Falcons
Falcons
Air Force Falcons
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Air Force Falcons
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Air Force Falcons
Air Force Team News and History
Signed into law in 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Air Force Academy was officially created. Its first-class wouldn’t graduate until 1959, meaning that the inaugural season of Air Force football in 1955 was played with all freshmen. Because of that, Air Force competed as an independent team and only played the freshmen teams from other universities.
As modest as those beginnings were – the Falcons didn’t even have their own home stadium – by 1958, Air Force was a top-10 team, had finished undefeated, and played in the Cotton Bowl.
Air Force Falcons Standings
The Air Force Falcons are a proud member of the NCAAF and are known for their strong performance on the field. With a solid track record, they have been consistently climbing the standings and impressing fans with their skills. Currently, the Falcons have a strong record, putting them in a good position in the NCAAF standings. The team is made up of talented athletes who are driven to succeed and they are constantly improving their stats to maintain their position at the top.
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Recent History
As good as that 1958 Falcon football team was, early success was spotty. Following the Cotton Bowl that year, Air Force only played in two more bowls from 1959 to 1981.
But then Fisher DeBerry took over as coach, and Air Force won bowl games in four consecutive seasons. DeBerry continued to have success on the field, and when he retired, the team was handed to former Air Force quarterback Troy Calhoun, who played and coached under DeBerry.
Calhoun is the current head coach, and he took the Falcons to 10 bowl games in his first 15 years as their leader.
Key Players in History
Defensive tackle Chad Hennings was the Outland Trophy Award winner in 1987, and after serving as an air force pilot for four years, he joined the Cowboys. There he was a three-time Super Bowl Champion,
Also, a former Cowboy is former Air Force quarterback Beau Morgan, who was the best Air Force player in history. In 1995 and 1995, he rushed for 1,000 yards and passed for 1,000 yards, making him the first college football player to hit both of the marks in more than one season.
Morgan broke the single-season rushing record for a quarterback with 1,498 yards in 1996, and he graduated as just the second player in history to rush and pass for more than 3,000 career yards. He finished 10th in Heisman voting in 1996.
Dee Downs was another great option quarterback at Air Force, who finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy vote in 1989 and was the WAC Offensive Player of the Year.
Key Championships
Air Force has never competed for a National Championship. As an independent program for the first 23 years, the Falcons didn’t compete for a conference title until they joined the WAC in 1980. With Fisher DeBerry as head coach, the Falcons won three WAC championships.
Long before they were in a conference, Air Force was playing in bowl games. They played in the Cotton Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, and the Gator Bowl in the early days. Most recently, they’ve been a frequent participant in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Heading into the 2021 season, Air Force was 13-13-1 in 27 bowl appearances. The Falcons highest ever ranking was in fourth 1985, when they finished the season 12-1. Air Force has finished with at least ten wins seven other times, and two other times they’ve been ranked in the top-10.
Conference Outlook
Air Force is in the Mountain division of the Mountain West Conference. They won the division in 2015 but lost in the conference championship game to San Diego St., 27-24.
It’s a tough division, with annual games against successful programs at Boise State and Wyoming and against long-time regional rival Colorado State.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about how Air Force competes in such a challenging conference is their inability to recruit the same players that other universities can. Because a commission as an officer in the Air Force comes after graduation, there are strict academic requirements for admission into the Air Force Academy and limits on how big a cadet can be. Because of that, Air Force football has always relied on speed more than strength.
Coaching History
Former head coach Fisher DeBerry turned Air Force football into a constant national power. He is responsible for all three of the Air Force conference championships. In the 27 years of Air Force football before DeBerry, the Falcons played in five bowl games. In the 23 years with DeBerry, they played in 12 bowl games and were ranked as high as fourth in the nation.
DeBerry was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
DeBerry’s successor, Troy Calhoun, played under DeBerry at Air Force and was a graduate assistant for the legendary coach. Calhoun is creating his own legend, and in 2021 he began his 16th season at Air Force and already had ten bowl bids under his belt. His best season was 2019 when Air Force won 11 games and finished as the 22nd ranked team.
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Air Force Falcons FAQ’s
Who are the Falcons’ biggest rivals?
The main rivals to Air Force are the Army and Navy football teams. The three academies play a round-robin every season to determine the Commander in Chief’s Trophy winner. They also play an annual game with in-state and in-conference rival Colorado State, where the Ram-Falcon Trophy is at stake.
Where does Air Force play its home games?
When Air Force football began, they didn’t have a home stadium and played games in several Colorado cities. Since 1962 they have called Falcon Stadium home, which is just off campus in Colorado Springs. The seating capacity is 46,692.
How many conference championships has Air Force won?
Since moving to the Mountain West Conference, Air Force has won the WAC three times but has not won another conference championship.
Who is the best Air Force football alum?
Several Air Force players have played in the NFL, but the best Falcon of all time is quarterback Beau Morgan. In 1996 he became the first college football player to ever rush for 1,000 yards and pass for 1,000 yards in more than one season.
What is the Air Force football mascot?
The 1959 graduating class, the first to graduate from the Air Force Academy, chose the Falcon as their mascot. The very first performing Falcon was named Mach 1, given to the academy in 1955. The current mascot is a white gyrfalcon named Nova.
