Air Force Falcons Surge Into Season Finale With San Diego State Aztecs

There is no bowl game on the horizon for the Air Force Falcons, but they’re trying to finish the season with a flourish.

Oct 21, 2023; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Air Force Falcons head coach Troy Calhoun looks onto the field during the first half against the Navy Midshipmen at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Air Force Falcons can wrap up the regular season on a four-game winning streak if they can beat San Diego State at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday in the season finale for both teams.

The Falcons (4-7, 2-4) are coming off a 22-19 victory over Nevada in which they became the first team in FBS this season to win a game without completing a pass. Ordinarily, that would be bad news. But, given how well Air Force runs the football, they managed to compensate for it.

San Diego State enters this game on a significant losing streak. The Aztecs have lost their last five games, including a 41-20 loss to Utah State last week.

Nevada entered its game with Air Force having lost four games in a row. Air Force managed to extend that losing streak to five games. Now the Falcons will try to extend San Diego State’s losing streak to six games to end the season.

Here is a preview of the game.

Air Force at San Diego State

Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, Calif.

Time: 10:30 p.m., MT, Saturday

TV: FS1

Radio: 97.9 FM the Academy (flagship).

Coaches: Air Force — Troy Calhoun (134-89 at Air Force, overall); San Diego State — Sean Lewis (3-8 at San Diego State, 27-39 overall).

Fun fact: Lewis was Deion Sanders’ first offensive coordinator at Colorado in 2023.

All-Times Series: Air Force leads series, 17-15.

Last meeting: Air Force 49, San Diego State 10 (2023).

Series notes: The Falcons have won the last two meetings. But, before that, San Diego State had won the previous nine games. The series dates back to 1980.

Last Week: Air Force def. Nevada, 22-19; San Diego State lost to Utah State, 41-20.

About San Diego State: Lewis took a circuitous route to get to San Diego State. He took over as head coach at Kent State in 2018 and in five seasons he led the Golden Flashes to two bowl games and a 24-31 record. For the Golden Flashes, that was an encouraging stretch.

But Lewis made the curious move to leave KSU after the 2022 season and joining Colorado’s staff as an offensive coordinator, a rarity for a sitting head coach at an FBS program.

It really didn’t work out. Lewis’ system didn’t take hold in Boulder and he wasn’t asked back for the 2024 season. Fortunately, the job at San Diego State opened up and these Aztecs have already won more games in Lewis first season than Kent State did. It isn’t saying much, but it’s a start.

About Air Force: The jokes about not completing one pass aside, Air Force did what Air Force does best against Nevada, which was rushed for 319 yards and three touchdowns to secure the victory.

Running backs Owen Allen and Dylan Carlson each had more than 100 yards rushing, while quarterback Quentin Hayes pitched in another 68 yards as all three scored a touchdown.

It's the kind of efficient rushing attack the Falcons had hoped would lead them to at least a bowl bid this year. But unless there is a need for a 5-7 bowl team when all the bids are handed out, the Falcons will be done after Saturday night's game, ending a run of three straight bowl seasons.

Next Up: Both Air Force and San Diego State will be done with their regular season.