Air Force Academy – It wasn’t like last year, when Wyoming’s Corey Bramlet engineered a 43-26 victory over Air Force in Laramie.
In that one, Bramlet had a field day in strong-arming Air Force’s defense on the way to a stunning 17 minute, 54 second advantage in possession. But Air Force defenders didn’t want any part of a moral victory Saturday at Falcon Stadium, even though they fought Bramlet tooth and nail before the Cowboys’ 29-28 victory.
“This hurts more,” Air Force safety Bobby Giannini said. “We thought we should have won the game.”
Coach Fisher DeBerry credited his defense with a great job. The Falcons forced Wyoming into three punts and forced the Cowboys to try four field goals (they made three).
“Our defense did a great job with the exception of the one big play,” DeBerry said, referring to Bramlet’s 63-yard touchdown pass to Jovon Bouknight in the first quarter.
On the score, Bouknight broke inside cornerback Chris Sutton and outran the Air Force defense. “When you come down to it, they made plays at the right time,” Sutton said. “I thought we played a heck of a game to hold an offense like that to one big play. Some of it falls on me on that play.”
Said strong safety Denny Poland: “We beat ourselves. I was excited the way our defense played and we moved the ball on offense, but it wasn’t good enough.”
While it was a battle, the Falcons won’t miss Bramlet in the future.
“He played with poise all day,” DeBerry said. “I hope there’s not any more of them up there.”
Cruel replay
The Falcons found the replay camera wasn’t friendly in their bid to start the season 3-0.
After taking a 22-16 lead early in the fourth quarter, the Falcons thought they got a break when Bramlet’s pass to running back Wynel Seldon was fumbled at the Wyoming 33-yard line. Officials first ruled Air Force’s Ty Paffett had recovered, but upon review, it was ruled an incomplete pass.
Wyoming punted, but on the second play of the next series, Air Force fullback Jacobe Kendrick fumbled at the Cowboys 30. Wyoming, aided by a pass interference call at the Falcons 9, tied the game at 22 with 9:41 left.
Coming up
The Falcons practice today in preparation for Thursday night’s game against Utah in Salt Lake City. It will be the Falcons’ fourth of five games in 27 days. Air Force plays at Colorado State on Sept. 29.
But there wasn’t any complaining about the quick turnaround. The Falcons seemed eager to get back on the field.
“We have a lot of fire left for Utah,” Poland said.
The Falcons came out of Saturday’s loss with nose guard Russ Mitscherling (ankle) and Kendrick (knee) listed as questionable.
