|
|
ARMY |
AF |
Army's swarming defense forces 6 turnovers in 23-3 win, deals No. 17 Air Force first loss of season
DENVER (AP) Army wrecked No. 17 Air Force's perfect season - and then some.
Nothing like beating a rival to salvage - or jump-start - a season that hasn’t gone according to plan for the Black Knights.
Quarterback Bryson Daily ran for 170 yards and two touchdowns, Army's swarming defense forced six turnovers and the Black Knights knocked Air Force from the list of undefeated teams with a 23-3 win on Saturday.
Daily and the Black Knights entered as an 18 1/2-point underdog, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. But they quickly set the tone with a dominant opening half in which they led 23-3. A stunned and staggered Falcons team never got on track in front of 52,401 fans at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver.
“We kind of were overlooked for sure,” Army linebacker Leo Lowin said. “We haven’t had a great season. We saw this as a huge opportunity to turn that around, turn that in our favor."
The mistake-prone Falcons (8-1) had four fumbles, threw two interceptions, missed a 32-yard field goal and turned the ball over twice on downs as their best start since 1985 came to a halt. They entered the day as one of eight undefeated major college football teams.
“We had high expectations to come out here and win this game and we didn’t. So we’re very disappointed,” said Air Force tailback John Lee Eldridge III, whose team was held without a touchdown for the first time since Nov. 4, 2017, against Army. “We just didn’t go out there and execute on the small things like we usually do.”
Army (3-6) snapped a five-game skid and moved into the driver’s seat to hoist the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. The Black Knights need to beat Navy on Dec. 9 to claim the prize in the annual round-robin competition between the service academies. Air Force can retain the trophy if Army loses to the Midshipmen.
The CIC Trophy outright winner earns a trip to the White House and of course bragging rights.
Daily set the tone early with a 62-yard TD run less than two minutes into the game. He's been banged up but carried the ball 36 times.
“He’s just a tough kid,” Army coach Jeff Monken said. “You could hit him with a sledgehammer 36 times and he’ll get back up and he’ll go again. ... That’s just who he is.”
Lowin led a menacing defensive performance with 12 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. The Black Knights were constantly pressuring Air Force quarterback Zac Larrier.
The senior Larrier turned the ball over four times, including twice being picked off by cornerback Bo Nicolas-Paul. Larrier lost for the first time as a starter after tying the program mark for a QB by going 8-0.
The Falcons never got their nation-leading ground game churning. Air Force was held to 155 yards rushing, which is about 145 yards below the team's season average.
“We’re familiar with Air Force, we know what to expect from them,” Lowin said. “It just put us in a position to play as hard as you can.”
A second-half team all season, the Falcons felt if they could just march down the field soon after halftime, it could turn the momentum. They did, too, but missed a field goal midway through the third quarter.
“We’ve had a pretty good go of it for a while and yet you realize how hard it is to win,” Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said. “Credit to Army - played really hard, played really well."
THE TAKEAWAY
Army: The Black Knights have won three of the last four over Air Force. They trail in the all-time series 19-38-1.
Air Force: The Falcons saw their streak of 13 straight wins dating to last season come to an end. It matched the school mark set in 1984-85.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Air Force rose to its highest ranking in two decades, but will tumble - maybe even out of the poll.
THIS & THAT
The stadium flyover consisted of four A-10s. ... Colorado and coach Deion Sanders hosted Army for a practice this week in Boulder. ... Army kicker Quinn Maretzki was 3 for 3 on field goals.
UP NEXT
Army: Host Holy Cross next Saturday.
Air Force: At Hawaii next Saturday.
