Air Force Falls 49-37 to Boise State

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Air Force football mounted one comeback after another on Saturday night after ceding an early lead to Boise State, but big plays from the two-time defending Mountain West Champions proved costly as the Falcons fell, 49-37, Saturday, Sept. 20, at Falcon Stadium.

Sophomore quarterback Liam Szarka ended the evening with 357 total yards, going 13-for-18 and 246 passing yards and two touchdowns, the most passing yards in a game since Haaziq Daniels threw for 252 in Air Force's 31-28 win over Louisville in the 2021 First Responder Bowl. Szarka hit senior receiver Cade Harris for 177 yards, posting career marks in both yards and receptions (eight). Szarka led all Falcons in rushing yards (111) and was followed up by senior fullback Dylan Carson's 109 (season high), his sixth career 100-plus rushing performance to date.

With 280 total rushing yards on the day, Air Force (1-2, 0-2 MW) extended the nation's longest active streak of consecutive 100-yard rushing games (88). Air Force has recorded 250 rushing yards or more and three touchdowns in a Mountain West record seven games.

After holding Boise State (2-1, 1-0 MW) to a one-yard three-and-out on the opening drive, Carson broke free on the Falcons' first offensive snap of the game for a 64-yard run to place Air Force inside the Bronco red zone. Carson then punched in the opening score of the game to cap a five-play, 74-yard Falcon scoring drive to give Air Force a 7-0 lead just three minutes into the game.

Boise State answered on their next drive to return the score to even. Three consecutive first downs pushed the Broncos into Falcon territory, then an unsportsmanlike conduct levied on Air Force awarded Boise State with possession in the Falcon red zone. Two plays later, Bronco running back Dylan Riley (172 yards, four touchdowns) found the end zone on a four-yard carry.

Big plays from the Broncos bought Boise State a lead they held through the remainder of the first half. Consecutive completions of 13 and 20 yards for Bronco starting quarterback Maddux Madsen were followed by a 34-yard breakaway for Riley, scoring his second of the game to bring the tally to 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.

After a 27-yard drive resulting in a turnover on downs for the Falcons, Boise State found itself again in scoring position but gave up 10 yards on consecutive false starts to push the Broncos back near midfield. Receptions for both Riley and sophomore tight end Matt Wagner for nine and 24 yards bought back Boise State's lost yards, setting up for Madsen to find tight end Matt Lauter for the 21-7 red zone score.

With five minutes to go in the first half, Air Force dialed up a response. Szarka, entering the game in relief of junior starter Josh Johnson, coordinated a 10-play, 72-yard drive which included a 38-yard scramble and 10-yard reception to Harris. In the wildcat, Kemper Hodges took the snap, scoring on a three-yard run to earn his second career touchdown and lift Air Force back within a single possession.

With under a minute to go in the half, Madsen, with the Broncos spotted at their own 43 after an Air Force three-and-out, completed a pair of 24-yard passes to wide receiver Latrell Caples and running back Malik Sherrod to get Boise State back inside the Falcon red zone. From there, Air Force conducted a seven-play defensive stand which concluded with an interception in the end zone by freshman defensive back Max Mustell- the first of his career- to end the half. The Falcons trailed just 21-14 heading into the locker room despite Boise State's 310 total yards of offense to Air Force's 175.

With Air Force owning possession to open the second half, Szarka, on the second play of the opening drive at the Falcon 25-yard line, found Harris downfield, who took it 74 yards along the left sideline to the BSU one-yard line. The play represented a season high for Air Force and career long for Szarka. Szarka scored on the next play to tie the game at 21-21.

Boise State swiftly answered on the resulting drive to regain its lead. Air Force allowed Madsen a 31-yard pass to Caples, pushing back into Falcon territory, followed by a 40-yard Sherrod run to the end zone, giving back Boise State a 28-21 advantage at the 11:51 mark in the third quarter.

Air Force consumed 10:41 off the clock with 19 plays on its second drive of the quarter reaching Boise State's eight yard line. However, the Falcons were held to just a field goal as sophomore Jacob Medina split the uprights, cutting the BSU lead to 28-24 with 1:10 to go in the third. On the next play, Maddux, dropping back, found Riley for a 75-yard score, his third of the evening, giving the Broncos a 35-24 lead at the end of the third quarter.

To open the fourth quarter, Szarka hit Quin Smith for a 21-yard downfield strike, and another up the middle to Harris got Air Force to Boise State's 24-yard line. At the Bronco 12, Szarka rolled out to the right, finding Smith in the corner for his second touchdown of the season and third of his career. An unsuccessful two-point attempt left the Falcons down 35-30. Boist State then went on an eight-play, 69-yard drive – all on the ground – ending in Riley's third touchdown of the day and a 42-30 Bronco lead.

Air Force struck again as Szarka took the Falcons down the field and completed a five-yard throw to senior tight end Bruin Fleischmann, putting Air Force back within range of a comeback at 42-37. Boise State again answered as Riley scored on a 43-yard run, his fourth touchdown of the game, to seal the win.

Up Next:
Air Force football is back in Falcon Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 27, hosting Hawaii at 2 p.m. MT.

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Team Stats

Liam Szarka

Josh Johnson

Players Mentioned

Dylan Carson

Bruin Fleischmann

Cade Harris

Kemper Hodges

Josh Johnson

Jacob Medina

Max Mustell

Quin Smith

Liam Szarka

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