Nice Knowin' Ya Nate Longshore originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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• Notre Dame's first 9 loss season in the Irish history.
• The sixth straight home loss is a first for Notre Dame.
• The most lopsided loss by ND to a service academy in 44 years (Navy winning 35-14 in 1963).
• The first time ND has lost to two service academies in the same year since 1944.

Notre Dame Keeps Making New History originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 00:24:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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And TCU Fades From the 2007 National Scene originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"I'm not going to lie to you: who wants to go up against that offense for one game?" the University of Colorado second-year coach said Tuesday at a football kickoff luncheon. "I'll have to see how much option offense (new Falcons football coach Troy Calhoun) wants to keep doing."

Dan Hawkins Is Afraid of the Option originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As disappointing as the de-commitment of Philip Davis was (who has since committed to Tulane) Navy landed a good one today in Norcross linebacker James Simien. Simien is 6'1, 210-lb middle linebacker who chose Navy over Air Force, Ball St, and Western Kentucky. Simien was a key component on the Blue Devils' playoff run in 2006, and was named to the All-Region football team by the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Simien is listed as running a 4.66/40 from Scout.com, although I dug up a 4.56 time from a combine held at Clemson earlier last year. Whatever the case may be, the point is that Simien had good speed for a linebacker and should be a valuable addition to the 2007 Navy recruiting class, which currently stands at twenty three players.

Also, Navy has received a verbal commitment from North Carolin LB/TE Trey Grissom, who at 6'4, 220-lb also sports a 4.5 grade point average and participates in his school's International Baccalaureate program. Jason Wright, a 6'2, 195-lb safety from northern Indiana also recently committed to Navy. Both players will likely bypass NAPS and be directly admitted into the Academy.

Navy Grabs Georgia Linebacker Over Air Force originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 17:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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They say that things like this are bound to happen. That in all manner events, whether on or off the football field, all things must eventuall come to an end. For Fisher DeBerry and the Air Force football community, the dynasty built during the 1980s and 1990s has come to a sudden halt following a third consecutive losing season, an event which culminated with the retirment of the 68 year old living legend and the beginning of a new Service Academy football era.

And just as Rome did not fall by the hands of the Visigoths alone, so to can we trace the fall of Fisher DeBerry's Air Force program to a multitude of different causes and events. And while one can dispute the label of "fallen," one certainly cannot find argument in the fact that the Falcons of today are not the Falcons of five, ten, fifteen, or even twenty years ago. The possible explanations for this are many, and in reality we will come to find that it was probably a combination of both internal and external factors which finally slowed DeBerry's Juggernaut. From the advent of a more competitive Mountain West to the changing face of the Air Force Academy's administration, these factors finally came to a head in 2003, which, not by coincidence alone, was also the year another Service Academy asserted itself onto a winning stage. But for the sake of argument, I wish to focus in on only one of the many aspects that contributed to the recent downswing of the Air Force football program, and with it, DeBerry's career; The advent of Paul Johnson's resurgent Navy Football program.

Those familiar with Service Academy football can attest to the usually cyclical nature of the sport, in which no more then one Academy reins supreme at any given period of time, at least within the framework of the modern era. For the 1980s and 1990s, it was Fisher DeBerry's Air Force program which routinely, year in and year out, took home the Commander-In-Chiefs trophy and blanketed Army and Navy. With West Point and the Annapolis struggling to field competitive teams on a consistent basis, DeBerry had a near monopoly on the small pool of recruits willing to attend a service academy, and his innovative triple option offense kept his team near the top of the Western Athletic Conference and later the Mountain West Athletic Conference. DeBerry is often noted by critics (including myself) for his arrogant and condescending manner toward the other two Academies, a trait which undoubtedly led to his downfall. The following has been put together to chronicle, on a yearly basis, the changing balance of power between Air Force and Navy, and the coaching duel which left DeBerry on the losing side.

