AIR FORCE ACADEMY — Air Force coach Troy Calhoun believes that sometime in the future the academy has to look at whether its football program would benefit more by being a program not affiliated with a conference or by remaining in the Mountain West Conference.
Calhoun, speaking off the cuff Tuesday at his weekly news conference, cited several concerns he has about conference affiliation. He noted that being an independent would allow Air Force to form a season’s schedule more to its liking and create more freedom in securing a bowl game.
“We’re fortunate to be a member of a very good conference,” Calhoun said. “But there are advantages to being an independent. You can put together a schedule where you know where the byes are and you’re able to secure some bowl-game consideration before the season begins.”
The Falcons (6-3, 5-2 MWC) are bowl eligible for the first time in four years.
Calhoun made it clear his comments meant only that he felt it necessary for the Air Force administration to look at the big picture of college athletics. He maintained that returning to independent status was one of the things to look at.
“We have no interest in leaving the Mountain West Conference,” AFA athletic director Hans Mueh said. “I was on the transition team that formed this conference. It has been a great association for us.”
Air Force competed in the NCAA as an independent from 1956-80 before joining the Western Athletic Conference, then moved to the newly formed Mountain West Conference in 1999. The Falcons have played in three bowl games as an independent and 14 when affiliated with a conference.
Calhoun’s comments on scheduling likely were aimed at the past two seasons. In 2006, Air Force had two byes in the first three weeks of the season and then played 11 consecutive weeks. This year Air Force will play 12 straight weeks without a bye.
As for bowl bids, Calhoun would like to see Air Force allowed to enter into discussions before the season begins. This year, Navy entered into a preseason contract with the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego to be one of its teams providing it is eligible.
Mueh was asked if he asked the Poinsettia Bowl selection committee that if Navy didn’t become eligible by winning six games, would it take Air Force?
“They told us they’d love to have us,” Mueh said.
However, as Calhoun surveyed the situation, the path isn’t easy for the Falcons to gain an invitation from other MWC-affiliated bowls. The Las Vegas Bowl takes the MWC champion. If Navy becomes eligible, the Poinsettia Bowl is out. The Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas, has hometown TCU to consider, and the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque could pick from among Air Force, Utah and Wyoming. New Mexico is bowl eligible but can’t play in its hometown bowl because it was there last year.
“I think we’ll go to one of those bowls,” Mueh said.
MWC commissioner Craig Thompson said a bowl can’t take a 6-6 team over a 7-5 club and expects 7-5 to be the cutoff for bowl participation this year.
Colorado State. As if the fading Rams (1-7, 1-4) needed more problems playing against MWC-leading Brigham Young (5-2, 3-0), the Cougars have been preparing for the Rams since last Wednesday.
BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said his team began last week preparing for San Diego State but switched gears when the announcement came midway through Tuesday’s practice that last weekend’s game against the Aztecs would be postponed because of the San Diego County wildfires.
BYU tight end Vic So’oto provided some bulletin board fodder when he told The Salt Lake Tribune: “With our stable of running backs, it’s just like impossible for us not to get over 100 yards every game, so it should be a fun day for those guys on Saturday.”
BYU freshman running back Harvey Unga has four 100-yard games. Mendenhall said Tuesday on the MWC conference call that Unga has the potential to be come BYU’s all-time leading rusher.
Mendenhall is concerned the Cougars might be too rested, saying. “It seems like a long time since we played our last game.”
Natalie Meisler contributed to this report.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
