TCU grounds Air Force in season finale

  • Published
  • By Wayne Amann
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
FORT WORTH, Texas (AFPN) --  Texas Christian University played keep away from the Air Force for the better part of the first half Dec. 2 on its way to a 24-0 intermission lead, then tacked on two more scores after the break thanks to Falcon turnovers, en route to a 38-14 Mountain West Conference rout before 30,767 fans at the Amon Carter Stadium here.

TCU (10-2, 6-2 MWC), which has a Dec. 19 date against Northern Illinois in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego, scored on each of its four first-half possessions. Its most impressive drive covered 97 yards in 19 plays and took 7:03 to complete. The 19th play was Quentily Harmon's 14-yard touchdown reception.

The Horned Frogs were on offense for 20:24 in the first half. They gained 278 yards in offense while holding the Falcons to 45. TCU converted its first seven third-down situations.

TCU won the time of possession 33:28 to 26:32. Ironically, the Air Force entered the game leading the conference and ranked seventh nationally in time of possession with a 32:24 per game average.

The loss capped a 4-8 season and 3-5 mark in the MWC. It was the third straight sub-.500 campaign for the Falcons.

"It stinks going out like that," Air Force senior Adam Zanotti said. "Four-and-eight is not how we wanted this season to be."

Thoughts of a rally by the Air Force were wiped out by an interception and two fumbles on the Falcons first three drives of the second half. The bluesuiters totaled just 128 yards of offense in the game, 220 below their season average.

"We got whipped in all three areas of the game," Air Force head coach Fisher DeBerry admitted. "It was tough for us, no question."

Air Force averted a shutout when Hunter Altman returned a blocked punt 15 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The play extended the Falcons team scoring streak to 168 consecutive games. The Falcons were last shutout by Mississippi, 13-0, in the 1992 Liberty Bowl. The streak is the eighth longest in the country.

The Air Force's final score of the season came with 2:40 left in the game when backup quarterback Jim Ollis capped an eight-play, 74-yard drive with a 19-yard touchdown run. Ollis had a team-high 63 yards on 11 carries.

The next Air Force football game will be the 2007 season opener Sept. 1 against South Carolina State at Falcon Stadium. Besides its eight conference games, the Falcons will play at Navy Oct. 6, home against Army Nov. 3 and at Notre Dame Nov. 10.