After rattling off five consecutive wins to secure the Mountain West’s Mountain Division, the Air Force Falcons football team ended the year with back-to-back losses, including a three-point decision in the Mountain West championship.
The Falcons took the lead on the Aztecs on three different occasions, but couldn’t generate points in their final three possessions. After scoring a game-tying touchdown with just under 12:00 to play, Air Force went three-and-out on their next two possessions and surrendered a 46-yard field goal that proved to be the difference in the game. Quarterback Karson Roberts had :36 seconds to get the Falcons into field goal range on a final drive, but couldn’t convert on a third and fourth down from the Aztec’s 49-yard line.
Air Force lost the chance to host the game with a road loss at New Mexico the week prior.
The Falcons were led in Saturday’s MW championship by Jacobi Owens and Timothy McVey who combined for 204 of the team’s 305 rushing yards. McVey scored all three Air Force touchdowns and Owens had his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season. Roberts added 83 yards on the ground, himself, including a 51-yard gain, but the Falcons couldn’t move the ball late when needed. On the final three drives, the Air Force ground attack accounted for just 11 yards.
Air Force all but abandoned the passing game until the final drive. Roberts had six of his 11 attempts and three of five completions in the game on the last possession.
San Diego State’s own vaunted rushing game was held mostly in check, but backup quarterback Christian Chapman was effective in the air, passing for 203 yards and a touchdown.
At 8-5, Air Force is headed to the Armed Forces Bowl. It will mark Troy Calhoun’s eighth bowl appearance in his nine years as head coach; five of those now have been in the Armed Forces Bowl.
