Air Force piled up yards and even took to the sky, but Broncos’ D finally held

COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. (Idaho Statesman) — What’s in a name? For the Air Force football team, typically not much.

The Falcons, like the other service academies, are renowned for their run-heavy, triple-option offenses, which often grind opponents into the ground.

But Saturday evening in a shootout with Boise State, the Falcons weren’t just getting yardage with the rushing attack. They were soaring — throwing the ball 20 times, which was nearly as many attempts as the Broncos.

Sophomore quarterback Liam Szarka passed for 246 yards and two touchdowns for Air Force (1-2, 0-2 Mountain West) in a 49-37 loss to Boise State (2-1, 1-0).

The last time this academy was in that neighborhood of passing yardage was 2021, when the Falcons threw for 252 yards in the First Responder Bowl.

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