2003: The Turning Point

The beginning of the end for DeBerry's on-the-field success came on an overcast day at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland on October 4th, 2003. The Falcons had begun the season strong, starting out 5-0 and earning a #25 ranking the week before in a convincing 24-10 win in Provo. The Midshipmen, meanwhile, were still something of a question mark at 2-2, with victories coming over cupcakes like VMI and Eastern Michigan. What ensued on that day will go down in service academy football history for years to come. Under the direction of a second-year Head Coach with a distinct southern drawl, Navy's football team defeated Air Force for the first time since 1996. The ripple effects would be substantial. The Falcons went on to finish a respectable 7-5, while Navy would go 8-4 during the regular season. A one game difference, made possible, of course, by the game in Landover. In the end it boiled down to Navy going to a Bowl game and Air Force sitting at home. How much the loss that was never suppose to happen hampered the rest of Air Force's season I don't know, but I'm inclined to believe at least a small loss of focus took place amongst the Falcon players, perhaps even enough to derail their MWC Title hopes. What I do know is that Paul Johnson had proven he could beat DeBerry, and that Paul Johnson could know hang the overwhelming Commander-In-Chiefs trophy in Bancroft Hall for all his recruits to see. Although it may not have been apparent, the tide had finally turned.

2004: No Looking Back

According to DeBerry and his team, the 2003 game was nothing more then a "fluke," the occasional mishap that comes with the territory of playing the same team year in and year out. Eventually for Goliath, the thinking goes, David wins every once and a while, and coming into the 2004 game, it looked as if the Falcons were ready to take back their place back atop service academy football. Apparently, they thought wrong. While the 2003 game may have been the turning point in the series, 2004 proved to the entire country that Navy and their up-and-coming head coach had Air Force's number . This was the game that was broadcast nationally on ESPN on a Thursday night, and this was the game, history will say, which gave Navy an edge in the recruiting arena. For the Midshipmen, starting the year at 4-0, walking into the hostile environment of Falcon Stadium and coming away with the win was only further evidence that Johnson had built a winning mentality that was here to stay. That same year DeBerry's team went 5-6, with the difference between success and failure once again defined by the young men in blue and gold. It was at this time that I think the series began to take on new meaning for the Air Force staff and players. No longer was the Mountain West Title the prime objective, and suddenly the phrase "Beat Navy" took on a more important role then ever. In retrospect, it would seem as though the Falcons were setting themselves up for disaster in 2005.

2005: The Greatest Letdown

If DeBerry was to have a chance at reasserting his program to the top, 2005 would of been it. Despite their 4-7 record, the Falcons were highly competitive amidst a very deep MWC that year, and often found themselves just a few points short at the final tick of the clock. They entered the Navy game at an uninspiring 2-3, but the prospect of getting back to .500 may have been enough to propel Air Force to a winning season. But in a game the Falcons should have easily won, a scrappy and young Navy team fought to the bitter end, finally winning the game as Joey Bullen connected on a 47-yard field goal with only milliseconds remaining. Combined with injuries and a bleak outlook, DeBerry's team limped to a 4-7 record in 2005. That off-season, Johnson reported that he got nearly all of the recruits he wanted in a head to head matchup with Air Force. The transfer of power was nearly complete.

2006: The Final Straw

How does a team which came within a two-point conversion of knocking off a National power like Tennessee fall to the depths of college football, suffering four consecutive loses to close out the year at a disappointing 4-8? This is the question Air Force fans are grappling with this very day, and the question which ultimately led to DeBerry's retirement last week. The answer is not so simple, and once again we can use the guise of close loses, poor scheduling, and injuries to arrive at an answer. But, once again, we cannot afford to overlook the influence of Paul Johnson and Navy. The Falcons were feeling confident heading into their matchup with the Mids. Sitting at 2-1, a Bowl game was not out of sight for Air Force, which first needed to get past the 4-1 Midshipmen. What transpired on that hot day in Colorado Springs would prove to be the final straw for DeBerry, as a physical and veteran Navy team outplayed his Falcon team for four quarters. The Falcons nearly made a amazing comeback after falling down 24-7, but a fourth-and-six pass breakup ended any hope for the win. For the Falcons, it proved to once again be the turning point after a promising start, as DeBerry's squad managed to only win two of the next eight games. Once again, Navy was going to a Bowl game and Air Force was not, and once again, it looks as if Navy will beat Air Force handily in the battle for recruits.

