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Contributed by Lance Fleming, ACU Associate Director of Athletics for Media Relations
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - --- The Air Force Falcons got all they wanted and then some from a game ACU Wildcat squad Saturday afternoon, but it was a decisive stretch at the end of the first half that propelled the Falcons to a 37-21 win over the Wildcats in the season-opener for both teams at Falcon Stadium.
The Falcons turned a 7-7 game with 10:25 left in the first half into a 28-7 halftime lead as they blitzed the Wildcats with a three-touchdown burst in the final 8:24 of the half to take a 21-point lead into the break. The Wildcats played well throughout and had a chance to cut the lead to 28-21 late in the third quarter, but had a couple of key penalties late in a drive and missed a field goal. Air Force responded with a 66-yard field goal drive to push the lead to 31-14 with 13:03 left in the game and the Wildcats wouldn't threaten after that point.
ACU tied the game 7-7 with 10:25 left in the first half on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Dallas Sealey to Josh Fink, drawing even with the Falcons, who have been picked to finish second in the Mountain West Conference and returned nine starters on a defense that led the Falcons to eight wins and a bowl game berth.
But the Falcons responded with a five-play, 75-yard drive that ended on a 33-yard touchdown run by Ronald Cleveland to make it 14-7 with 8:24 left in the half. After the Air Force defense forced a three-and-out, the Falcons took over at their own 45-yard line and swiftly moved to another touchdown, covering 55 yards in nine plays in 3:24 to make it a 21-7 game. Tim McVey capped the drive with a short touchdown run.
The Wildcats again went three-and-out, but Austin Kilcullen's 59-yard punt was downed at the Air Force 10-yard line. Air Force overcame a 1st-and-21 after a personal foul, took advantage of a pass interference penalty on Jabari Butler and scored their final touchdown of the half on a 62-yard touchdown pass from Nate Romine to Cleveland, making it a 28-7 game with 1:06 left in the first half.'
ACU outplayed the Falcons in the third quarter, forcing three three-and-outs, giving the Wildcat offense good field position to work with. ACU's only score of the quarter came on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Sealey to D.J. Fuller to make it 28-14 game with 10:10 left in the quarter. After the defense forced another three-and-out, the Wildcat defense took over at its own 28-yard line and moved swiftly to the 8-yard line, thanks in part to a 35-yard pass from Sealey to Fuller. However, the Wildcats stalled inside the 10-yard line with a couple of penalties before Brendan Conn missed a 35-yard field goal.
Air Force answered with a field goal drive of its own to make it 31-14 and then scored on a late touchdown pass from backup quarterback Arion Worthman to Jalen Robinette to make it 37-14. With 4:14 to play, Dallas Sealey rolled right and found a wide-open Tracy James and the freshman running back took it the rest of the way for a 76-yard touchdown pass-and-catch to cut the Air Force lead to 37-21. But the Falcons were able to run out the clock on the game and the win.
USAF running back Jacobi Owens led all rushers with 112 yards on 11 carries, while fullback Shayne Davern had 57 yards on 14 carries. Quarterback Nate Romine was just 5 of 10 throwing the ball, but he racked up 184 yards and two touchdowns through the air.
Sealey finished the game 16 of 33 for 274 yards and three touchdowns, while Fuller led all receivers with five catches for 109 yards and one touchdown.
ACU will open the home portion of the 2016 season next Saturday at 6 p.m. when it hosts Northern Colorado at Shotwell Stadium.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - --- The Air Force Falcons got all they wanted and then some from a game ACU Wildcat squad Saturday afternoon, but it was a decisive stretch at the end of the first half that propelled the Falcons to a 37-21 win over the Wildcats in the season-opener for both teams at Falcon Stadium.
The Falcons turned a 7-7 game with 10:25 left in the first half into a 28-7 halftime lead as they blitzed the Wildcats with a three-touchdown burst in the final 8:24 of the half to take a 21-point lead into the break. The Wildcats played well throughout and had a chance to cut the lead to 28-21 late in the third quarter, but had a couple of key penalties late in a drive and missed a field goal. Air Force responded with a 66-yard field goal drive to push the lead to 31-14 with 13:03 left in the game and the Wildcats wouldn't threaten after that point.
ACU tied the game 7-7 with 10:25 left in the first half on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Dallas Sealey to Josh Fink, drawing even with the Falcons, who have been picked to finish second in the Mountain West Conference and returned nine starters on a defense that led the Falcons to eight wins and a bowl game berth.
But the Falcons responded with a five-play, 75-yard drive that ended on a 33-yard touchdown run by Ronald Cleveland to make it 14-7 with 8:24 left in the half. After the Air Force defense forced a three-and-out, the Falcons took over at their own 45-yard line and swiftly moved to another touchdown, covering 55 yards in nine plays in 3:24 to make it a 21-7 game. Tim McVey capped the drive with a short touchdown run.
The Wildcats again went three-and-out, but Austin Kilcullen's 59-yard punt was downed at the Air Force 10-yard line. Air Force overcame a 1st-and-21 after a personal foul, took advantage of a pass interference penalty on Jabari Butler and scored their final touchdown of the half on a 62-yard touchdown pass from Nate Romine to Cleveland, making it a 28-7 game with 1:06 left in the first half.'
ACU outplayed the Falcons in the third quarter, forcing three three-and-outs, giving the Wildcat offense good field position to work with. ACU's only score of the quarter came on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Sealey to D.J. Fuller to make it 28-14 game with 10:10 left in the quarter. After the defense forced another three-and-out, the Wildcat defense took over at its own 28-yard line and moved swiftly to the 8-yard line, thanks in part to a 35-yard pass from Sealey to Fuller. However, the Wildcats stalled inside the 10-yard line with a couple of penalties before Brendan Conn missed a 35-yard field goal.
Air Force answered with a field goal drive of its own to make it 31-14 and then scored on a late touchdown pass from backup quarterback Arion Worthman to Jalen Robinette to make it 37-14. With 4:14 to play, Dallas Sealey rolled right and found a wide-open Tracy James and the freshman running back took it the rest of the way for a 76-yard touchdown pass-and-catch to cut the Air Force lead to 37-21. But the Falcons were able to run out the clock on the game and the win.
USAF running back Jacobi Owens led all rushers with 112 yards on 11 carries, while fullback Shayne Davern had 57 yards on 14 carries. Quarterback Nate Romine was just 5 of 10 throwing the ball, but he racked up 184 yards and two touchdowns through the air.
Sealey finished the game 16 of 33 for 274 yards and three touchdowns, while Fuller led all receivers with five catches for 109 yards and one touchdown.
ACU will open the home portion of the 2016 season next Saturday at 6 p.m. when it hosts Northern Colorado at Shotwell Stadium.
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