002
Air Force's 6-0 start is its best since 2002 and tied as the fifth best to start a season in program history. The Falcons are 4-0 in Mountain West play for the first time in program history. The conference start is tied for second all-time with the 1997 and 1989 teams that opened Western Athletic Conference play at 4-0. The best conference start in program history came in 1985, at 6-0 in the WAC.
Best overall starts in Air Force history Best conference starts in Air Force history
# Year............... Record # Year (Conf.)....... Record
1. 1985.............. 10-0 1. 1985 (WAC)....... 6-0
2. 1958.............. 9-0-1 2. 2023 (MW)........ 4-0
3. 1970.............. 8-0 1997 (WAC).....4-0
4. 1997.............. 7-0 1989 (WAC).....4-0
5. 2023.............. 6-0
2002.............. 6-0
1989.............. 6-0
1956.............. 6-0
CURRENT STREAKS
• Air Force has out-rushed 16 straight opponents dating back to last season.
• Air Force has won six straight games on the road/neutral sites, including three straight in true road games, all in Mountain West play (San Diego State, UNLV, San Jose State).
• The Falcons have won 17 straight games when forcing two or more turnovers in a game.
• Air Force has won eight straight games vs. non-conference opponents.
• Air Force has gone three straight games allowing seven points or less in the second half. The Falcons have allowed seven or less in five of six games this season.
AIR FORCE 37-8 LAST FOUR SEASONS
• Air Force is 37-8 the last four full seasons, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Air Force is 6-0 this season and finished 10-3 in 2022 and 2021 and 11-2 in 2019.
• Air Force, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Utah and Oregon are the only teams to win 10-plus games the last three full seasons (2019, 2021, 2022).
• The Falcons are 22-6 in conference play during the same stretch. Air Force is 4-0 this season and was 5-3 and finished second in the Mountain Division last season. Air Force shared the Mountain Division title with a 6-2 mark in 2021 and finished second with a 7-1 mark in 2019.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Air Force is ranked 22nd in both the AFCA Coaches Poll and the Associated Press poll. The Falcons are ranked for the first time since the final season poll in 2019 when the team was 22nd in the AP poll and 23rd in the coaches poll.
The regular season ranking is the first since Oct. 3, 2010, when Air Force was ranked 25th in the AP poll. The ranking in both polls in the regular season is the first since Oct. 10, 2010, when the Falcons were 23rd in each poll. Air Force has been receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches poll since the beginning of the season and in the AP poll the previous two weeks.
2023 SCHEDULE FEATURES GAMES IN ALL FIVE TIME ZONES
The Air Force schedule features five games in Falcon Stadium, including Robert Morris, Utah State, San Diego State, Wyoming and UNLV, along with a home game vs. Army at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. The Falcons' road schedule features games in all five time zones.
Zone.......... Opponent
Hawaii........ at Hawaii (11/11)
Pacific........ at San Jose State (9/22)
Mountain... at Colorado State (10/28); at Boise State (11/24)
Central....... at San Houston (9/9)
Eastern...... at Navy (10/21)
ROAD STREAK AT SIX
Air Force has won six straight away from home overall and three straight in true road games dating back to last season. Air Force's last true road game loss came last season at Utah State, 34-27, Oct. 8.
Date................ Opponent (Site).................... Result
Sept. 23, 2023. at San Jose State.................... W 45-20
Sept. 9, 2023... vs. Sam Houston (NRG).......... W 13-3
Dec. 22, 2022.. vs. Baylor (Fort Worth, TX)..... W 30-15
Nov. 26, 2022.. at San Diego State................. W 13-3
Nov. 5, 2022.... vs. Army (Arlington, TX)......... W 13-7
Oct. 15, 2022... at UNLV................................ W 42-7
AIR FORCE VS. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS
• Air Force is 2-0 this season and is 11-1 over the last three seasons vs. non-conferences foes.
• The Falcons have won eight straight.
• Air Force is 50-27 against non-conference opponents under head coach Troy Calhoun.
• The Falcons are 31-4 at home, 10-17 on the road and 9-6 in neutral site games.
