After 45 years being dormant the CU Air Force rivalry was back this past Saturday and it lived up to the hype made by the prolonged wait for the game to come back.
The Buffaloes used the emotion from last weeks win against Nebraska to fuel them early scoring on a 47 yards pass from Stephen Montez to Leviscus Shenault making the score 7-0 early in favor of the CU. The next possession would end with a 36 yard field goal to make it 10-0. Then late into the first quarter DJ Hammond III would find Geraud Sanders for a 32 yard touchdown, but the Falcons would botch the extra point making the game 10-6. That score would not hold however, as Hammond would drive the length of the field and find the end zone from two yards out giving Air Force their first lead of the game at 13-10. After another defensive stop Hammond then launched an air strike from 81 yards out finding Ben Waters for the 4th longest touchdown in school history (tied) and 20-10 is where the score would remain until the 4th quarter.
The scoring stalemate would be broken by the Falcons trying to pad their lead with a field goal from 47 yards away making the score 23-10. But, not wanting to be outdone on their home turf Montez would then find Dimitri Stanley for a 13 yard touchdown pass but the celebration would be short lived as the Falcons then blocked the PAT leaving the score Air Force 23 Cu 16. Momentum would swin back into the Buffaloes favor nearing the end of regulation as Laviscus Shenault, who is normally catching touchdowns, rand in one from 2 yards out and with a successful point after the score would be tied with under four minutes left. That score would hold and for the second week in a row CU had to come back at home after falling behind early to force overtime.
This week however the defense would not be able to stop the Falcons offense as they would score a touch down on their first drive, on the first play with a 25 yard touch down run from Kadin remsberg. The PAT would be good which forced CU to not only score but it would have to be a touchdown. A tough drive would ensue and as hard as the Buffaloes played it came down to 4th & 10 from the 11 yard line. Montez took the snap and looked left throwing to the end zone but Milton Bugg who caught his first interception against Colgate in the opener would break up the game winning touchdown giving Air Force their first win over a PAC-12 school in five years.
Overall Air Force did prove that the only fluke about their first win over Colgate was the score and absurd rushing totals. The discipline and toughness that they play with should be a welcome site to a fan base who has felt that over the past couple of years has been treated to sub par football for the past two years. Now they will need to keep this going moving forward as they will be traveling to Boise to take on the class of the Mountain West in the Broncos on the smurf turf this coming Friday September 20th, @7p.m. look for that pregame article Thursday morning. But for now enjoy the big win over an in state rival Falcons Nation.