LAS VEGAS — Air Force coach Troy Calhoun hardly had time to dwell on his team’s dramatic come-from-behind victory Saturday night against Nevada-Las Vegas.
He did take a few minutes to rate his team’s fifth win of the season against the Rebels, who weren’t going to suffer a third straight loss easily.
“It was a great, great football game,” Calhoun said. “I mean it was a well-played game on a terrific night. But now we have to get ready and do it all over again in five days.”
The Falcons returned Saturday night to Colorado Springs and will practice today in preparation for Thursday night’s game against New Mexico in Falcon Stadium.
Calhoun credited freshman quarterback Tim Jefferson and freshman tailback Asher Clark with a visible “maturation process.”
Jefferson threw two touchdown passes and Clark rushed for 65 yards on 20 carries.
High hurdles.
The Falcons were buzzing about tight end Travis Dekker’s performance on a 59-yard play that set up the second of Ryan Harrison’s three field goals. On his way to the UNLV 4-yard line on the play, Dekker hurdled a defender and didn’t miss a step.
“I saw him go over the top,” fullback Todd Newell said. “I was going downfield to try to make a block, but I threw my hands in the air when I saw that.”
Under the gun.
In his two starts for the Falcons, Jefferson had to lead off the game on offense. As San Diego State did last week in his first start, the Rebels won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.
However, unlike last week, Jefferson didn’t have a good opening drive. The Falcons scored this time on their second possession.
Workhorse.
Newell figured to get the call against the Rebels, and he did in the first half. Included in his offensive statistics was a career-long 52-yard run for a touchdown, the gallop putting the Falcons ahead 7-0 in the first quarter.
