Falcons wave goodbye to winning season

  • Published
  • By Wayne Amann
  • U.S. Air Force Academy
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  One by one, Air Force’s goals for 2005 have come and gone.

A Mountain West Conference title, reclaiming the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy and a bowl appearance are all history.

Now a winning season got smaller in their rear view mirror thanks to a 62-41 conference beating by Brigham Young University Oct. 29 before a crowd of 57,687 at Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah.

The loss guaranteed the Falcons (3-6, 2-5 MWC) their second straight losing season with two games remaining in the regular season. It’s the first time Air Force will experience back-to-back losing seasons during Fisher DeBerry’s 22-year stint as head coach. It’ll be just the fourth losing season in the DeBerry era.

“It’s not about me,” a disappointed DeBerry said. “I told our kids in the locker room I really bleed for them. They’ve worked hard in practice. Their intensity level and effort deserve better.”

The Falcons performed well enough, offensively, to beat the Cougars (4-4, 3-2 MWC).

Air Force compiled 479 yards in total offense. The 41 points were second only to the 42 scored in their win against the University of Nevada Las Vegas. No Falcon ran for more than 44 yards in the game, but nine players rushed for double-digit yardage. Wide receiver Jason Brown caught nine passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns.

Overshadowed by the loss was an Academy-record five touchdown passes thrown by backup quarterback Adam Fitch. The senior signal caller was pressed into service after right-handed sophomore starter Shaun Carney had to leave the game with a cut on his left palm that required stitches. Fitch was 13 for 24 with 265 yards and became the first Falcon to toss four touchdowns in a game since Mike Theissen acheived the feat against BYU in 2000.

“We were in a desperate situation, so we had to react to what was happening,” Fitch said. “Throwing five TDs in an option scheme is pretty remarkable.”

The Air Force defense, ranked eighth in the nine-team conference, was another story.

BYU rolled up 683 yards, the most against Air Force since 1988. Cougar quarterback John Beck completed 31 of 43 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Curtis Brown had career highs with 219 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Wide receiver Michael Reed had five receptions for 103 yards and a score. The 62 points is the most scored by BYU since it beat Air Force 63-33 in 2001. 

BYU scored touchdowns on four of its first six possessions to build a 28-7 lead by halftime, which was fueled by Air Force fumbles on two if its first three possessions.

Trailing 41-7, the Falcons mounted a comeback that kept the outcome in doubt for a while. Their 27-point fourth quarter included a pair of touchdowns scored 14 seconds apart. After Fitch hit running back Chad Hall with an 8-yard touchdown pass, the ensuing kickoff was fumbled away by Brett Cooper. 

Instant replay confirmed the drop. On the next play Fitch connected with Greg Kirkwood for a 36-yard touchdown pulling the Falcons within 48-34 with 9:36 to play, but that’s as close as Air Force would get.

“I’m proud of the way they fought back,” DeBerry said. “A lot of teams would have given up in those situations.”

Pride will be on the line Nov. 5 at 1:30 p.m., in Falcon Stadium, when Air Force wraps up it home schedule against Army.