2020 Air Force Falcons football team

The 2020 Air Force Falcons football team represented the United States Air Force Academy in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Falcons were led by fourteenth-year head coach Troy Calhoun and played their home games at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They competed as members of the Mountain West Conference.

2020 Air Force Falcons football
ConferenceMountain West Conference
2020 record3–3 (2–2 MW)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMike Thiessen (10th season as OC, 13th overall season)
Defensive coordinatorJohn Rudzinski (3rd season as DC, 10th overall season)
Home stadiumFalcon Stadium
(Capacity: 46,692)
Uniform
2020 Mountain West Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
No. 24 San Jose State y$  7 –0     7 –1  
Boise State y  5 –0     5 –2  
Nevada  6 –2     7 –2  
San Diego State  4 –2     4 –4  
Hawaii  4 –4     5 –4  
Fresno State  3 –3     3 –3  
Air Force  2 –2     3 –2  
Wyoming  2 –4     2 –4  
New Mexico  2 –5     2 –5  
Colorado State  1 –3     1 –3  
Utah State  1 –5     1 –5  
UNLV  0 –6     0 –6  
Championship: San Jose State 34, Boise State 20
  • $ – Conference champion
  • y – Championship game participant
  • Note: Due to COVID-19, the Mountain West suspended the season, but later decided to begin play on October 24.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll

Previous season
Main article: 2019 Air Force Falcons football team

The Falcons finished the 2019 season 11–2, 7–1 in Mountain West play to finish in second place in the Mountain Division. Following the season they were invited to the Cheez-It Bowl where they defeated Washington State by a score of 31–21.

Preseason

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released

Award Player Position Year
Lott IMPACT Trophy[2] Demonte Meeks LB SR
Davey O'Brien Award[3] Donald Hammond III QB SR
Outland Trophy[4] Parker Ferguson OL SR
Nolan Laufenberg OL SR
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award[5] Donald Hammond III QB SR

Mountain West media days

The Mountain West media days were originally scheduled to take place from July 27–29, 2020, virtually, but were canceled.[6]

Media poll

The preseason poll was released on July 21, 2020. The Falcons were predicted to finish in third place in the MW Mountain Division.[7] The divisions were later suspended for the 2020 season.

Mountain
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1Boise State125 (20)
2Wyoming90 (1)
3Air Force86
4Utah State60
5Colorado State59
6New Mexico21
West
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1San Diego State122 (19)
2Nevada100 (2)
3Hawaii74
4Fresno State73
5San Jose State43
6UNLV29

Preseason All−Mountain West Team

The Falcons had three players selected to the preseason All−Mountain West Team; two from the offense and one from the defense.[8]

Schedule

Air Force announced its 2020 football schedule on February 27, 2020.[9] The original 2020 schedule consisted of 6 home and 6 away games in the regular season. On August 10, 2020, the Mountain West Conference announced the suspension of the football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[10][11] Due to the nature of their institutions and rivalries, Air Force kept scheduled games with Army and Navy in order to play for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy in the fall.[12] Scheduled games against Duquesne and Purdue from the orginial schedule were canceled and Mountain West Conference play was suspended. On September 25, the Mountain West announced that their Board of Directors had met and approved plans to resume the football season.[13] The revised schedule was announced on October 1, with conference play beginning on October 24.[14] The Falcons had six conference games scheduled, two less than their MW counterparts to account for their service academy match-ups. The Army game, originally scheduled for November 7, was postponed indefinitely on November 5 with both schools saying they would reschedule the game if possible.[15][16] The Wyoming game, originally scheduled for November 14, was canceled on November 8.[17] The Colorado State game, originally scheduled for November 26, was canceled on November 25.[18] On that same day, the Air Force-Army game was rescheduled for December 19 at Michie Stadium.[19]