Conclusion

History will tell, I'm certain, that Paul Johnson will come to be recognized as one of the prime factors in the eventually fall of DeBerry's Air Force program. I'm not trying to trivialize what was a very complicated process by any means. The injuries, close calls, and just plain dumb luck which went against the Falcons in 2004 and 2005 should not be overlooked, but neither should the idea that Paul Johnson out-coached DeBerry at his own game. Maybe I'm making too much of this, reading into situations that as a fan I don't properly understand. But when I heard DeBerry speak after the Navy game this past season, I heard the voice of a man who knew that it was over. His frequent references to Johnson and "our game" signaled, to me anyway, a final understanding that Air Force had relinquished its role as a super power. For an emotional coach and what many have described as an emotional team, these four consecutive loses, all at the hands of Paul Johnson and his Navy football team, seemed to really take the life out of a once-proud program. I wrote this not to spite DeBerry or to predict about where this Navy team is going. I'm not particularly fond of DeBerry, but I don't hold the grudges many Navy and Army fans hold. He may have acted like an ass towards the other Academies, but you can't dispute the success he had at a place where you weren't suppose to have it. When he retired the other day, I initially felt glad, but soon realized that he deserved more then just a mention as an outspoken and controversial individual who managed to ruffle some people's feathers. He didn't deserve the treatment he received for his "Afro-American" comment (Joe Paterno said the same thing weeks later) and he shouldn't have been vilified for being somebody who wears his faith on his sleeve. The reality was that Fisher was a great coach for many years, but in the end he and his program were overtaken by Paul Johnson and a resurgent Navy team which is still very much on the upswing.

Paul Johnson and the Fall of Fisher DeBerry originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 16 Dec 2006 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DeBerry Out At Air Force originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 15 Dec 2006 17:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For those of you who missed the first installment of our little photo essay from Navy's 24-17 win over the Air Force Falcons, you can catch what you missed right hyah.

Ah, Falcon Stadium. Tucked into the side of some mountains at over a mile above sea-level, it's not exactly the most comfortable place to watch a game. Modern, it was not, but I will admit the food selection was very good. It should be noted that I enjoyed a fine piece of chicken on a stick during the game.

For a team that only completed eight yards worth of passing, the Navy offensive line does a good job in pass protection on this play. After struggling with UConn's defensive line last week, it was good to see Hampton get time in the passing game, even if he only completed one pass.

Shun White has really come in and played well for Navy over the first half of the season. While the Mids routinely rotate four different players into the second slotback position, it's White who's shown the most promise as a runner.

Believe it or not, Shaun Carney started ahead of Troy Smith (yes, the one from tOSU) in High School. Carney has a gun for an arm and is very elusive in and out of the pocket.

Here's Carney dodging another tackler. Despite his great athleticism, Navy's defense was still able to pick up five sacks. Just like last year, linebackers David Mahoney and Rob Caldwell had huge days, with Mahoney picking up three sacks.

For our younger readers, this Air Force offensive linemen demonstrates what we fans like to refer to as "Holding."

Ahem, can you say "leg drive." Brian Hampton may be a mediocre and inconsistent passer, but c'mon, look at the strength!

Sorry, I just couldn't resist though. The animal mascots were on display today, with Air Force presenting a pretty sweet Falcon demonstration at halftime. Why the goat has so many handlers, I have no idea, but geez, that face just wants me to start my own farm.

Navy at Air Force in Photographs: Part 2 originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 09 Oct 2006 20:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It seems like Navy just can't get any respect. In fact, two days after defeating rival Air Force on the road, Navy's players and staff are busy defending their 5-1 record after whispers arose of the team being nothing but "lucky."

By now you've probably heard of these so-called "lucky" comments that were supposedly uttered by an Air Force player/coach in Saturday's game. Johnson, who didn't name a specific player or incident, went on to explain how his team gets decidedly little respect from teams they beat.

"You get tired of hearing it every year. Every day we pick up the paper we see something about how it's embarrassing to lose to us, we're the luckiest team in America. It gets old after a while. We've won four in a row, they can call it whatever they want. That's four years in a row now, any way you want to spin it."

I, along with just about every other writer who covers Navy football, have no idea where all this sprang from. Most likely it had to do with some on-the-field trash talk or behind the scenes stuff that none of us regular people see or hear about. When asked if the source of the comment was an Air Force player, Johnson responded with a "sure was." However when Johnson elaborated on his team being the "luckiest team in America," Navy's head Coach maintained that it wasn't just coming form the Falcons.

I've seen it a lot. I've seen it's embarrassing to lose to Navy, I've seen there's no way we are going to lose to Navy, I've seen we've been lucky to win the last three years.

Now this I have seen. All one has to do is take a quick glance around the Internet message boards to see that opposing fans aren't taking this Navy team seriously. A lot has to do with what has been a rather weak schedule over the past few years, but among the mot popular and misinformed arguments are the one's that deal with Navy's style of game. I don't know how many times I've heard opposing fans complain about Navy's blocking scheme, which believe it or not, is absolutely legal! Just the other day a misinformed Rutgers fan posted that Navy gets all the calls from the officials. Obviously he wasn't at the Tulsa game, and apparently didn't see those 12 penalties against UConn. I can certainly see why Johnson is frustrated. He has a 5-1 team which has gone 3-0 on the road, defeated decent competition, and taken a major step forward with a win over a very good Air Force on the road. Yet all everyone wants to talk about was how "lucky" the Mids are to have beaten UMass and to have played such poor competition. Yea, and I guess that missed PAT against Tulsa was "lucky" too, right?

Anyways, hopefully the Mids can silence all these critics with a win over 24th ranked Rutgers this Saturday. For the time being take comfort in the philosophical reflections of country-music-wannabe-turned-bulldozing-fullback Adam Ballard, who famously proclaimed that "It's better to be lucky the good, I guess"

5-1 Navy is More then "Lucky" originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 09 Oct 2006 18:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, I just got back from Colorado Springs, and may I say the long trip was definitely worth it. It was my first time at Falcon Stadium (more on that tomorrow), and I was very fortunate to have the amazing photographic skills of my father along with me. Here are some images he snapped from Navy's 24-17 win over Air Force...

If you look up "wrecking ball" or "hit stick" in the dictionary, chances are you'll see Adam Ballard's picture. The 6'1, 230 lb fullback was a monster for the Midshipmen on Saturday, rushing 27 times for 134 yards. He's now well on his way to 1000 yards on the year.

Don't get me wrong, I think Air Force quarterback Shaun Carney is a good player, but Navy's defense really made him look mediocre on Saturday. Carney had only 57 yards on the ground, and was 9-19 for 119 yards through the air. Still, he's one of the most elusive quarterbacks in all of college football.

Brian Hampton struggled early in the game, although the blocking didn't help much. Air Force's defense did a good job of swarming to the ball, although they couldn't prevent Navy's leading rusher from piling up 105 yards.

Whenever Navy needs a yard or two, they almost always go to this play. The amazing thing is that the defense knows it's coming, but still can't stop it. It's a testament to solid blocking up front and a very tough to bring down quarterback.

Air Force was third in the country in rushing yards coming into this game, yet "only" managed 193 yards on the ground. Here slotback Chad Hall (12 carries, 59 yards, 1 TD) takes an option pitch for a first down.

More tough running by Hampton, although this time with much better blocking. Great block by 5'11 Antron Harper and Adam Ballard to spring Hampton on this play.

More of "Bulldozer" Ballard. It takes more then one linebacker to wrap this guy up.

This is a great shot of Air Force's recovery of the onside kick with about 3:00 left to go in the game. After watching more and more onside kicks this season around college football, I'm convinced it's one of the more difficult to defend plays in the entire game.

That's all for now. I've got another batch of photos for tomorrow, including a little tour of Falcon Stadium. All photos were taken by Dan Nettina.

Navy at Air Force In Photographs: Part 1 originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 08 Oct 2006 19:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Random observations, interesting tidbits, and only half-useful insights from Navy's 24-17 win against the Air Force Falcons.

Sack Attack- Never-mind my use of assonance, Navy's defense finally got some major pressure on an opposing quarterback. The Mids sacked Air Force quarterback Shaun Carney five times, and would have had three or four more had Carney not been so elusive in the pocket. David Mahoney, who has had some huge performances against the Falcons in the past, led the way with three sacks, while linebacker Rob Caldwell and defensive end John Chan each notched up a sack.

