AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.—Air Force is making a habit of defying preseason polls.
The Falcons were picked to finish seventh in the nine-team Mountain West Conference last year but wound up second with a 9-4 record. They were chosen sixth this year but are already 7-1 (4-1 MWC).
The Falcons enter Saturday’s game against Colorado State (4-5, 2-3) with a four-game winning streak. Another victory would put them one game behind Utah for first place in the conference.
Troy Calhoun, the Falcon’s second-year coach, has done it most recently with a true freshman, Tim Jefferson, at quarterback. Since Jefferson replaced Shea Smith as the starter, the Falcons have reeled off four consecutive wins, including a 16-7 victory a week ago at Army.
“This is a guy that didn’t throw a lot of balls in high school,” Calhoun said of Jefferson. “I look at him right now fundamentally, I mean he’s much better than he was even in the middle of August.”
Colorado State coach Steve Fairchild said Jefferson gives the Falcons a more option-oriented offense.
“So, we’re switching gears now coming off that BYU offense and having to prepare in one week for certainly a different style of offense, but very effective nonetheless,” he said.
Fairchild’s quarterback, Billy Farris, is also coming into his own. He directed 10 touchdown drives over the past two games as the Rams split games with San Diego State and BYU.
“He’s like our entire pass game,” Fairchild said. “There’s times where you go out to practice and you just watch it and go wow, we’ve got a chance to do something here.”
Calhoun said Farris’ timing and his coordination with his receivers are getting better.
“They have two excellent receivers, a good tight end and an excellent tailback, and he is really starting to hit a groove,” Calhoun said. “In these last two ball games, he’s been very, very good.”
Air Force has a decided edge in the running game, where they rank fourth nationally, averaging 274 yards a game. Colorado State tailback Gartrell Johnson ran for 102 yards against BYU and is 152 yards short of his first 1,000-yard season.
Like Air Force, the Rams have something to play for with three games remaining. They need two wins to become bowl-eligible.
“This is a big game for us and we have a tremendously tough opponent in the Air Force Academy,” Fairchild said. “We’re going to have our hands full down there on the road.”
It’s the 47th meeting between the teams. Air Force has won two straight and holds a 26-19-1 series advantage. Colorado State hasn’t won in Falcon Stadium since 2002.
