Air Force coach Troy Calhoun took a break Sunday during his breakdown of this week’s opponent, Texas Christian, to talk about how he sees the bowl-game scenarios shaping up for Mountain West Conference teams.
After spending time explaining that he thinks TCU has the best defensive team in college football, pointing out the Horned Frogs allow a nation’s best 39.5 yards rushing a game, he did some “stabbing in the dark” on the bowl picture.
“They were here to see BYU,” Calhoun answered when asked about representatives of the Poinsettia Bowl attending the BYU-Air Force game at Falcons Stadium.
“They were respectful and all that, but in my heart I didn’t think they were that sincere about Air Force.”
Tom Starr, the director of the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas, also was at Falcon Stadium. The Falcons went to that bowl last year and lost to California, 42-36.
“We’d love to go back to Fort Worth,” Calhoun said. “Our players had a great experience there. The New Mexico Bowl people also have been great in discussions with us.”
Calhoun agreed that speculation on the postseason lineup is only guesswork until the outcome of Saturday’s BYU-Utah game in Salt Lake City. The winner, especially Utah, would have a strong case for going to a BCS bowl game.
If Utah, BYU or TCU goes into the BCS alignment, Calhoun liked the possibility of the Las Vegas Bowl and the Poinsettia Bowl picking from a group that includes those three teams.
That would leave the 8-3 Falcons as a prime candidate for the Armed Forces Bowl. Either Colorado State or Nevada-Las Vegas could become bowl-eligible and fill the New Mexico Bowl spot.
Calhoun also pointed to Air Force’s national appeal, in case bowl games outside the conference tie-ins become open.
Footnotes.
Inside linebacker Brandon Reeves (shoulder) and guard Peter Lusk (ankle) were rated as possible participants for Saturday’s game. However, linebacker Patrick Hennessey and receiver Spencer Armstrong were doubtful.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
