Saturday, September 27
USAFA, CO - Falcon Stadium
2:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Hawaii
Game 4: Air Force (1-2, 0-2 MW) vs. Hawai’i (3-2, 0-1 MW)
9/22/2025 8:27:00 AM | Football
Saturday, Sept. 27, 2:05 p.m. MT, Falcon Stadium (39,441), Colorado Springs, CO
Air Force (1-2, 0-2 MW) vs. Hawai'i (3-2, 0-1 MW)
Saturday, Sept. 27, 2:05 p.m. MT, Falcon Stadium (39,441), Colorado Springs, CO
FALCONS
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Website: GoAirForceFalcons.com
Conference: Mountain West
2025 Record: 1-2 (0-2 MW)
RAINBOW WARRIORS
Location: Honolulu, HI
Website: Hawaiiathletics.com
Conference: Mountain West
2025 Record: 3-2 (0-1 MW)
THE GAME
• Air Force and Hawai'i meet for the 24th time overall and 22nd as conference foes. Air Force leads the overall series, 14-8-1, including a 13-7-1 conference advantage. Air Force is 8-6-1 at Hawai'i and 6-2 at home.
• Air Force has recorded at least 250 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a Mountain West record seven straight games. The Falcons had 267 yards and four touchdowns vs. Bucknell, 266 yards and four touchdowns at Utah State and 269 yards and three TDs vs. Boise State.
• Air Force extended the nation's longest active streak of consecutive 100-yard rushing games to 88 with 269 yards vs. Boise State.
• Air Force leads the Mountain West in scoring offense (38.7), rushing (267.0), yards per completion (19.47), third down percentage (.537) and red zone offense (1.000).
THE SERIES
• Air Force and Hawai'i meet for the 24th time overall and 22nd as conference foes
• Air Force leads the overall series, 14-8-1, including a 13-7-1 conference advantage
• Air Force is 8-6-1 at Hawai'i and 6-2 at home
• Hawaii defeated Air Force, 27-13, in the last meeting, Nov. 11, 2023.
• Hawaii defeated Air Force, 34-27, in double overtime in the last meeting in Falcon Stadium, Oct. 22, 2016.
• The team's first played in 1966 at the Academy, resulting in a 54-0 Air Force win
LAST MEETING
(Nov. 11, 2023) Hawaii defeated Air Force, 27-13, in Honolulu. The Rainbows opened the scoring with a Brayden Schager to Pofele Ashlock five-yard touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. Air Force answered with a Matthew Dapore 25-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3. Schager added a one-yard touchdown run to make it 13-3 at the half. The Falcons opened the second half with a Dylan Carson 35-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 13-10 early in the third quarter. Schager and Ashlock connected on a 19-yard TD connection to make it 20-10 midway through the third quarter. Meki Pei added a 32-yard fumble return touchdown to make it 27-10 early in the fourth. Dapore added a second field goal to make up the final margin. Hawaii finished with 297 total yards, including 176 passing. Schager led the way, hitting 22-29 passes for 176 yards and two scores. He rushed for 57 yards and a score. Air Force finished with 315 total yards, including 201 rushing. Carson led the Falcons with 87 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Alec Mock led the defense with 10 tackles.
LAST TIME AT AIR FORCE
(Oct. 22, 2016) Hawaii defeated Air Force, 34-27, in double overtime in Falcon Stadium. The victory snapped Air Force's 15-game home winning streak. The Rainbow Warriors scored late in the second quarter to take a 10-7 halftime lead before a pair of Luke Strebel field goals to put the Falcon in front 13-10 in the third quarter. Hawaii tied it with a field goal and the teams exchanged fourth-quarter touchdowns. Strebel missed a field goal as time expired in regulation to force overtime. Both teams scored touchdowns in the first overtime. Hawaii scored on its first play in double overtime and held the Falcons on downs to win it. Hawaii had 387 total yards and was led by Dru Brown, who hit 21 of 37 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns. Air Force had 409 total yards on 97 plays, including 87 rushes for 389 yards. Shayne Davern led the way with 24 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown. Tim McVey added 78 yards and a score on 11 carries while Nate Romine had 74 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.
