Mistakes plague #17/17 Falcons in 23-3 loss to Army

DENVER- With the opportunity to reclaim the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy at Empower Field at Mile High, Air Force was unable to create a consistent offensive attack, falling to Army by a score of 23-3.

Quarterback Zac Larrier was 9-22 for 93 yards through the air to go with 45 rushing yards on a team-high 20 carries.

John Lee Eldridge III and Emmanuel Michel saw the bulk of the work at running back, combining for 77 yards via 14 carries.

Jayden Goodwin led the Falcons with 12 total tackles, while Bo Richter (10 tackles) and Alec Mock (9 tackles) helped provide a defensive presence.

The Falcons' fortune was seemingly foreshadowed by Army's opening drive, as the Black Knights opened the scoring early. On the fourth play from scrimmage, Army QB Bryson Daily found space through the middle of the Air Force defense, carrying the ball 62 yards for an opening drive score. Army quickly owned a 7-0 lead.

Air Force's first possession was put to an end after Michel was stopped on fourth-and-one at his own 34-yard line, giving Army a short field to work with. The Black Knights took advantage of the turnover on downs, as a 45-yard field goal saw the Falcons trailing 10-0 just over five minutes into the game.

The Falcons second drive lasted just four plays, as Larrier fumbled the ball on a quarterback keeper, with Army retaking possession at the Falcons 43. The Black Knights would eventually score following an 11-play drive, as Daily rushed into the endzone for a 5-yard touchdown to extend the Army lead to 17-0.

Following a 15-yard run by Larrier to begin Air Force's third possession, a Michel fumble the following play saw Army recover the football for the second-consecutive drive, taking over at the Air Force 47. Army would eventually split the uprights from 40 yards out, creating a 20-0 advantage.

Both sides would trade field goals before the end of the half to see Army carry a 23-3 lead into the break.

The Falcons were 2-6 on third down and 0-2 on fourth down in the opening half, as Air Force surrendered the ball three times in the game's first 30 minutes.

Trailing by 20 points at the start of the second half, Air Force managed just 133 yards the remainder of the game, turning the ball over an additional three times in the final quarter. Air Force was responsible for six turnovers over the course of the afternoon. The Falcons 4.0 yards per play on Saturday stands as a season-low.

The loss is the first of the 2023 season for the Falcons, as Air Force concludes the CIC portion of its schedule with a 1-1 record.

Next, the Falcons will travel to Hawaii to take on the Rainbow Warriors on Saturday, November 11. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 pm MT.

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