Saturday, August 30
USAFA, CO - Falcon Stadium
1:30 pm MT
Air Force Academy
1-0 , 0-0
49
vs
13
Bucknell
0-1 , 0-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Bucknell
0
7
3
3
13
Air Force
14
14
14
7
49
Air Force opens season with 49-13 win over Bucknell
8/30/2025 5:43:00 PM | Football
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – A three-touchdown day for senior receiver Cade Harris led Air Force to a 49-13 win over Bucknell on Saturday, Aug. 30, in the season opener at Falcon Stadium.
In his second career start, junior Falcon quarterback Josh Johnson went 4-for-7 passing, throwing for 112 yards and earning 117 all-purpose, totaling two touchdowns; Sophomore QB Liam Szarka, taking the field for his first time as a Falcon, totaled 54 total yards on the day; Junior QB Maguire Martin, also making his career debut, led the final drive of the game for Air Force to mail home the final score of the day.
Harris scored twice on the ground, earning one in the first and third quarters, and made good on a 62-yard strike in the second from Johnson. Three touchdowns for Harris on the day marks a career best. Harris closed out the day with three catches for 83 yards and 66 rushing yards on eight carries, totaling 149 all-purpose yards.
On defense, junior linebacker Blake Fletcher led Air Force with a career-high 11 total tackles. Fellow junior Luke Fisher added eight; linebacker Isaac Heubert contributed two sacks on the day.
Air Force was first on the board, as Johnson found an open Quin Smith up the field from the Bison 40-yard line, resulting in a 7-0 Air Force advantage with 6:26 to go in the first quarter. Smith's score marked the second of his career and his first at Falcon Stadium.
After holding the Bison to just two yards on Bucknell's second drive of the game, Szarka, under center for the first time, went 2-for-2 downfield, connecting with senior receivers Tre Roberson and Harris to combine for 47 yards in the air. A five-play, 61-yard advance culminated in Harris finding the end zone on a nine-yard rush for his first score and to give Air Force a 14-0 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
Bucknell responded in the opening minutes of the second quarter. Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year and the Bison's all-time leader in passing touchdowns, quarterback Ralph Rucker IV found receiver Sam Milligan on a 12-yard slant in the Air Force end zone, lifting the Bison back within a score. Ultimately marking Bucknell's only touchdown of the day.
Air Force bought back a two-score lead, capping off an 11-play drive with senior fullback Dylan Carson forcing his way into the end zone with 7:14 left in the half. Carson's score marked the senior's fifth-consecutive game with a rushing touchdown.
With 4:53 to go in the half, a pass from Rucker into Falcon territory looked to get Bucknell back within range of evening the score, but was picked off by junior safety Roger Jones, giving Air Force back possession on their own 38. On the first play of the resulting drive, Johnson found Harris for a 68-yard strike downfield, awarding Air Force with a 28-7 lead at the end of the quarter and Harris' second score of the day. The Falcons went to the locker room with 341 yards of offense in the first half after scoring touchdowns on four consecutive drives, while holding Bucknell to 150 total yards.
Just under two minutes into the start of the second half, the Falcon defense halted Bucknell on a fourth-and-one attempt at their own 35. Rucker, rushing up the middle on a quarterback sneak, was stripped of the ball by sophomore cornerback Mikhail Seiken. Fellow sophomore Korey Johnson emerged from the scrum with the ball, returning it 34 yards for a touchdown for a 35-7 Air Force advantage.
Bucknell's second drive of the third quarter resulted in the Bison's fifth three-and-out of the game. A shanked Bucknell punt, bounced backwards and was downed at the Bucknell 8-yard line for a net put of minus-12 yards. Harris' third score of the day came on the first play of the ensuing drive for a 42-7 Falcon lead.
Midway through the third, Bucknell found its way into Falcon territory for the first time since its initial scoring play, but Air Force held them to a field goal at the Falcons' 20 putting the score at 42-10.
