AIR FORCE ACADEMY — Air Force defensive end Jake Paulson could have been the star of the game Saturday at Falcon Stadium.
Paulson returned a fumble 25 yards for a touchdown and recorded one of five sacks on Utah quarterback Brian Johnson. But as the sun dipped behind the west stands, after Air Force’s 30-23 loss, Paulson turned philosophical.
“We can take a lot from this game,” Paulson said. “You get an opportunity to critique yourself hard. We’re going to learn a ton from this game. The smashmouth style (Utah) played at times is going to help us out in the coming weeks.
“A loss is a loss. There are no moral victories. As a man you have to learn to take the losses in stride and step up the next week.”
The Falcons lost for the first time this season and coach Troy Calhoun lost for the first time in nine games at Falcon Stadium in two years. Calhoun said his players and coaching staff gave it their all against the 20th-ranked Utes.
“We shot them all, we did everything,” Calhoun said of offensive and defensive game plans. “We tried everything. We have to make some hay over the next 10 days.”
The Falcons’ next game is Oct. 4 against Navy at Falcon Stadium.
“We had a lot of mistakes today that we have to flush out on the practice field,” Calhoun said. “And some of our players have to get some tutoring in the classroom.”
Calhoun noted the classroom work isn’t easy. The classes are in law and physics, among others.
Ready for rivalry game.
Asked if the Falcons’ bye week comes at a good time with Navy on the horizon, the answer was yes.
“It’s the same thing you see in any rivalry,” AFA linebacker Hunter Altman said. “You strap it on a little tighter. It’s the same in Air Force vs. Navy, Air Force vs. Army or Army vs. Navy.”
Injury report.
The Falcons reported no injuries from Saturday’s game. However, senior receiver Spencer Armstrong didn’t play against the Utes because of a possible broken leg.
Irv Moss, The Denver Post
