By now, you know the details — the 2011 service academy football season ended with neither a bang nor a whimper, but with a failed two-point conversion. Air Force’s 42-41 loss to Toledo at RFK Stadium may be remembered for a last-minute bobble (if you want the inside scoop on the play, head here for a great breakdown by Frank Schwab of the Colorado Springs Gazette), but there’s more to the game, more to Air Force’s season and more to the bowl itself then a moment of failed trickery. The past: Wednesday’s loss capped the Air Force football career of…
Browsing: Toledo
As a football fan, the Military Bowl gave you just about everything you could ask for: Lots of long plays, lots of scoring, lots of momentum changes and last-minute drama. And despite the high score, there were a few great defensive moments. Here are some of the highs and lows from tonight, along with other excitement. Record denied: The guy I feel worst for tonight is Air Force’s Asher Clark. The senior running back needed only 33 yards against Toledo to become Air Force’s all-time leading rusher. But the Rockets bottled Clark up all night. He finished with only 14…
In a Military Bowl that started with a scoring explosion, featured a kickoff return for a touchdown, had a handful of fourth-down stands and even more fourth-down conversions, it makes sense to go out on a failed two-point conversion. Before Air Force fans had a chance to exhale after a 33-yard fourth-down touchdown pass from Tim Jefferson to Zack Kauth, the Falcons attempted to turn an almost-guaranteed tie into a victory. Holder David Baskra tried to hit kicker Parker Herrington with a pitch around the left side, but the ball came loose and the Falcons couldn’t find it in the…
A gutsy call – Air Force’s David Baska tried to pitch the ball to Parker Harrington on the two-point conversion attempt, and the ball went awry. Sadly, this becomes only a minor detail on this drive but it should be highlighted: Air Force AGAIN converts on fourth down, scoring its third touchdown on fourth down today. Tim Jefferson hit Zack Kauth with a 33-yard pass.
Toledo’s Bernard Reedy hauls in his third touchdown catch of the night with 5:01 left in the fourth quarter, scoring on a nicely executed 33-yard screen pass. Toledo now leads for the first time since midway through the third quarter.
Only two touchdowns this quarter, and Air Force’s offense had a hand in both. Toledo’s Jermaine Robinson grabbed a tipped Tim Jefferson pass and ran 37 yards to the end zone, giving the Rockets a 35-28 lead. Air Force rallied on its next drive, going 50 yards in seven plays and capping it off with Mike DeWitt’s second score of the day. DeWitt’s 2-yard plunge over left tackle tied the score at 35. The Rockets stumbled in the usually back-and-forth offensive battle, with Air Force junior linebacker Austin Niklas plucking an Austin Dantin pass off his shoelaces for a key…
Mike DeWitt has scored his second touchdown, this time on a 2-yard touchdown run, and for the third time today we’re tied. 5:59 is left in the third quarter.
Toledo’s Jermaine Robinson picks off Tim Jefferson and returns it 37 yards for a score, putting the Rockets back in front. There’s 8:56 left in the third quarter.
We had a fourth-down stand, a fumble recovery and two honest-to-goodness punts in the second quarter, but the offenses are still the story. Air Force opened the second quarter with a 12-play, 79-yard drive that took more than five minutes, even with the no-huddle attack favored by both teams. After five straight up-the-middle runs near the goal line, Falcons quarterback Tim Jefferson pitched wide to Asher Clark for a 1-yard score that tied the game at 21. Toledo followed with a 51-yard strike from Terrance Owens to Bernard Reedy; the duo’s second touchdown of the day made it 28-21. Air…
We’re tied again, and Air Force has converted yet another fourth down (3 for 4 today). Tim Jefferson hits Jonathan Warzeka over the middle with a 37-yard slant for the score. Warzeka easily waltzed into the end zone. 2:07 to go in the first half.
