AIR FORCE ACADEMY — There was little time to put Saturday’s 45-17 victory over UNLV in perspective.
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun moved ahead quickly in his postgame analysis, looking to what the Falcons need to do in next week’s season finale at struggling Colorado State.
“For us, it was a playoff game,” Calhoun said of Saturday’s win before moving to the next phase. “We know we’ve got to take the next step. Our seniors have four quarters left of football. We have to lean on something in the way of chemistry, glue, and players who love to play football.”
For the Falcons, who are playing with their backs to the wall in terms of becoming bowl-eligible, the last hurrah comes in Fort Collins.
A victory and the Falcons could look forward to their fifth consecutive winning season and a fifth straight bowl. A loss means it’s time to put away the footballs.
Falcons safety Jon Davis doesn’t mind that CSU is the roadblock to a chance to win out.
“I look forward to playing them,” Davis said. “It’s always an exciting game when we play them. I’ve been waiting for this game all year.”
Stingy defense.
Air Force’s defense has become a power in the second half. In three of the past four games, the Falcons haven’t surrendered a touchdown after halftime.
“We talk about how you have to come out strong to start the game,” linebacker Brady Amack said. “It seems like we like to see what they throw at us. It’s not easy doing it that way.”
Footnotes.
Amack led the Falcons with 10 tackles. It was the sixth time in 11 games this season Amack has recorded tackles in double figures. . . . AFA fullback Wes Cobb’s two touchdowns set a career high for a game.