After a 47-minute lightning delay, play resumed with Air Force in possession at the start of the fourth quarter; but that didn't slow down the Falcons. Maguire Martin, making his first career appearance, led Air Force on its longest drive of the day, as the Falcons went 17 plays and 75 yards in 14:25, ending in a one-yard score for Martin to earn his first career TD. Bucknell notched a second field goal on the day, this time from the Falcon 20, to make it a 49-13 game with just over 44 seconds to go in the game.
Bucknell, who led the Patriot League in passing offense (268.3), passing efficiency (148.19), total offense (387.3) and first downs (252) in 2024, was held to 266 total yards of offense on the day. Rucker closed out his season debut with 126 passing yards.
With the win, Air Force has won 20 of its last 21 season openers at home; The Falcons improved to 19 consecutive wins in season openers which stands as the second-longest active streak in the nation, trailing only Ohio State (25); Air Force improved to 29-0 all-time against Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams, with all 29 meetings taking place in Falcon Stadium; Head Coach Troy Calhoun improved to 19-0 against the FCS in his Falcon coaching career; Air Force is 13-0 all-time in August; All 13 wins have been hosted at Falcon Stadium; In his career, head coach Troy Calhoun improved to 6-0 in August games.
Up Next:
Saturday, Sept. 13, Air Force football takes on Utah State at Maverick Stadium in Logan; Air Force is back at Falcon Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 20, hosting Boise State.
In his second career start, junior Falcon quarterback Josh Johnson went 4-for-7 passing, throwing for 112 yards and earning 117 all-purpose, totaling two touchdowns; Sophomore QB Liam Szarka, taking the field for his first time as a Falcon, totaled 54 total yards on the day; Junior QB Maguire Martin, also making his career debut, led the final drive of the game for Air Force to mail home the final score of the day.
Harris scored twice on the ground, earning one in the first and third quarters, and made good on a 62-yard strike in the second from Johnson. Three touchdowns for Harris on the day marks a career best. Harris closed out the day with three catches for 83 yards and 66 rushing yards on eight carries, totaling 149 all-purpose yards.
On defense, junior linebacker Blake Fletcher led Air Force with a career-high 11 total tackles. Fellow junior Luke Fisher added eight; linebacker Isaac Heubert contributed two sacks on the day.
Air Force was first on the board, as Johnson found an open Quin Smith up the field from the Bison 40-yard line, resulting in a 7-0 Air Force advantage with 6:26 to go in the first quarter. Smith's score marked the second of his career and his first at Falcon Stadium.
After holding the Bison to just two yards on Bucknell's second drive of the game, Szarka, under center for the first time, went 2-for-2 downfield, connecting with senior receivers Tre Roberson and Harris to combine for 47 yards in the air. A five-play, 61-yard advance culminated in Harris finding the end zone on a nine-yard rush for his first score and to give Air Force a 14-0 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
Bucknell responded in the opening minutes of the second quarter. Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year and the Bison's all-time leader in passing touchdowns, quarterback Ralph Rucker IV found receiver Sam Milligan on a 12-yard slant in the Air Force end zone, lifting the Bison back within a score. Ultimately marking Bucknell's only touchdown of the day.
Air Force bought back a two-score lead, capping off an 11-play drive with senior fullback Dylan Carson forcing his way into the end zone with 7:14 left in the half. Carson's score marked the senior's fifth-consecutive game with a rushing touchdown.
With 4:53 to go in the half, a pass from Rucker into Falcon territory looked to get Bucknell back within range of evening the score, but was picked off by junior safety Roger Jones, giving Air Force back possession on their own 38. On the first play of the resulting drive, Johnson found Harris for a 68-yard strike downfield, awarding Air Force with a 28-7 lead at the end of the quarter and Harris' second score of the day. The Falcons went to the locker room with 341 yards of offense in the first half after scoring touchdowns on four consecutive drives, while holding Bucknell to 150 total yards.
Just under two minutes into the start of the second half, the Falcon defense halted Bucknell on a fourth-and-one attempt at their own 35. Rucker, rushing up the middle on a quarterback sneak, was stripped of the ball by sophomore cornerback Mikhail Seiken. Fellow sophomore Korey Johnson emerged from the scrum with the ball, returning it 34 yards for a touchdown for a 35-7 Air Force advantage.