---
Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here
---
AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
B. Daily
13 QB 40 PaYds, 170 RuYds, 2 RuTDs |
|
J. Eldridge III
24 RB 40 RuYds, 3 ReYds, REC |
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
1st Downs | 11 | 20 |
Rushing | 8 | 6 |
Passing | 1 | 8 |
Penalty | 2 | 6 |
3rd Down Conv | 4-14 | 5-14 |
4th Down Conv | 1-2 | 0-2 |
Total Net Yards | 253 | 259 |
Total Plays | 60 | 64 |
Avg Gain | 4.2 | 4.0 |
Net Yards Rushing | 213 | 155 |
Rush Attempts | 51 | 40 |
Avg Rush Yards | 4.2 | 3.9 |
Yards Passing | 40 | 104 |
Comp. - Att. | 4-9 | 10-24 |
Yards Per Pass | 4.4 | 3.4 |
Penalties - Yards | 11-119 | 6-55 |
Touchdowns | 2 | 0 |
Rushing TDs | 2 | 0 |
Passing TDs | 0 | 0 |
Other | 0 | 0 |
Turnovers | 0 | 6 |
Fumbles - Lost | 0-0 | 5-4 |
Int. Thrown | 0 | 2 |
Punts - Avg | 6-39.0 | 2-36.5 |
Return Yards | 29 | 21 |
Punts - Returns | 1-4 | 4-21 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. - Returns | 2-25 | 0-0 |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
|
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
B. Daily
13 QB
|
B. Daily | 4/9 | 40 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
B. Daily
13 QB
|
B. Daily | 36 | 170 | 2 | 62 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Udoh
26 RB
|
K. Udoh | 9 | 37 | 0 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Buchanan
33 RB
|
J. Buchanan | 3 | 9 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Harris
7 QB
|
C. Harris | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
T. Robinson
21 RB
|
T. Robinson | 1 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Olawole
81 WR
|
T. Olawole | 2 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Reynolds
87 WR
|
C. Reynolds | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
H. Reed
8 RB
|
H. Reed | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Marshall
3 WR
|
A. Marshall | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
L. Fortner
80 WR
|
L. Fortner | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
N. Short
15 WR
|
N. Short | 1 | 1 | -1 | 0 | -1 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
L. Lowin
31 LB
|
L. Lowin | 9-3 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Q. Hammonds
26 DB
|
Q. Hammonds | 3-3 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Lewis
95 DL
|
K. Lewis | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Nicolas-Paul
2 DB
|
B. Nicolas-Paul | 3-2 | 0.0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. DiDomenico
6 DB
|
M. DiDomenico | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Ciarlo
7 LB
|
J. Ciarlo | 2-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Powell
49 LB
|
J. Powell | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Hill
52 DL
|
A. Hill | 2-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Latore
92 DL
|
J. Latore | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. O'Gara
54 LB
|
C. O'Gara | 2-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Fortner
53 LB
|
K. Fortner | 1-4 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Frey
99 DL
|
C. Frey | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Jones
10 DB
|
C. Jones | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Richardson
96 DL
|
D. Richardson | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Moore
4 DB
|
J. Moore | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
N. Smith
48 LB
|
N. Smith | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
Q. Maretzki
15 K
|
Q. Maretzki | 3/3 | 45 | 2/2 | 11 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
C. Allan
38 P
|
C. Allan | 6 | 39.0 | 1 | 52 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
T. Robinson 21 RB
|
T. Robinson | 1 | 4.0 | 4 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
Z. Larrier
9 QB
|
Z. Larrier | 9/22 | 93 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Jones
5 QB
|
J. Jones | 1/2 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
Z. Larrier
9 QB
|
Z. Larrier | 20 | 45 | 0 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Eldridge III
24 RB
|
J. Eldridge III | 6 | 40 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Michel
4 FB
|
E. Michel | 8 | 37 | 0 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Jones
5 QB
|
J. Jones | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||
O. Burk
26 RB
|
O. Burk | 3 | 8 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Harris
33 RB
|
J. Harris | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Calvert
28 RB
|
A. Calvert | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
W. Wilson
11 WR
|
W. Wilson | 4 | 3 | 47 | 0 | 27 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
B. Engel
2 WR
|
B. Engel | 6 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Roznos
13 WR
|
J. Roznos | 3 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Rillos
84 TE
|
C. Rillos | 4 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Kinamon
23 WR
|
D. Kinamon | 3 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Eldridge III
24 RB
|
J. Eldridge III | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Harris
21 WR
|
C. Harris | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Z. Larrier
9 QB
|
Z. Larrier | 1 | 1 | -8 | 0 | -8 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
B. Richter
8 DE
|
B. Richter | 4-6 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Mock
40 LB
|
A. Mock | 4-5 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Taylor
7 S
|
T. Taylor | 3-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Blum
87 DL
|
C. Blum | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Williams
0 DB
|
T. Williams | 3-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Goodwin
16 S
|
J. Goodwin | 3-9 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
P. Zdroik
96 DL
|
P. Zdroik | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
O. Aihie
32 LB
|
O. Aihie | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Youngblood
44 LB
|
J. Youngblood | 2-5 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Tomasi
62 DL
|
J. Tomasi | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Z. Juckel
46 LB
|