ALBUQUERQUE — There’s a different reaction among Air Force players when they look at the Mountain West standings.
Right there for everyone to see, Air Force is in the basement with a 0-3 record. For a program that has won at least seven regular-season games in each of the last four seasons, it’s a strange sight.
“We’re itching for a victory,” senior safety Jon Davis said when pointing out the Falcons have lost three consecutive games, two in conference play.
If Air Force breaks through with a victory in today’s noon game with winless New Mexico (0-7, 0-2), which has lost 10 consecutive games dating to last season, the Falcons will escape the conference basement.
The Falcons were picked to finish third in preseason polls behind TCU and Boise State.
“Our team hasn’t forgotten how to win,” Davis said.
Davis pointed to the expected return over the next few weeks of injured players as a confidence builder. The reinforcements started last week against Boise State with the return of senior nose tackle Ryan Gardner after a four-game absence with a knee injury.
“We expected to win all the games we lost,” Davis said. “Losing hurts, but we have enough time left in the season to more than climb out of the basement. We’re feeling more confident all the time with the players who have filled in. And now we’re getting some of our injured players back.”
Offensive tackle Jason Kons wants his teammates to believe in each other and then hopes good things will happen.
“We’ve got to move on,” Kons said. “It’s disturbing to see 0-3. What else would you expect?”
Gardner has appraised the situation while rehabbing his injured knee. He has a remedy.
“We’re in a hole, and we have to fight out of it,” Gardner said. “It’s too late to worry about the past. It’s over, and it’s time to go on to the next game.”
Their eyes are on New Mexico.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