THE KUTER TROPHY
The General Laurence S. Kuter Trophy, named after the first PACAF commander, is a tribute to the friendship between Hawai'i and Air Force and to the cooperation between the people of Hawai'i and their Air Force. The trophy was conceived by the University of Hawai'i, sponsored by the Pacific Air Command, and the Air Force Academy helped design it. The Kuter trophy is presented to the winner of the annual football game between the two schools. Hawaii holds the trophy following a 27-13 win in Honolulu in 2023.
LOOKING AT HAWAI'I
Hawaii is 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the Mountain West following a 23-21 loss vs. Fresno State last week. Hawaii leads the MW in punt returns with a 13.0 average. Kicker Kensei Matsuzawa leads the nation in field goal percentage, hitting all 13 attempts. He is first in the MW and third nationally with 2.6 field goals per game.
Hawaii opened the season with a 23-20 win over Stanford. This week is their second road game, falling 40-6 at Arizona earlier this season. The Rainbows average 335.6 yards per game, including 239.2 passing and 96.4 rushing. Landon Sims lead the team in rushing with 184 yards. Luke Weaver leads them in passing, hitting 61-102 for 600 yards and five TDs. Micah Alejado has hit 73-117 for 586 yards and three scores. Peter Manuma leads the defense with 29 tackles. De'Jon Benton has 16 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.
STREAKS, MW RECORDS
• Air Force has recorded at least 250 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a Mountain West record seven straight games.
• The Falcons had 267 yards and four touchdowns vs. Bucknell, 266 yards and four touchdowns at Utah State and 269 yards and three TDs vs. Boise State.
• The Falcons broke their own record of five straight they shared with San Diego State and New Mexico. Air Force accomplished it twice, doing so in 2009 and 2010. San Diego State did it in 2017 and New Mexico in 2012.
A FEW MORE NOTES ABOUT STREAKS
• Air Force extended the nation's longest active streak of consecutive 100-yard rushing games to 88 with 269 yards vs. Boise State. Boise State is second with a 41-game run.
AN AIR FORCE WIN WOULD...
• Air Force would improve to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in Mountain West play.
• Air Force would improve to 5-8 all-time vs. Boise State, including a 3-3 mark at home. The win would also snap a two-game winning streak by Boise State in the series.
• Air Force would improve to 2-1 at home this season and will have wins in five of its last six home games.
LAST WEEK
Boise State defeated Air Force, 49-37, in Falcon Stadium. The Broncos had 592 total yards, including 282 rushing and 310 passing. Dylan Riley led the with 171 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 19 carries. He also had two catches for 84 yards and a score. Maddux Madsen hit 13-23 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns. Boise State, who led 21-14 at the half, scored touchdowns on four straight possessions to keep Air Force from overtaking them. Air Force finished with 511 total yards, including 269 rushing and 242 passing. Liam Szarka rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown and hit 13-18 passes for 246 yards and two scores. Dylan Carson added 109 yards and a touchdown rushing. The defense was led by freshman Max Mustell, who had a career-high 13 tackles and an interception. Blake Fletcher added nine tackles.
LAST WEEK'S POST-GAME NOTES
Team Notes
• Air Force extended its nation-leading streak of consecutive games with 100-plus yards rushing to 88. Boise State is second with 41 such games.
• Air Force rushed for 269 yards with three rushing touchdowns. It was the seventh-straight game with over 250 yards rushing and at least three rushing touchdowns, which is a new Mountain West record.
• Air Force had two players over 100 yards rushing in the same game (Liam Szarka, 111, and Dylan Carson 109) for the first time since Navy last season when Owen Allen rushed for 107 and Dylan Carson went for 105.
• Air Force posted its first game since 2022 with a different 100-yard passer, 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver (Liam Szarka passed for 246, Dylan Carson rushed for 109 and Cade Harris had 177 receiving). The last time came against Navy in 2022 when Brad Roberts rushed for 108, David Cormier had 120 receiving yards and Haaziq Daniels passed for 156.
