SOUTH BEND, Ind.—Air Force’s option offense ran up the yards, the Falcons’ no-huddle made Notre Dame scurry at times to keep up, and coach Troy Calhoun used everything he could muster to keep the Falcons in the game.
But two first-half turnovers, poor field position, the Irish’s strong offensive front and array of skill players were too much Saturday.
Notre Dame built a 42-16 halftime lead behind four TD passes from Tommy Rees and routed the Falcons 59-33.
“It’s embarrassing. It hurts,” Air Force linebacker Alex Means said. “We’ve been preparing all week for this. I’ve been thinking about this game from the beginning of the season. Playing Notre Dame at Notre Dame. We should have played better than this. We got beat. We beat ourselves a little bit, but we got beat.”
The wide-open game featured the combined points ever for a game at Notre Dame Stadium, breaking the previous mark of 90. And the 59 points were the most by Notre Dame since beating Rutgers 62-0 in 1996—Lou Holtz’s final home game as Irish coach.
The two teams combined for 1,125 yards total offense—565 by Air Force and 560 by Notre Dame.
Air Force tried everything to go with its diverse offense. An onside kick the Falcons’ didn’t recover, a fake punt that resulted in a 19-yard gain. Air Force was 5-for-5 on fourth down conversions in the game.
It wasn’t enough.
“I mean, their movement, their size, that’s a really, really good offensive line. I think the quarterback played super,” Calhoun said.
“Frankly when you see them playing live, you’re a little bit surprised that the record is not even better and it can be as they go.”
Two Falcons turnovers, a fumble by Asher Clark on Air Force’s first play from scrimmage and an interception, helped send the Irish onto TD drives.
“We put our defense out there with some short fields, absolutely,” Calhoun said.
Quarterback Tim Jefferson completed 12 of 24 passes for 137 yards with the one interception that saw Notre Dame defensive back Jamoris Slaughter knock the ball in the air and catch it
“In our offense you can’t turn the ball over at all,” Jefferson said. “It was a huge momentum-wise when we broke that long run to start the game and then turn it over.”
On Notre Dame’s first series, Michael Floyd leaped high over Air Force’s Bobby Watkins III to grab a 34-yard pass from Rees at the front pylon of the end zone. Initially ruled a touchdown, the play was reviewed—and even though replays showed that Floyd’s left foot appeared on the line—the score was upheld.
“There was no explanation. … It was confirmed that it was definitely in. I didn’t see it, either,” Calhoun said. “When I saw it on the sideline, I thought it was out. But as far as the actual visual, I didn’t see it.”
Moments later, on the Falcons’ first scrimmage play, Clark broke off a 29-yard run but fumbled at the end of it on hit from Slaughter and Robert Blanton recovered for Notre Dame.
“It was a little disappointing on the first play, a big play like that,” said Clark, who rushed for 102 yards. The Irish then scored another TD a little more than three minutes later.
With Notre Dame ahead 21-3 later in the half, it appeared the Falcons would be able to make a game of it.
Air Force used its no-huddle offense to confuse the Irish and move down the field 80 yards. Notre Dame forced a field goal try, but Irish freshman defensive end Aaron Lynch—starting because of an ankle injury to Ethan Johnson—was offside on the play, giving the Falcons a first and goal at the 3. Jefferson then carried in for the TD before Darius Fleming blocked the extra point attempt, leaving the score at 21-9.
Air Force tried an onside kick and Notre Dame recovered at the 38, setting up another short drive capped by Jonas Gray’s 5-yard TD run.
“There was nothing I was overly impressed about. They mixed up the defense a little bit and they have some major athletes on the defensive side,” Jefferson said. “We were able to put some drives together, but we just weren’t able to finish. …”
Now comes a quick turnaround. The Falcons play San Diego State on Thursday.
“It’s going to be difficult to get ready for the game physically,” Clark said. “But when it’s time for kickoff, we’ll be OK.”