I Wouldn't Want to Tackle Adam Ballard Either- Navy fullback Adam Ballard, quite possibly the definition of "wrecking ball," had a superb game against the Falcons, rushing for 134 yards on 27 carries. Ballard has a chance to really establish himself as one of the premier fullbacks in all of college football, and looks to be on his way to a Kyle Eckel-like season. Navy is now 6-0 when Ballard runs for over 100 yards.

Three (Hundred) By Land- While it wasn't a 600-yard offensive day, Navy's offense put up a respectable 317 yards. After a slow and sloppy start, the Navy offensive line really started to finish blocks and create lanes all over the field. While their weren't any real big plays for Navy's offense, the Mids did a great job converting first downs and eating up clock. Brian Hampton only had eight yards passing, (a shovel pass to Campbell) but rushed for a strong 105 yards. So I ask you once again, why pass when you can just run for a million yards?

This Was a Tackle Game, Wasn't It?- Either the Falcon defenders are just horrible tacklers or Navy's offensive players are trucks. For the time being, I'm going with the latter. This wasn't the first day 5-6 Reggie Campbell shed a head-on hit by a linebacker.

Sweet Flyover- Two F-15 Eagles came out of nowhere and blew my eardrums out, which was great considering the complaints over the last flyover at a Navy game. An ensuing flyover by a B-1 Lancer Bomber was icing on the cake.

Quality Win- The Air Force team that Navy defeated yesterday was much better then the teams Navy played in 2004 and 2005. I was really impressed with the ability of the Air Force defenders to come off blocks, and admit that the speed shown by both the offense and the defense was much improved. Shaun Carney, quite simply, is a very good quarterback. I enjoyed being able to go out to Colorado Springs for this game, and have only the best impressions of the Air Force Academy and it's fans. Here's hoping the Zoomies rock Colorado State this Thursday.

Sunday Rewind: Navy-Air Force originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 08 Oct 2006 15:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I'll be the first to admit that once the Falcons converted a late fourth quarter onside kick, I thought the game was over for the Midshipmen. Air Force, it seemed, just had too much momentum, and having been in a similar situation against Tennessee, would have the confidence and experience to get the job done. Yet, despite my overly pessimistic outlook, the Navy defense rallied with two minutes left in the game to shut the door on a concerted fourth quarter Air Force comeback attempt, giving the Mids their fourth consecutive win against the Falcons. With the win, Navy improves to 5-1 on the season, and with games against Temple, Duke, Eastern Michigan, and Army, looks almost assured of becoming Bowl eligible.

Navy was led by fine offensive performances by quarterback Brian Hampton and fullback Adam Ballard, who each rushed for over 100 yards. Navy's offensive line did an excellent job coming off the ball after a shaky start, while the Midshipmen defense held Air Force's high-powered in check for most of the game. After jumping out to a 24-7 lead by the start of the fourth quarter, the Mids had a tough time controlling a suddenly awakened Air Force offense, which found success on he arm of quarterback Shaun Carney. After throwing a touchdown pass to tight end Travis Decker with 3:06 remaining, the Falcons needed an onside kick to tie the game at 24. Just as they did at Tennessee, the Falcons recovered, and Carney and the offense took the field ready to tie the game. Yet Air Force's offense stalled, and on fourth and six the Carney's pass was broken up on a diving play by Navy cornerback Rashawn King, effectively ending the game.

The Mids seized momentum early in this game and never looked back. Cornerback Keenan Little returned a first quarter Shaun Carney fumble (forced by LB Bob Caldwell) 37 yards for the touchdown, while the Navy offense began to find it's way after turning the ball over twice in the early stages of the game. The Mids dominated the second and third quarters of the game, only allowing the Falcons the chance to run four plays in the entire third quarter. Brian Hampton, while struggling in the passing game, ran the option effectively and scored two touchdowns en route to a 105 yard day. Navy's defense was led by Rob Caldwell and David Mahoney, who shared the lead in tackles with nine each. Mahoney, playing in his fourth consecutive Navy-Air Force game, played with inspirational tenacity, sacking Shaun Carney three times. With the win, Navy's senior class improves to 7-0 against Service Academy teams, and takes a major step in winning their fourth consecutive Commander-In-Chief's Trophy.

