AIR FORCE ACADEMY — Colorado State went into the locker room at halftime Saturday separated from Air Force by four points and 3 yards.
By the time the Rams returned to the cramped visitors’ quarters at Falcon Stadium, Air Force had jettisoned the Rams 38-17 on CSU’s third-quarter implosion.
Defensive coordinator Larry Kerr shouldered the blame for CSU’s inability to stop Air Force’s dormant passing game. Meanwhile, quarterback Billy Farris manned up for his mistake-riddled third quarter and a late first-half delay-of-game miscue that tripped the Rams’ momentum.
“It was very frustrating,” Kerr said of Air Force’s passing game Saturday. “We knew they hadn’t thrown the ball but we knew they were capable.”
AFA freshman quarterback Tim Jefferson stunned CSU with a pass over the middle to Kyle Halderman in the second quarter for a 74-yard touchdown, the Falcons’ longest pass play in three seasons. Jefferson finished with a career-high 171 yards passing. It was also the first time this season CSU did not force a turnover.
The offense and defense collapsed together in the third quarter when Farris was picked off twice, each time converted for Air Force touchdowns. Farris had thrown 100 consecutive passes, including two full games, without an interception, when Ken Lamendola ended the streak.
“We just fell apart there a little bit in the third quarter,” CSU coach Steve Fairchild said. “We made some bad decisions.”
CSU moved the ball at will in the first half, much as it did against BYU a week ago, until the miscue near the end of the half. The Rams took nearly 8 1/2 minutes off the clock and had fourth-and-goal at the AFA 1. But a scoring run by Gartrell Johnson, which would have tied the game at 21, was negated on a delay of game. The Rams had to settle for a 23-yard field goal.
“That was my bad,” Farris said. “It was a stupid mistake.”
Kubiak out again.
Kerr wouldn’t use it as an excuse, but the Rams lost safety Klint Kubiak to a knee injury on the first play of the game. Kubiak missed most of the Mountain West season with an ankle injury.
“It was all the chopping and cutting,” Kerr said of Air Force’s blocking style.
Big finish?
The Rams need to win the home finale Saturday against New Mexico and the season finale at Wyoming to finish 6-6 and be eligible for a bowl.
“We never talk about bowls,” Fairchild said.
Natalie Meisler, The Denver Post
