Air Force Falcons Three Biggest Keys to Defeat Nevada Wolf Pack

The Air Force Falcons are hoping to finish up the season with two straight wins, but Nevada is in their way this Saturday.

Nov 2, 2024; West Point, New York, USA; Air Force Falcons quarterback Quentin Hayes (7) carries the ball against the Army Black Knights during the first half at Michie Stadium. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The Air Force Falcons are the team with the momentum going into their matchup with the Nevada Wolf Pack on Saturday.

The Falcons and the Wolf Pack kick off at 8:30 p.m. mountain in Mackay Stadium in Reno, Nev. The game is set to be broadcast on FS1.

Momentum is a relative term in this contest. The Falcons (3-7, 1-4) are on a two-game winning streak after they lost seven straight games. But at least they’re winning.

Nevada (3-8, 0-5) has lost its last four games and is trying to salvage what it can going into their in-state rivalry game with UNLV next week.

So how does Air Force win this game? Here are three keys to the contest.

Dominate the Run

Air Force runs a offense similar to the other service academies that keeps the football on the ground and helps the Falcons dominate time of possession.

Against Oregon State, the Falcons held the ball for more than 42 minutes and enter Saturday’s game No. 14 in the country in rushing yards per game at 209.4 yards per game.

No team has attempted more rushes this season than Air Force’s 554. But the run game hasn’t been as effective as it could be, as the Falcons average less than four yards per carry. So there’s some work to do there.

But, this is a favorable matchup for the Falcons as Nevada is No. 96 in rushing yards allowed per game.

Win the Turnover Game

Both teams are struggling with turnover margin.

Nevada enters the game No. 71 in the nation at minus-1. The Wolf Pack has forced 11 turnovers and committed 12. Air Force is No. 88 and the Falcons have forced 11 turnovers and committed 14 turnovers.

The takeaway is that neither team is creating a lot of mistakes this season, which means that one turnover either way can turn this game.

At worst, Air Force wants to break even here. At best, the Falcons want to end up in the positive here, even if it’s by one turnover.

Win on Third Down

One area Oregon State struggled in against Air Force was in creating first downs. The Beavers had just nine in the game. Part of the reason for that was that OSU went 2-of-10 on third down.

Now, Oregon State was having issues at quarterback, but this is an area where Air Force excels on a national level.

Entering the Nevada game the Falcons are No. 38 in the country in third-down defensive efficiency as they allow opponents to convert 35.1% of the time.

The Falcons’ opponents have converted 40 times on 114 attempts. If Air Force is hoping for a third straight win, getting the Wolf Pack off the field on third down at this rate can help make it happen.