Mids Survive Air Force Comeback Bid originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 08 Oct 2006 15:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's the question on everyone's mind. Is Navy, with their three straight winning seasons, now the dominant Service Academy? And if so, are the Mids capable of making a run like Air Force did in the 80's and 90's.

"I won't say that just yet," said Navy Quarterback Brian Hampton.

Stud Middle Linebacker Rob Caldwell concurred, saying that he "didn't now about that."

And, as you would expect, Paul Johnson steered clear of any potential Bulletin Board material (which I'm convinced DeBerry invented.) "I leave that for somebody else to decide," said the Navy coach.

Ok, well, I'll go ahead and decide then. With all due respect for what Bobby Ross has done at Army, (which is great if you as me) I think most fans would still agree that the Cadets are a few years away from catching up to either Air Force or Navy. Yet while the Mids have won three straight meetings with the Falcons, there is still a lot of room for debate. Consider that Navy's three victories all came by a field goal, and that the Mids needed a fourth quarter Air Force collapse last season to win last year's game. While head-to-head matchups are obviously the best indicator of whether a team is better then another team, many Air Force fans have been quick to point out that Navy's schedule is much easier then Air Force's. Navy's schedule ranked 103rd in the Nation last season (according to Phil Steele) while Air Force's schedule ranked 61st. Many Air Force fans pointed out that if the Falcons played a schedule as easy as Navy's, then they would have made a Bowl Game as well. No argument there, but still, Navy has defeated the Falcons three straight years, and once more, has begun to win the recruiting battle. Because the three Academies all go after more or less the same kids in the process of recruiting, distinguishing your football program as the dominant of the three is key to grabbing the best recruits. Air Force has long dominated the hunt for the best players, but Navy has suddenly surged ahead in the past two seasons. In fact, Nay got nearly all he players they wanted in a head-to-head recruiting matchup with Air Force this off-season. With this trend in mind, it's easy to see how one Academy can dominate over the other two if that school can establish success on the field. More or less, this is what Navy has begun to do, and a win over Air Force, in my mind, would really establish Navy as the premier Service Academy. Air Force, if it's currently trailing (and that's a big if), isn't very far behind. DeBerry is a great coach and he has the Falcons looking in winning form this season, and if his Falcons can break Navy's burgeoning winning streak, then the Falcons will take the place of Top Dog of the Academies.

Is Navy the Best Service Academy? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 05 Oct 2006 20:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Straight out of the "What in God's Name Was That" vault, I present to you, free of any outside tampering, a normal day at the Air Force Academy:

I suppose the scariest part of all this is that the bird er, young man in question will most likely be flying B1 Lancer Bombers in the near future. Thank God the Navy has it's own aviation wing, or I'd almost be content to say that American Air Supremacy is in for an abrupt nose-dive. Other then that I'm completely perplexed. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I've yet to see a Midshipman post a video of himself on YouTube while he dances the afternoon away in a "Bill the Goat" costume. At least get something contemporary, you know? People haven't listened to that song since at least the mid-90's. Weird stuff....

Remember, I kid because I care.

BEAT AIR FORCE

Air Force Has Weird Fans originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 05 Oct 2006 17:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ah, the Zoomies. What a team. After nearly shocking the heck out of Tennessee in Week Two, the Air Force Falcons have gone on to win their past two games, looking impressive in conference victories over Wyoming and New Mexico. While the Cowboy's and the Lobos are by no means powerhouses, it wasn't as if the Falcons were playing Temple and Buffalo. Wyoming stood toe-to-toe with the likes of Virginia and Syracuse (two bad BCS teams) in overtime, while the Lobos, despite losing to I-AA powerhouse Portland State, defeated UTEP two weeks ago. Overall, the Zoomies have been led by Quarterback Shaun Carney, who has completed over 60% of his passes while rushing for over 250 yards. Number wise, the Falcons have put up some respectable stats, holding opponents to just under 21 points a game, while scoring a decent 28.3 points a game.