• Air Force's 511 yards of total offense are the most since the Falcons had 691 vs. Northern Iowa, Sept. 9, 2022.
• Air Force game captains were OC Costen Cooley, TE Bruin Fleischmann, OLB Blake Fletcher and DL Payton Zdroik.
Individual Notes
• Senior FB Dylan Carson recorded the second-longest run of his career on his first carry of the game. The 64-yard run is his longest since a career-best 68-yard run vs. Boise State in 2023. Carson finished the game with 109, the sixth 100-yard game of his career. Carson has scored a touchdown in six of the last seven games dating back to last year.
• Junior QB Kemper Hodges saw his first action of the season after missing the first two games. The action is the first of his career at quarterback. Hodges was a fullback his first two seasons. He finished the game with two carries for five yards and scored the second touchdown of his career, first as a quarterback, with a three-yard run.
• Freshman SS Max Mustell made the first start of his career and responded with a career-best 13 tackles. He also recorded the first interception of his career, which came in the Boise State endzone.
• Sophomore QB Liam Szarka set new career highs in completions (13), attempts (18), passing yards (246), completion percentage (72.2), passing touchdowns (2), rushing attempts (20) and rushing yards (111). The 74-yard pass from to Cade Harris was the longest career pass play for Szarka and second longest career reception for Harris. It was the longest play by the Falcons this season. The previous long was a 62-yard pass from Josh Johnson to Harris vs. Bucknell. Szarka is the first Falcon with 200 yards passing in a game since Haaziq Daniels had 252 vs. Louisville in the 2021 First Responder Bowl. Szarka is the first Falcon with 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing in the same game since Isaiah Sanders vs. UNLV, Oct. 19, 2018 (217 passing, 173 rushing). Szarka's 357 yards of total offense are tied for ninth in school history and the most since Donald Hammond had 368 vs. New Mexico in 2019.
• Cade Harris set new career highs for receptions (8) and receiving yards (177). His previous high for receiving yards was 106 receiving yards last season vs. Wyoming. Harris' 177 receiving yards are the eighth most in school history and the most since Jalen Robinette had 182 vs. New Mexico in 2016. Harris extended his streak of consecutive games with a catch to four straight games.
Saturday, Sept. 27, 2:05 p.m. MT, Falcon Stadium (39,441), Colorado Springs, CO
FALCONS
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Website: GoAirForceFalcons.com
Conference: Mountain West
2025 Record: 1-2 (0-2 MW)
RAINBOW WARRIORS
Location: Honolulu, HI
Website: Hawaiiathletics.com
Conference: Mountain West
2025 Record: 3-2 (0-1 MW)
THE GAME
• Air Force and Hawai'i meet for the 24th time overall and 22nd as conference foes. Air Force leads the overall series, 14-8-1, including a 13-7-1 conference advantage. Air Force is 8-6-1 at Hawai'i and 6-2 at home.
• Air Force has recorded at least 250 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a Mountain West record seven straight games. The Falcons had 267 yards and four touchdowns vs. Bucknell, 266 yards and four touchdowns at Utah State and 269 yards and three TDs vs. Boise State.
• Air Force extended the nation's longest active streak of consecutive 100-yard rushing games to 88 with 269 yards vs. Boise State.
• Air Force leads the Mountain West in scoring offense (38.7), rushing (267.0), yards per completion (19.47), third down percentage (.537) and red zone offense (1.000).
THE SERIES
• Air Force and Hawai'i meet for the 24th time overall and 22nd as conference foes
• Air Force leads the overall series, 14-8-1, including a 13-7-1 conference advantage
• Air Force is 8-6-1 at Hawai'i and 6-2 at home
• Hawaii defeated Air Force, 27-13, in the last meeting, Nov. 11, 2023.
• Hawaii defeated Air Force, 34-27, in double overtime in the last meeting in Falcon Stadium, Oct. 22, 2016.