Bucknell's second drive of the third quarter resulted in the Bison's fifth three-and-out of the game. A shanked Bucknell punt, bounced backwards and was downed at the Bucknell 8-yard line for a net put of minus-12 yards. Harris' third score of the day came on the first play of the ensuing drive for a 42-7 Falcon lead.
Midway through the third, Bucknell found its way into Falcon territory for the first time since its initial scoring play, but Air Force held them to a field goal at the Falcons' 20 putting the score at 42-10.
After a 47-minute lightning delay, play resumed with Air Force in possession at the start of the fourth quarter; but that didn't slow down the Falcons. Maguire Martin, making his first career appearance, led Air Force on its longest drive of the day, as the Falcons went 17 plays and 75 yards in 14:25, ending in a one-yard score for Martin to earn his first career TD. Bucknell notched a second field goal on the day, this time from the Falcon 20, to make it a 49-13 game with just over 44 seconds to go in the game.
Bucknell, who led the Patriot League in passing offense (268.3), passing efficiency (148.19), total offense (387.3) and first downs (252) in 2024, was held to 266 total yards of offense on the day. Rucker closed out his season debut with 126 passing yards.
With the win, Air Force has won 20 of its last 21 season openers at home; The Falcons improved to 19 consecutive wins in season openers which stands as the second-longest active streak in the nation, trailing only Ohio State (25); Air Force improved to 29-0 all-time against Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams, with all 29 meetings taking place in Falcon Stadium; Head Coach Troy Calhoun improved to 19-0 against the FCS in his Falcon coaching career; Air Force is 13-0 all-time in August; All 13 wins have been hosted at Falcon Stadium; In his career, head coach Troy Calhoun improved to 6-0 in August games.
Up Next:
Saturday, Sept. 13, Air Force football takes on Utah State at Maverick Stadium in Logan; Air Force is back at Falcon Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 20, hosting Boise State.
Team Stats
BU
AF
Total Yards
266
426
Pass Yards
169
159
Rushing Yards
97
267
Penalty Yards
50
56
1st Downs
18
23
3rd Downs
3
6
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
28:22
31:38
1st Quarter
BU 0, AF 7
AF - Smith,Quin 40 yd pass from Johnson,Josh (Medina,Jacob kick) 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 02:47
BU 0, AF 14
AF - Harris,Cade 9 yd run (Medina,Jacob kick), 5 plays, 61 yards, TOP 02:25
2nd Quarter
BU 7, AF 14
BU - Milligan,Sam 12 yd pass from Rucker IV,Ralph (Schearer,Matt kick) 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:34
BU 7, AF 21
AF - Carson,Dylan 2 yd run (Medina,Jacob kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 05:40
BU 7, AF 28
AF - Harris,Cade 62 yd pass from Johnson,Josh (Medina,Jacob kick) 1 plays, 62 yards, TOP 00:09
3rd Quarter
BU 7, AF 35
AF - Johnson,Korey 34 yd fumble recovery (Medina,Jacob kick)
BU 7, AF 42
AF - Harris,Cade 8 yd run (Medina,Jacob kick), 1 plays, 8 yards, TOP 00:06
BU 10, AF 42
BU - Schearer,Matt 37 yd field goal 12 plays, 55 yards, TOP 05:45
4th Quarter
BU 10, AF 49
AF - Martin,Maguire 1 yd run (Tubbs,Reagan kick), 17 plays, 75 yards, TOP 14:25
BU 13, AF 49
BU - Schearer,Matt 39 yd field goal 13 plays, 53 yards, TOP 05:40
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
4
TD
2
YDS
112
INT
0
CMP
2
TD
0
YDS
47
INT
0
Players Mentioned
RB
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LB
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LB
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WR
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DB
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QB
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WR
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DB
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WR
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Troy Calhoun and Players POST Boise State 2025
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