Air Force Academy – As college football matchups go, the Wyoming-Air Force series has been a school of hard knocks, one that has evolved into perhaps the most competitive of the area’s major college rivalries.
It stands 21-19-3 in Air Force’s favor heading into Saturday’s noon matchup at the academy.
“It’s like a backyard fight,” said Jemal Singleton, a halfback for the Falcons in 1996-98 and now a member of the Air Force coaching staff. “My first college football start was in Laramie. That made it memorable for me. The games I played in were epic battles. If you love football, it’s the type of game you love to play in because they’re going to get after you, and you have to get after them if you want to win.”
This year, early supremacy in the Mountain West Conference is at stake.
Air Force is 2-0, 1-0 in the MWC after defeating San Diego State last week. Wyoming (1-1) is playing its conference opener in a season when it is expected to compete for the conference crown.
Singleton’s description of the series is typical among former players.
“When you play the Force, it’s a happening,” said Jim House, an all-conference linebacker in 1967-68 for Wyoming and now a coach for San Diego State. “They’re hard-nosed and tough, and I’m glad they’re on my team in the big picture of things. If an airplane flew over our practice field when I played, we’d joke that it was (former Air Force coach) Ben Martin taking high-altitude pictures of us.”
Falcons offensive coordinator Chuck Petersen has been involved in the series as a coach and a player at the academy.
“The greatest game I’ve been a part of was the 1998 game in Laramie,” Petersen said. “They were undefeated (in the MWC) at the time. It was one of those games that you knew the team that lost didn’t deserve to lose. Our fullback, Spanky Gilliam, was running over people to get a first down.”
Air Force won 10-3 and went on to a 12-1 season.
As a player from 1980-83, Petersen recalled: “We knew when we played them that it was going to be a battle. They like to use the term ‘cowboy tough.’ They’re cowboy tough.”
Former Wyoming quarterback Randy Welniak, now an associate athletic director at Illinois State, remembers the classic 1988 game and his duel with Air Force quarterback Dee Dowis. The Cowboys won 48-45 with a stunning fourth-quarter comeback and a late field goal.
“It was a dramatic fourth quarter and one that almost seems surreal as you look back at it,” Welniak said. “That game absolutely is at the top of my career. You dream about a situation where you’re leading the team back from a big deficit and win it right at the end.”
Welniak said the series is close because the rosters of the Cowboys and Falcons are filled with players who want to prove they are every bit as good as “blue-chip” recruits.
Petersen credits current coach Joe Glenn with restoring Wyoming’s brand of cowboy toughness that seemed to have been lost for a time.
Glenn is 1-1 in his two years against Air Force and expects another memorable contest.
“We look forward to playing them,” Glenn said. “Shaun Carney is as good a passer at quarterback that they have had. I think the offense on any team starts with the quarterback.
“(Coach) Fisher DeBerry is a beauty. He has just won and won and won.”
DeBerry is 11-10 against Wyoming in his 21 seasons as the Falcons’ head coach.
“Over the long haul, we’ve had exciting games with Wyoming, and I don’t expect it to be any different this week,” DeBerry said.
Wyoming vs. Air Force
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Wyoming (1-1): Start with WR/KR Jovon Bouknight. He leads the Cowboys in receiving (seven catches, two touchdowns), and the Mountain West Conference in kickoff returns (36.3 yards). He could line up at wide receiver, running back or quarterback, if needed. Then go to quarterback Corey Bramlet. In two games he has 373 yards passing and two touchdowns. And then there’s freshman running back Wynel Seldon, averaging 88.5 yards a game.
Air Force (2-0): The sharpness of quarterback Shaun Carney in the passing game has been a big factor in Air Force’s start. The sophomore has completed 73.1 percent of his passes. Fullback Jacobe Kendrick provides a strong counter to the passing game, averaging 89.5 yards rushing. Receivers Jason Brown (167 yards) and Greg Kirkwood (143 yards) each have had a big game and keep defenses honest.
KEY STAT
Air Force leads the conference in rushing offense at 245 yards a game. Wyoming leads the conference in rushing defense at 92.5 yards a game.
KEY FOR WYOMING
The Cowboys have shown discipline defending Air Force’s triple-option offense. The key to beating Air Force is keeping the Falcons from amassing a big advantage in possession time. If Wyoming does so again Saturday, look for the Cowboys’ offense to control the game.
KEY FOR AIR FORCE
Air Force’s offense has to complete possessions with points. Kicker Scott Eberle is 2-for-4 in field-goal attempts and has missed an extra point. The Falcons have yet to score in the first quarter. They need a better start, and drives inside the 20 need to reach the end zone.
Staff writer Irv Moss can be reached at 303-820-1294 or imoss@denverpost.com.
