Air Force Football lost to Army West Point 20-17 on Saturday at Falcon Stadium after a late field goal by the Black Knights. The Falcons tied the game with just over a minute remaining, but Army responded with a drive that ended in the winning field goal as time expired.
Sophomore quarterback Liam Szarka led Air Force’s offense, completing 13 of 17 passes for 161 yards and rushing for 91 yards on 29 attempts. He was responsible for both of Air Force’s touchdowns and accounted for 252 total yards. The team rushed for a combined 174 yards, extending their streak of consecutive games with at least 100 rushing yards to 93, which is currently the longest active streak in the nation. Junior linebacker Blake Fletcher led the defense with nine tackles.
The Falcons trailed early, closing out the first quarter behind 7-3 after Army connected on a long touchdown pass. Kicker Tubbs made a career-long 52-yard field goal during the first quarter, his fifth score this season. Before halftime, Air Force missed an opportunity to tie when Szarka’s endzone pass was broken up and a subsequent field goal attempt from 30 yards missed its mark, leaving them down by seven at halftime.
In the third quarter, Air Force tied the game at ten with Szarka’s tenth rushing touchdown of the season following a sustained drive. Army reclaimed the lead in the fourth quarter after a lengthy possession that resulted in another touchdown.
Late in the fourth quarter, Air Force turned over possession following a sack fumble but regained control after stopping Army on fourth down deep in their own territory. Szarka then scored again to tie it at 17-17 with just over a minute left.
Army’s final possession saw quarterback Cale Hellums connect with Brady Anderson for a critical gain that set up the decisive field goal as time ran out.
Despite leading in several statistical categories—including total offense (335 yards), rushing (174), first downs (22), total plays (68), and time of possession (34:04)—Air Force could not secure victory.
Air Force will play its next game against San Jose State on Saturday, November 8. The matchup is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on FS1.
