The United States Air Force Academy Falcons rushed for 366 yards in Saturday’s 35-26 win over the University of Connecticut Huskies.
The loss drops UConn to 4-4 and breaks their two-game win streak.
“The goal is to play clean football in all three phases, and we weren’t able to today,” head coach Jason Candle said.
The Huskies started with the football, but an early three-and-out gave it right to Air Force. The Falcons established the run game right away, putting together a 10-play, 55-yard drive ending in Kemper Hodges’ first touchdown of the game.
Connecticut got some momentum on the next drive but faced a fourth-and-six a little bit outside of field goal range. Kalieb Osborne’s pass was incomplete on fourth down, and the Falcons took over.
A pair of punts led to Air Force getting the ball back, and Hodges was on the loose again. The senior broke free for a 62-yard touchdown, and Air Force was up 14-0 in the first quarter.
UConn answered with a big catch from Flash Wilson to get them into the red zone. Osborne then hit Xavier Watson for what was ruled a touchdown, but was overturned after referees said that Watson stepped out of bounds at the one. UConn handed it off to Trey Cornist, who punched in the touchdown to make it 14-7.
The Falcons chewed the clock with the rush attack and found themselves near the goal line once again. Hodges took the triple option keeper for himself and scored his third touchdown of the day before halftime.
The Huskies would not go quietly into halftime as a healthy dose of passes and runs set up third-and-goal from the two-yard line. Osborne connected with Ryder Treadway, who made a diving grab for his first touchdown of the year.
Hayden Pegg recorded a sack during Air Force’s two-minute drill, and that would be it as the teams headed to the locker room in a 21-14 game.
UConn looked to have momentum after the late score and a defensive three-and-out to start the third, but they punted right away, and it was rushing time again for the Falcons.
The Huskies looked to have stopped Air Force as they sent the punting team out. Hodges took a direct snap from the long snapper and had a back-breaking 19-yard run for a first down to continue the drive. The 16-play drive culminated in Gage LaDue running in a four-yard score.
Down two scores late in the third quarter, Osborne fired over the middle to Alex Godavitarne, and the Wheeling transfer did the rest. Godavitarne broke a tackle at the 35 and went untouched the rest of the way to the end zone for a 55-yard score. It was the tight end’s first catch since Week 3, but it came when the Huskies needed it the most. Unfortunately for UConn, Jack O’Connor’s extra point attempt was no good, leaving the score at 28-20.
This would prove costly as UConn got the ball right back and scored four plays later on a Kenji Christian 46-yard scamper. Having to go for two because of the missed extra point, Osborne was sacked by Isaac Hubert, and Air Force got the ball back up two points.
The Falcons continued to show why they are one of the best rushing attacks in the nation. A 19-play drive found both teams in a fourth-and-goal situation at the one-yard line. Like it was all afternoon in Colorado Springs, it was Hodges time. He kept the snap and scored his third touchdown of the game.
Hodges had 35 carries for 200 yards and four touchdowns; the Huskies had no answer. Air Force’s time of possession was a whopping 41:54, something UConn had not seen yet this season.
UConn could not muster up any more points and took home the loss to go back to .500. For the second time this season, Air Force won a game without completing a forward pass.
“When you play a team that’s whole heartedly committed to one style of football, they don’t know any other way and it’s really hard to get them off the field,” Candle said.
Their next game is on Saturday at The Rent against Bill Belichick and North Carolina. Kickoff is at noon.