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
October 34:00 p.m.Navy*
CBSSNW 40–7 5,000
October 248:30 p.m.at San Jose State
FS1L 6–17 0
October 314:00 p.m.No. 25 Boise State
  • Falcon Stadium
  • Colorado Springs, CO
CBSSNL 30–49 500
November 148:00 p.m.at Wyoming
CBSSNNo Contest
November 207:30 p.m.New Mexico
  • Falcon Stadium
  • Colorado Springs, CO
FS1W 28–0 100
November 26NoonColorado State
CBSSNNo Contest
December 37:30 p.m.at Utah State
CBSSNW 35–7 3,025
December 191:00 p.m.at Army*
CBSSNL 7–10 1,306
Source:[20]

Game summaries
See also: 2020 Navy Midshipmen football team and Commander-in-Chief's Trophy
Navy Midshipmen at Air Force Falcons
1 2 34Total
Midshipmen 0 7 007
Falcons 3 13 32140

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO

StatisticsNAVYAF
First downs1025
3rd down efficiency5–132–9
4th down efficiency1–30–0
Plays–yards54–24162–410
Rushes–yards36–9053–369
Passing yards15141
Passing: Comp–Att–Int8–18–14–9–0
Penalties–yards4–303–23
Turnovers20
Time of possession25:5234:08

at San Jose State
See also: 2020 San Jose State Spartans football team
Air Force Falcons at San Jose State Spartans
1 2 34Total
Falcons 0 0 066
Spartans 0 0 14317

at CEFCU Stadium, San Jose, CA

StatisticsAFSJSU
First downs1719
3rd down efficiency9–165–12
4th down efficiency1–20–1
Plays–yards66–29859–294
Rushes–yards49–20630–68
Passing yards92226
Passing: Comp–Att–Int9–17–022–29–1
Penalties–yards4–556–45
Turnovers21
Time of possession29:2430:36

Boise State
See also: 2020 Boise State Broncos football team
No. 25 Boise State Broncos at Air Force Falcons
1 2 34Total
No. 25 Broncos 7 21 71449
Falcons 14 3 01330

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO

StatisticsBSUAF
First downs2328
3rd down efficiency2–44–12
4th down efficiency0–03–3
Plays–yards49–45973–484
Rushes–yards29–17966–415
Passing yards28069
Passing: Comp–Att–Int17–20–04–7–0
Penalties–yards3–406–43
Turnovers00
Time of possession22:2937:31

at Wyoming
See also: 2020 Wyoming Cowboys football team
CANCELLED – Air Force Falcons at Wyoming Cowboys
1 2 Total
Falcons 0
Cowboys 0

at War Memorial Stadium, Laramie, WY

New Mexico
See also: 2020 New Mexico Lobos football team
New Mexico Lobos at Air Force Falcons
1 2 34Total
Lobos 0 0 000
Falcons 7 14 0728

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO

StatisticsNMAF
First downs1923
3rd down efficiency4–139–13
4th down efficiency0–11–2
Plays–yards67–30468–422
Rushes–yards25–8363–356
Passing yards22166
Passing: Comp–Att–Int23–42–14–5–0
Penalties–yards8–705–42
Turnovers23
Time of possession23:3136:29

Colorado State
See also: 2020 Colorado State Rams football team and Air Force–Colorado State football rivalry
CANCELLED – Colorado State Rams at Air Force Falcons
1 2 Total
Rams 0
Falcons 0

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO

at Utah State
See also: 2020 Utah State Aggies football team
Air Force Falcons at Utah State Aggies
1 2 34Total
Falcons 7 14 7735
Aggies 7 0 007

at Maverik Stadium, Logan, UT

StatisticsAFUSU
First downs2414
3rd down efficiency5–109–14
4th down efficiency3–40–2
Plays–yards64–46158–232
Rushes–yards55–33426–109
Passing yards127123
Passing: Comp–Att–Int7–9–017–32–2
Penalties–yards6–676–65
Turnovers02
Time of possession34:5425:06

at Army
See also: 2020 Army Black Knights football team and Commander-in-Chief's Trophy
Air Force Falcons at Army Black Knights
1 2 34Total
Falcons 0 0 707
Black Knights 0 3 0710

at Michie Stadium, West Point, NY

StatisticsAFARMY
First downs1121
3rd down efficiency4–89–17
4th down efficiency0–02–3
Plays–yards40–26173–290
Rushes–yards26–15471–290
Passing yards1070
Passing: Comp–Att–Int6–14–31–2–0
Penalties–yards3–152–15
Turnovers31
Time of possession22:3437:26

