Army West Point Football Falls to Air Force, 24-21

WEST POINT – Army erased a 10-point halftime deficit and took the lead late in the third quarter, but Air Force answered right away and then ran out the clock, escaping Michie Stadium with a 24-21 win over the Black Knights on Saturday night.
Army fell to 5-4 on the season (4-2 American Conference) and remains one win shy of bowl eligibility. Air Force improved to 7-2 (3-2 Mountain West).

Air Force won the toss and deferred, putting the Army offense on the field first. Army twice overcame third-and-long on a 15-play, 54-yard opening drive that took 8:25 off the clock, first on a 10-yard pass to slotback Samari Howard on third-and-8 and then on a 9-yard pass to Brady Anderson on third-and-10, followed by a fourth-and-1 keeper by quarterback Cale Hellums. However, the drive stalled at the Air Force 29-yard line, and kicker Dawson Jones’ 46-yard field goal attempt missed wide right.

In service academy rivalry fashion, it took less than two full drives to burn through the entire first quarter. Air Force responded by taking its opening drive through the end of the quarter and into the second. The Falcons covered 67 yards in 12 plays, but on third-and-goal from the Army 4, safety Stephen Nnadozie broke up a pass to hold Air Force to a 21-yard field goal by kicker Carter Cremascoli and a 3-0 lead with 14:53 left in the second quarter.

Army’s next drive stalled after a 1-yard run and a pair of incomplete passes. On fourth-and-9, punter James Wagenseller’s knee touched the ground while he held the ball, and he was ruled down for a 13-yard loss and a turnover on downs at the Army 13-yard line.

Army answered with a 15-play, 75-yard drive that took 9:17 off the clock and included a pair of fourth-and-1 conversions. Hellums moved the sticks on a quarterback sneak at the Army 34 on the first. On the second, it appeared Army had been stopped at the Army 45, but an automatic replay review ruled that Hellums had gained a yard and a first down at the Army 46, keeping the offense on the field. Seven plays later, running back Godspower Nwawuihe broke free for a 21-yard touchdown run to make it 10-7 with 3:23 left in the first half.

However, the 3:23 left on the clock was enough for the Falcons to answer before the break. They went 75 yards in 10 plays, helped by a 10-yard holding penalty on Army on third-and-5, to retake their two-possession lead, capped by quarterback Evan Medders’ 4-yard touchdown run to make it 17-7 Air Force.

Army’s defense responded on the first drive of the second half, forcing Air Force’s first three-and-out of the game and getting the ball back to the offense less than two minutes into the third quarter. Army’s offense, however, was unable to take advantage of the quick stop.
Air Force’s next possession also ended in a three-and-out, and Army took over at the Army 44 after a 24-yard punt, its best field position of the night to that point.

Looking for a spark, Army turned to backup quarterback Bryson Luter. After a 5-yard run by Nwawuihe, Luter broke loose for a 39-yard run on the second play to the Air Force 12-yard line. He carried five times for 50 yards on the drive, including a 6-yard gain on third-and-5 that put Army at the Air Force 1. Hellums then checked back into the game for a 1-yard touchdown run, trimming the deficit to 17-14.

The newfound momentum continued on Army’s next defensive series, as the Black Knights forced Air Force’s third straight possession without a first down. On fourth-and-3 from its own 32, Air Force tried a fake punt, but Brian Ray III stopped Hodges for a 2-yard gain, and Army took over on downs at the Air Force 34-yard line with 4:06 left in the third quarter.

Army needed just three plays to turn the stop into a go-ahead score. Luter opened the drive with an 11-yard keeper to the Air Force 23-yard line, Nwawuihe followed with a 4-yard run, and on second-and-6 Luter kept it again and ran 19 yards to the left and into the end zone. Jones’ PAT gave Army its first lead of the game, 21-17, with 2:40 left in the third quarter.

Air Force wasted no time answering. In the final 2:40 of the third quarter, the Falcons moved 49 yards in five plays to the Army 26-yard line. Medders kept it for 14 yards and connected with Mason Hayes on a 25-yard pass down the left side. After Hodges converted a third-and-1 with a 2-yard run to open the fourth quarter, Medders found Kibbee up the middle for a 24-yard touchdown.

Army’s response stalled quickly. Nwawuihe gained 1 yard, and Luter picked up 1 more on a keeper. With Hellums back at quarterback, he scrambled 12 yards to the right on third-and-8 to move the chains at the Army 39. But on the next play, Hellums’ deep pass to the right, intended for Zach Mundell, was intercepted by Korey Johnson at the Air Force 44, giving the Falcons the ball back with 12:18 left in the fourth quarter.

Starting at its own 44, Air Force leaned on direct snaps to Hodges, who ripped off a 32-yard run on second-and-5 and gained 46 yards on five carries in the series to move the Falcons to the Army 5. A false start pushed Air Force back to the Army 10, and Medders’ 8-yard completion to Matt Long put the ball at the Army 2. But Jaxon Hammond and Jack Bousum stopped Medders for no gain on third-and-2, and on fourth-and-2 Woolfolk and Bousum stuffed Rocco Conti for a 1-yard gain, giving Army the ball on downs at its own 1-yard line with 7:11 left in the fourth quarter. The nine-play, 55-yard drive took 5:07 off the clock.

The Falcons then ran out the clock with a 10-play, 46-yard drive, before Medders took three knees to end the game.