• The team's first played in 1966 at the Academy, resulting in a 54-0 Air Force win
LAST MEETING
(Nov. 11, 2023) Hawaii defeated Air Force, 27-13, in Honolulu. The Rainbows opened the scoring with a Brayden Schager to Pofele Ashlock five-yard touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. Air Force answered with a Matthew Dapore 25-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3. Schager added a one-yard touchdown run to make it 13-3 at the half. The Falcons opened the second half with a Dylan Carson 35-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 13-10 early in the third quarter. Schager and Ashlock connected on a 19-yard TD connection to make it 20-10 midway through the third quarter. Meki Pei added a 32-yard fumble return touchdown to make it 27-10 early in the fourth. Dapore added a second field goal to make up the final margin. Hawaii finished with 297 total yards, including 176 passing. Schager led the way, hitting 22-29 passes for 176 yards and two scores. He rushed for 57 yards and a score. Air Force finished with 315 total yards, including 201 rushing. Carson led the Falcons with 87 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Alec Mock led the defense with 10 tackles.
LAST TIME AT AIR FORCE
(Oct. 22, 2016) Hawaii defeated Air Force, 34-27, in double overtime in Falcon Stadium. The victory snapped Air Force's 15-game home winning streak. The Rainbow Warriors scored late in the second quarter to take a 10-7 halftime lead before a pair of Luke Strebel field goals to put the Falcon in front 13-10 in the third quarter. Hawaii tied it with a field goal and the teams exchanged fourth-quarter touchdowns. Strebel missed a field goal as time expired in regulation to force overtime. Both teams scored touchdowns in the first overtime. Hawaii scored on its first play in double overtime and held the Falcons on downs to win it. Hawaii had 387 total yards and was led by Dru Brown, who hit 21 of 37 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns. Air Force had 409 total yards on 97 plays, including 87 rushes for 389 yards. Shayne Davern led the way with 24 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown. Tim McVey added 78 yards and a score on 11 carries while Nate Romine had 74 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.
THE KUTER TROPHY
The General Laurence S. Kuter Trophy, named after the first PACAF commander, is a tribute to the friendship between Hawai'i and Air Force and to the cooperation between the people of Hawai'i and their Air Force. The trophy was conceived by the University of Hawai'i, sponsored by the Pacific Air Command, and the Air Force Academy helped design it. The Kuter trophy is presented to the winner of the annual football game between the two schools. Hawaii holds the trophy following a 27-13 win in Honolulu in 2023.
LOOKING AT HAWAI'I
Hawaii is 3-2 overall and 0-1 in the Mountain West following a 23-21 loss vs. Fresno State last week. Hawaii leads the MW in punt returns with a 13.0 average. Kicker Kensei Matsuzawa leads the nation in field goal percentage, hitting all 13 attempts. He is first in the MW and third nationally with 2.6 field goals per game.
Hawaii opened the season with a 23-20 win over Stanford. This week is their second road game, falling 40-6 at Arizona earlier this season. The Rainbows average 335.6 yards per game, including 239.2 passing and 96.4 rushing. Landon Sims lead the team in rushing with 184 yards. Luke Weaver leads them in passing, hitting 61-102 for 600 yards and five TDs. Micah Alejado has hit 73-117 for 586 yards and three scores. Peter Manuma leads the defense with 29 tackles. De'Jon Benton has 16 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.
STREAKS, MW RECORDS
• Air Force has recorded at least 250 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a Mountain West record seven straight games.
• The Falcons had 267 yards and four touchdowns vs. Bucknell, 266 yards and four touchdowns at Utah State and 269 yards and three TDs vs. Boise State.
• The Falcons broke their own record of five straight they shared with San Diego State and New Mexico. Air Force accomplished it twice, doing so in 2009 and 2010. San Diego State did it in 2017 and New Mexico in 2012.
A FEW MORE NOTES ABOUT STREAKS
• Air Force extended the nation's longest active streak of consecutive 100-yard rushing games to 88 with 269 yards vs. Boise State. Boise State is second with a 41-game run.
AN AIR FORCE WIN WOULD...
• Air Force would improve to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in Mountain West play.
