AIR FORCE ACADEMY — OK, Air Force could win the Southland Conference.
If the Falcons didn’t prove that with a 72-0 victory over Nicholls State of the Southland in last year’s season opener, they did so Saturday at Falcon Stadium with a 65-21 drubbing of Northwestern State, another member of the Southland, in the 2010 opener.
Now the Falcons can turn their attention to Bowl Championship Series-level competition. They host Brigham Young in their Mountain West Conference opener this week.
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun was asked if the Falcons got what they wanted from Saturday’s rout.
“In part,” he said. “We are a work in progress. They hit us in the nose in the first half, and I thought we were somewhat on our heels. We can’t play for just 30 minutes next week.”
The loss was Northwestern State’s 12th consecutive. In the first half, quarterback Paul Harris gave the Falcons fits, converting six of the Demons’ 11 third-down plays, a major reason they trailed only 24-21 at halftime.
Air Force quickly pulled away in the second half.
“I think we cut loose a little, and our attitude really was good in the second half,” Calhoun said. “Our coaches did a heck of a job making adjustments at halftime. We made some significant plays.”
Junior quarterback Tim Jefferson was right at the top of the list of reasons the Falcons eventually rolled.
He accounted for 238 yards of total offense, passed for two touchdowns and ran for two, including a 37-yard gallop.
The defense also made huge plays in the second half. Linebacker Brady Amack intercepted Harris’ pass at the Falcons’ 3-yard line and returned it 50 yards early in the fourth quarter.
Anthony Wright Jr. got the special teams going with a 32-yard punt return early in the third quarter. The Falcons scored in two plays, with Asher Clark’s 2-yard burst making it 38-21 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter.
Harris felt Air Force’s heat in the second half. The Demons gained only 54 of their 311 total yards after halftime.
“We played well in the first half,” Harris said. “But they came after us and stopped us on first down in the second half. When it’s third-and-long, it’s hard to keep the chains moving.”
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
