Falcons to compete in Arizona Bowl, Dec. 30

  • Published
  • By John Van Winkle
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs

Falcons head coach Troy Calhoun said he’s “delighted” Air Force will compete against the University of South Alabama Jaguars Dec. 30 in the Arizona Bowl in Tucson, Arizona.

Invites to the bowl were sent to Falcons’ Calhoun and Jaguars’ head coach Joey Jones Dec. 4 from Ali Farhang, the chairman of the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl.

The game will be played at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, with a kickoff of 5:30 p.m. EST.

“This is a great location,” Calhoun said. “How many people would love to be in Arizona in late December in a bowl game? This is a great place … with how great they are with the military and to play an excellent opponent. We’re playing a squad that beat a Southeastern Conference team and beat our conference champion earlier this year.”

The Falcons ended the regular season with five straight wins to finish 9-3. Offensively, the team rode a triple-option-based ground attack to rack up an average 322.8 yards a game and become the nation’s fourth-most potent rushing attack. The Falcons finished 11th in the nation in time of possession.

Defensively, the Falcons limited opponents to 1,416 yards rushing in 12 games, despite playing seven bowl-bound teams.

The Jaguars chalked-up a regular season overall record of 6–6, look to bookend their season with monster wins after opening the 2016 campaign with a 21-20 upset win over SEC foe Mississippi State and a 42-24 win over eventual Mountain West conference champion San Diego State.

Farhang said the Arizona Bowl staff enjoyed the progress of the football teams this year.

“Coaches Calhoun and Jones and these young men have a lot to be proud of, and we’re really looking forward to the energy and spirit that both teams will bring to our bowl.”