• Air Force would improve to 5-8 all-time vs. Boise State, including a 3-3 mark at home. The win would also snap a two-game winning streak by Boise State in the series.
• Air Force would improve to 2-1 at home this season and will have wins in five of its last six home games.
LAST WEEK
Boise State defeated Air Force, 49-37, in Falcon Stadium. The Broncos had 592 total yards, including 282 rushing and 310 passing. Dylan Riley led the with 171 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 19 carries. He also had two catches for 84 yards and a score. Maddux Madsen hit 13-23 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns. Boise State, who led 21-14 at the half, scored touchdowns on four straight possessions to keep Air Force from overtaking them. Air Force finished with 511 total yards, including 269 rushing and 242 passing. Liam Szarka rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown and hit 13-18 passes for 246 yards and two scores. Dylan Carson added 109 yards and a touchdown rushing. The defense was led by freshman Max Mustell, who had a career-high 13 tackles and an interception. Blake Fletcher added nine tackles.
LAST WEEK'S POST-GAME NOTES
Team Notes
• Air Force extended its nation-leading streak of consecutive games with 100-plus yards rushing to 88. Boise State is second with 41 such games.
• Air Force rushed for 269 yards with three rushing touchdowns. It was the seventh-straight game with over 250 yards rushing and at least three rushing touchdowns, which is a new Mountain West record.
• Air Force had two players over 100 yards rushing in the same game (Liam Szarka, 111, and Dylan Carson 109) for the first time since Navy last season when Owen Allen rushed for 107 and Dylan Carson went for 105.
• Air Force posted its first game since 2022 with a different 100-yard passer, 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver (Liam Szarka passed for 246, Dylan Carson rushed for 109 and Cade Harris had 177 receiving). The last time came against Navy in 2022 when Brad Roberts rushed for 108, David Cormier had 120 receiving yards and Haaziq Daniels passed for 156.
• Air Force's 511 yards of total offense are the most since the Falcons had 691 vs. Northern Iowa, Sept. 9, 2022.
• Air Force game captains were OC Costen Cooley, TE Bruin Fleischmann, OLB Blake Fletcher and DL Payton Zdroik.
Individual Notes
• Senior FB Dylan Carson recorded the second-longest run of his career on his first carry of the game. The 64-yard run is his longest since a career-best 68-yard run vs. Boise State in 2023. Carson finished the game with 109, the sixth 100-yard game of his career. Carson has scored a touchdown in six of the last seven games dating back to last year.
• Junior QB Kemper Hodges saw his first action of the season after missing the first two games. The action is the first of his career at quarterback. Hodges was a fullback his first two seasons. He finished the game with two carries for five yards and scored the second touchdown of his career, first as a quarterback, with a three-yard run.
• Freshman SS Max Mustell made the first start of his career and responded with a career-best 13 tackles. He also recorded the first interception of his career, which came in the Boise State endzone.
• Sophomore QB Liam Szarka set new career highs in completions (13), attempts (18), passing yards (246), completion percentage (72.2), passing touchdowns (2), rushing attempts (20) and rushing yards (111). The 74-yard pass from to Cade Harris was the longest career pass play for Szarka and second longest career reception for Harris. It was the longest play by the Falcons this season. The previous long was a 62-yard pass from Josh Johnson to Harris vs. Bucknell. Szarka is the first Falcon with 200 yards passing in a game since Haaziq Daniels had 252 vs. Louisville in the 2021 First Responder Bowl. Szarka is the first Falcon with 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing in the same game since Isaiah Sanders vs. UNLV, Oct. 19, 2018 (217 passing, 173 rushing). Szarka's 357 yards of total offense are tied for ninth in school history and the most since Donald Hammond had 368 vs. New Mexico in 2019.
• Cade Harris set new career highs for receptions (8) and receiving yards (177). His previous high for receiving yards was 106 receiving yards last season vs. Wyoming. Harris' 177 receiving yards are the eighth most in school history and the most since Jalen Robinette had 182 vs. New Mexico in 2016. Harris extended his streak of consecutive games with a catch to four straight games.
Players Mentioned
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