But is Air Force overrated? In my estimation, maybe a little, but certainly this is a very good team playing against what might be an equally overrated Navy squad. The Falcons are ranked ahead of Navy in nearly every extended poll, edging the Mids out by two spots in SI.com's latest set of ranking. Statistically speaking, the Falcons look good, especially on defense, where Air Force shows up eighth nationally against the run, allowing only 65.7 yards per contest. Yet it was just last week that Navy torched what was the then fourth best defense against the run in the country in UConn, hanging more then 450 on the ground against the Huskies. The one advantage Air Force has is that it's players presumably know how to defend the option, yet to start again, so do Navy's players. Navy's defensive statistics may look pretty poor, (369.4 yards allowed per game) but remember that the strength of this Navy team is against the run. Fisher DeBerry, who's team is second nationally in the rushing department, has made a renewed commitment to the run after two straight losing season, and so far so good. Yet that still doesn't give us a clear idea about how good this Air Force team is, and while I'd love to make some grand point, the fact remains that the Falcons more or less still haven't proven anything. Yes, they go and play their hearts out against a ranked Tennessee team, yet anyone and his mother clearly saw that the Week Two matchup was a landmine game for Fat Fulmer's team. The Falcons played well and won on the road at Laramie against a tough Wyoming team, but the Falcons still haven't truly "dominated" another team. Meanwhile, Navy has dominated two teams with a significantly more talented roster (Stanford and UConn) and been competitive in every game they played. once more, the Midshipmen have made a plethora of mistakes in the forms of turnovers and penalties, and still been able to compile a 4-1 record? My point you ask? Well I think it's fairly simple. Both of these teams have a lot going for them, but until one walks off that field Saturday as a victor, we won't get a sense of how good or bad the other one is.

Despite what could be an "over-hyped" Air Force team, this shouldn't be an easy game for the Mids by any stretch of the imagination. Not only is it extremely difficult to go on the road at high altitude, but add in playing one of your rivals who is hungry to reestablish dominance, and you've got one hell of a football game. The last three year's have shown that this Academy vs. Academy grudge match has come down to field goal, and I don't see this year's matchup playing out any differently.

Is Air Force that Good? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Oct 2006 19:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Air Force linebacker Drew Fowler would like you to know that when it comes to this week's game against the Navy Midshipmen, "it's on."

"It is. It really is," said the junior linebacker, who leads the team with 28 tackles. Even after a 2-1 start which included a one point, down-to-the-wire loss on a two point conversion attempt vs. then 11th ranked Tennessee, the Air Force Falcons are still keyed in on beating the Midshipmen. That's because the Midshipmen have beaten the Falcons the past three year's, all of which came by a margin of three points. Navy trailed most of last year's game, which was played in swamp like conditions at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, until slotback Reggie Campbell tied it up with only minutes to play. A tough Navy defensive stand, a shanked punt, and a hastily made-46 yard field goal was all the Mids needed to bury the Falcons for the third consecutive year, and take the first (and most formidable step) to winning the Commander in Chief's trophy.

Navy went on to beat Army for the CINC, eventually finishing the season at 8-4 with a Bowl victory. The Falcons, meanwhile, fell into the abyss of I-A football, finishing the season at 4-7, including a loss to ARMY at Falcon Stadium. Yet anyone who thought Coach DeBerry would let this Falcon team fall off the map is terribly mistaken. From the period of 1989 to 2002, Air Force went on one of the greatest runs of the second half of the century, winning 13 of 14 CINC trophies while garnering National Top 25 rankings and Bowl game after Bowl game. Yet since Navy walked away with the win at Fed Ex Field in Landover, Maryland in 2003, the Falcons have taken an abrupt nose-dive, while the Midshipmen have soared. Quite simply, the roles of these two teams have been reversed, and Coach DeBerry wants his trophy- and title- back.

"We kept that thing for such a long time. Navy feels like it belongs to them now," said the longtime Air Force coach, who later said Saturday's game would be a "whale."

4-1 Navy at 2-1 Air Force. The most contested meeting for the CINC in recent memory. One of the most unheralded yet intense rivalries in college football. Brother against Brother in a less heated gridiron battle. Is it's on?

Oh, It's On.

Navy at Air Force: "It's On" originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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