2021-23 Non-Conference Results
2023
Sept. 9 at Sam Houston W 13-3
Sept. 2 vs. Robert Morris W 42-7
2022
Dec. 22 vs. Baylor (N) W 30-15
Nov. 5 vs. Army (N) W 13-7
Oct. 1 vs. Navy W 13-10
Sept. 10 vs. Colorado W 41-10
Sept. 3 vs. Northern Iowa W 48-17
2021
Dec. 28 vs. Louisville (N) W 31-28
Nov. 6 vs. Army (N) L 14-21 OT
Sept. 25 vs. Florida Atlantic W 31-7
Sept. 11 at Navy W 23-3
Sept. 4 vs. Lafayette W 35-14
LAST WEEK
Air Force overcame a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to defeat Wyoming, 34-27, in Falcon Stadium. The Cowboys jumped to a 14-0 lead with an Andrew Peasley touchdown run and pass. Owen Burk got the Falcons on the board with a 15-yard TD run to cut the lead to 14-7 late in the first quarter. John Lee Eldridge III tied the score midway through the second quarter with a 17-yard touchdown reception from Zac Larrier. Following another Peasley TD pass, Matthew Dapore kicked a 24-yard field goal to make it 21-17 at the half. The Falcons opened the second half with a 17-play, 75-yard touchdown march that took the first 10:13 off the clock and took their first lead, 24-21, when Larrier capped the drive with a one-yard run. Dapore added a 43-yard field goal to make it 27-21 with 11:31 left in the fourth. Peasley threw his third TD pass of the game to tie it at 27-all. Trey Taylor kept it tied, blocking the PAT. Eldridge III clinched it for Air Force with a 58-yard scoring run to make up the final margin. Air Force finished with 414 total yards, including 356 rushing. Larrier led the way with a career-high 111 yards rushing while Emmanuel Michel chipped in with 97 yards. The defense was led by Taylor, who had a season-high 10 tackles, a tackle for loss and the blocked PAT. Alec Mock added 10 tackles and Bo Richter had two tackles for loss and a sack.
LAST WEEK'S GAME NOTES
Team Notes
• Air Force improved to 6-0 overall for the first time since 2002. The Falcons improved to 4-0 in Mountain West play for the first time in program history. The last time the Falcons were 4-0 in conference play was 1997 in the Western Athletic Conference. Air Force was also 4-0 in the WAC in 1989 and a school-record 6-0 in WAC play in 1985.
• Air Force improved its winning streak to 11 games dating back to last season, which is the fourth-longest active streak in the FBS. The streak is tied as the second-longest in Air Force history with the 1998-99 teams.
• Air Force became bowl eligible for the 14th time in 17 seasons with Troy Calhoun as head coach. This season is the fifth straight season to reach bowl eligibility.
• Air Force improved to 31-27-3 overall vs. Wyoming, including a 22-20 mark in conference games. The Falcons im-proved to 19-12-1 at home vs. the Cowboys. Air Force has won three straight at home and three of the last four overall in the series.
• Air Force improved to 7-4 following an open week the last 11 games dating back to 2014. The Falcons improved to 4-1 in the last five games following an open week.
• Air Force's opening drive of the third quarter was the second-longest in terms of time of possession at 10:13. The Falcons had a 10:20 drive against SDSU.
• The blocked PAT by Trey Taylor is the first blocked kick by a Falcon since Jordan Jackson blocked a PAT against Utah State, Sept. 18, 2021. Since 1990, the Falcons have blocked 142 kicks (41 field goals, 40 PATs and 61 punts)
Individual Notes
• Senior FB Owen Burk's 39-yard run on the fake punt is the longest run of his career. His previous long was 27 earlier this season vs. Robert Morris.
• Junior Jared Roznos had a career high three receptions.
• Senior tight end Caleb Rillos posted a career-high two receptions.
• Senior QB Zac Larrier rushed for a career high 111 yards. His previous high was 103 vs. San Diego State. For the second straight game, Larrier completed six consecutive passes (SDSU and Wyoming). Larrier became the first QB in program history to start 6-0 since Arion Worthman was 6-0 in 2016-17. He is one of just six QBs in AF history to start their career with 6 or more wins.
• Junior kicker Matthew Dapore is perfect on the season, going 5-for-5 on field goals and 20-for-20 on PATs. Dapore tied his career high with two field goals made (second time this season and 10th of his career).
• Senior DL P.J. Ramsey has had a sack in four of the last six games this season.
• Senior DB Trey Taylor has a tackle for loss in three of his last four games.
• Taylor blocked the first kick of his career, a PAT in the fourth quarter.
• Senior Bo Richter tied his career high with two tackles for loss. He also had two vs. SDSU.
Players Mentioned
ILB
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WR
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QB
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PK
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RB
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QB
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FB
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DE
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TE
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RB
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WR
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OLB
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FS
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