Source for Match-up Records:[47]

References
  1. "WE'RE BACK". twitter.com/MountainWest. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
  2. "2020 Lott Impact Trophy Watch List Candidates". June 5, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  3. "Davey O'Brien Award Announces Preseason Watch List". July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  4. "2020 Outland Trophy Watch List Unveiled". July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  5. "The Golden Arm Award Announces 2020 Class of Candidates". August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  6. "Mountain West Postpones 2020 Football Virtual Media Days". TheMW.com. July 20, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  7. "Boise State, San Diego State Picked to Win 2020 Mountain West Football Divisional Titles". TheMW.com. July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  8. "2020 Mountain West Football Preseason All−Conference Team". July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  9. "2020 Air Force football schedule announced". United States Air Force Academy. February 27, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  10. "Mountain West Conference postpones fall sports, ending football for CSU, Air Force". The Denver Channel. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  11. "Mountain West postpones football, fall sports". ESPN.com. 2020-08-10. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  12. Northam, Mitchell (10 Aug 2020). "Mountain West cancels fall sports; Air Force will 'explore' playing Army, Navy". againstallenemies.com. SB Nation. Retrieved 31 Aug 2020.
  13. "2020 Mountain West Football Season to Begin on October 24". theMW.com. Mountain West Conference. September 25, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  14. "Mountain West Announces 2020 Football Schedule". theMW.com. Mountain West Conference. October 1, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  15. "Air Force at Army football game postponed". USAFA Athletic Department. November 5, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  16. "Football vs. Air Force Postponed". USMA Athletic Department. November 5, 2020. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  17. "Air Force at Wyoming football game canceled". USAFA Athletic Department. November 8, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  18. "Colorado State at Air Force Football Game Cancelled". USAFA Athletic Department. November 25, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  19. "Air Force-Army rescheduled to Dec. 19". USAFA Athletic Department. November 25, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  20. "2020 Air Force Football Schedule". USAFA Athletic Department. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
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  23. "Navy at Air Force – Game Notes" (PDF). USAFA Athletic Department. September 28, 2020. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  24. "Air Force Sinks Navy 40–7". USAFA Athletic Department. October 3, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  25. "Air Force at San Jose State – Game Summary – October 24, 2020". ESPN. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
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  29. "No. 25 Boise State at Air Force – Game Summary – October 31, 2020". ESPN. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  30. "Scoring Summary (Final) No. 25 Boise State at Air Force (Oct 31, 2020 at USAF Academy, Colo.)". USAFA Athletic Department. October 31, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
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  32. "Air Force Falls to No. 25 Boise State". USAFA Athletic Department. October 31, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
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  34. "New Mexico at Air Force – Game Summary – November 21, 2020". ESPN. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  35. "Scoring Summary (Final) New Mexico at Air Force (Nov 20, 2020 at USAF Academy, Colo.)". USAFA Athletic Department. November 20, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  36. "New Mexico at Air Force – Game Notes" (PDF). USAFA Athletic Department. November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  37. "Falcons Blank the Lobos, 28–0". USAFA Athletic Department. November 20, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  38. "Colorado State at Air Force – Game Summary – November 28, 2020". ESPN. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  39. "Air Force at Utah State – Game Summary – December 5, 2020". ESPN. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
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  43. "Air Force at Army – Game Summary – December 19, 2020". ESPN. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
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