San Diego State Aztecs @ Air Force Falcons Football Preview

It’s the point of no return for two teams who have suffered damaging losses this season. When the San Diego State Aztecs and the Air Force Falcons meet in an urgent Thursday night fight under the lights, the feeling of desperation should fill the Rocky Mountain air in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The homestanding Air Force Academy is smarting from a 59-33 loss to Notre Dame, a nightmare in which the Falcons gained 565 of the emptiest yards you’ll ever see. Head coach Troy Calhoun saw his team move the ball, but fail to finish a number of drives. Meanwhile, Notre Dame didn’t fail at anything. The Irish roared to a 42-16 halftime lead against an Air Force defense that might as well have been invisible. It really seemed as though Air Force was turning a corner in 2011; the Falcons won at Navy, something they hadn’t been able to do in a decade, and were developing the flinty, feisty persona of a team on the mend. The Notre Dame debacle has thrown that claim into question. It’s time for the Falcons to regroup as they tackle the meat of their Mountain West Conference schedule. AFA has already lost to TCU on home turf this season, so another loss in the cozy confines of Falcon Stadium is not an option… at least not if the Falcons want to make a push for second place in the conference, or at least a top-three finish.

Speaking of top-three finishes in the Mountain West, that’s what San Diego State is playing for as well. The Aztecs, like Air Force, drew TCU at home this season. This past Saturday at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, the visiting Horned Frogs played a poor game and showed the Aztecs the path to victory. TCU committed multiple red-zone turnovers and displayed the sloppy, ragged form that has characterized the Frogs’ disappointing, multi-loss season.

There was just one problem: When given the roadmap to success, the Aztecs refused to follow it. San Diego State’s nightmarish season, which began a few weeks ago with a meager seven-point showing against Michigan’s not-so-robust defense, only got worse against TCU. Running back Ronnie Hillman fumbled at the TCU 2-yard line to squander one touchdown, and with the Aztecs driving in the fourth quarter of a game they trailed by only six points (20-14), quarterback Ryan Lindley – on the verge of taking a 21-20 lead over the Frogs – threw a terrible interception to effectively kill his team’s chances of registering a season-changing win. San Diego State, like Air Force, must still contend with Mountain West favorite Boise State later this season, so a loss on Thursday simply cannot happen… not if 2011 is to be even remotely successful.

No pressure, Aztecs and Falcons. No pressure at all.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer