Fresno State (5-5) collapsed in the second half as they fell to Air Force (2-7) on Saturday, Nov. 9 in Colorado Springs by a score of 36-28. The loss takes away any hope the Bulldogs had left for a spot in the Mountain West Championship game in December.
It was the first time the Falcons defeated a fellow Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent this season, ending a seven-game losing streak. Air Force beat Merrimack College 21-6 in its season opener on Aug. 31.
What happened
Quarterback Mikey Keene completed 23-of-26 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns. He also threw an interception.
Wide receiver Mac Dalena had four catches for 89 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Fellow wideout Jalen Moss also reached the end zone, he finished the night with six receptions for 75 yards.
Linebacker Tuasivi Nomura was effective on defense, totaling a game-high 18 tackles.
Despite Keene’s performance, his defense did not give him many opportunities to succeed. Air Force outgained the Bulldogs 344 to negative five yards on the ground, while keeping its offense on the field for 86 plays compared to just 38 for Fresno State.
The Falcons ran the ball 80 times, which is the most by any team in the FBS this season. They also converted 15 of 25 opportunities on third or fourth downs, wearing down the Bulldog defense.
Air Force outscored the Bulldogs 19-7 in the second half.
How it Happened
Fresno State struck first with an Elijah Gilliam one-yard touchdown on the first drive of the game. But the lead didn’t last long. Air Force marched down the field and into the endzone, running only rushing plays.
On the next possession the Falcons forced a quick three-and-out and continued their run-oriented push down the field. They eventually threw their first pass play of the game on 4th down and it was broken up. A personal foul was called on Fresno State, getting the Falcons the first down.
Air Force promptly scored their second touchdown after that penalty. They were able to get a man open in the corner of the endzone for the points and passing play of the game.
With the Bulldogs now down by seven, they were looking for a spark to get the momentum going before halftime. They did just that with a Keene and Dalena connection for a 73-yard touchdown. That was Fresno State’s longest play of the season.
The Fresno State defense was able to force a big turnover on fourth-and-one. With the ball back in his hands, Keene threw an 18-yard dart to tight end Richie Anderson, putting the Dogs in the red zone. On the next play, Keene hit the wide receiver Moss for a 19-yard touchdown.
Air Force got the ball back and continued their run-heavy offensive strategy. They pushed the ball downfield, allowing their kicker Matthew Dapore to make a 35-yard field goal. Dogs lead 21-17 at the half.
The Bulldogs got the ball back and were once again looking for a big spark on offense.
Keene threw an interception on a pass intended for wide receiver Jordan Brown. The pass was tipped by a defender and intercepted. Air Force was able to drive down the field and score. They went for a 2-point conversion and failed, making the score 26-21 with the Falcons leading.
With the Bulldogs now down by five, Keene connected with Moss for a 32-yard catch and run. Fresno State was not able to move the chains, giving the ball back to the Falcons. Air Force then scored once again, making the score 33-21.
With the ball back in the Bulldogs hands and down by 15, the Bulldogs marched down the field quickly, executing multiple pass plays. Keene connected with Dalena for his second touchdown of the game.
Down by eight, the Dogs go for an onside kick, giving them one last chance to score. It is unsuccessful and Air Force takes a knee to end the game.
What’s next
The Bulldogs head into a bye week before returning to Valley Children’s Stadium for senior day and the final home game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 23, against Colorado State. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
The ‘Dogs will finish the regular season the following Saturday, Nov. 30, with a road matchup against the Bruins of the University of California, Los Angeles. Fresno State will need to win at least one of these two games in order to be bowl eligible.
