Air Force Falcons Prepare for Nevada Wolf Pack as Season Hits Final Stretch

The Air Force Falcons can give themselves something to be happy about as the final two games of the season come into focus.

Nov 2, 2024; West Point, New York, USA; Air Force Falcons running back Dylan Carson (5) runs with the ball against the Army Black Knights during the first half at Michie Stadium. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

This season has been all about streaks for the Air Force Falcons, and they can only hope to maintain their current winning streak when they face the Nevada Wolf Pack in Mountain West football action on Saturday.

Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. mountain with the contest to be broadcast on FS1.

The Falcons (3-7, 1-4) are on a two-game winning streak after shutting out Oregon State on Saturday. But, before that streak Air Force lost seven straight games, including contests against both of their service academy rivals.

There is no bowl game to play for, so the Falcons are truly playing out the string.

Nevada (3-8, 0-5) is playing its next-to-last game of the season and has lost its last four games. Oddly, the Wolf Pack’s last win was against Oregon State.

Here is a preview of the game.

Air Force at Nevada

Mackay Stadium, Reno, Nev.

Time: 8:30 p.m., MT, Saturday

TV: FS1

Radio: 97.9 FM the Academy (flagship).

Coaches: Air Force — Troy Calhoun (133-89 at Air Force, overall); Nevada — Jeff Choate (3-8 at Nevada, 31-30 overall).

Fun fact: Choate led the Montana State Bobcats to a pair of playoff berths, including a 2019 run that led to the FCS semifinals and a No. 4 national ranking.  

All-Times Series: Air Force leads series, 5-2.

Last meeting: Air Force 48, Nevada 20 (2022).

Series notes: The Falcons and the Wolf Pack had not played each other before 2012. Before that, the two schools were in different conferences.

Last Week: Air Force def. Oregon State, 28-0; Nevada was idle.

About Nevada: Jay Norvell took the job at Nevada in 2017 and built the Wolf Pack into a winning program, culminating in their 8-4 finish in 2021. Then Colorado State lured him away and, well, it’s gotten bumpy.

Nevada lured Ken Wilson away from Oregon, where he was the linebackers coach. But in two seasons he went 4-20 and the Wolf Pack moved on to Choate, who had a successful run at Montana State before he took an assistant head coach job at Texas to try and pave the way to an FBS head-coaching job.

Hopefully he’ll get more time to put his program together than Wilson. One more win and he’ll match what Wilson was able to do in two seasons.  

About Air Force: The three-year run of bowl appearances is done for the Falcons. Air Force was a combined 29-10 from 2021-23, during which it won a Mountain West division title and won three straight bowl games.

That seven-game losing streak is not the norm under Calhoun, who has led the program to 13 bowl games since he took over in 2007 and replaced the legendary Fisher DeBerry. Only DeBerry has more coaching wins at Air Force (169) than Calhoun.

With two more wins the Falcons can ensure a five-win season. But they’ve already avoided their worst season under Calhoun. That was their 2-10 campaign in 2013.

Next Up: Air Force travels to San Diego State on Nov. 30. Nevada travels to UNLV on Nov. 30.