2022 Air Force Falcons football team

The 2022 Air Force Falcons football team represented the United States Air Force Academy as a member of the Mountain Division in the Mountain West Conference (MW) during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by 16th-year head coach Troy Calhoun, the Falcons compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 5–3 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for second in the MW's Mountain Division. Air Force was invited to the Armed Forces Bowl, where the Falcons defeated Baylor. The team played home games at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

2022 Air Force Falcons football
Armed Forces Bowl champion
Armed Forces Bowl, W 30–15 vs. Baylor
ConferenceMountain West Conference
DivisionMountain Division
Record10–3 (5–3 MW)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMike Thiessen (14th season)
Offensive schemeTriple option
Defensive coordinatorBrian Knorr (1st season)
Base defense3–4
Captains
  • Brad Roberts
  • Isaac Cochran
  • Haaziq Daniels
  • TD Blackmon
  • Vince Sanford
Home stadiumFalcon Stadium
Uniform
Seasons
 2021
2023 
2022 Mountain West Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Mountain Division
Boise State xy 80  104 
Air Force 53  103 
Wyoming 53  76 
Utah State 53  67 
Colorado State 35  39 
New Mexico 08  210 
West Division
No. 24 Fresno State xy$ 71  104 
San Diego State 53  76 
San Jose State 53  75 
UNLV 35  57 
Hawaii 26  310 
Nevada 08  210 
Championship: Fresno State 28, Boise State 16
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 311:00 a.m.No. 21 (FCS) Northern Iowa*AltitudeW 48–1731,180
September 101:30 p.m.Colorado*
  • Falcon Stadium
  • Colorado Springs, CO
CBSW 41–1033,647
September 166:00 p.m.at WyomingCBSSNL 14–1718,277
September 236:00 p.m.Nevada
  • Falcon Stadium
  • Colorado Springs, CO
FS1W 48–2020,506
October 110:00 a.m.Navy*
CBSW 13–1036,947
October 85:00 p.m.at Utah StateFS1L 27–3419,105
October 158:30 p.m.at UNLVCBSSNW 42–723,847
October 225:00 p.m.Boise State
  • Falcon Stadium
  • Colorado Springs, CO
CBSSNL 14–1925,254
November 59:30 a.m.vs. Army*
CBSW 13–733,912
November 121:30 p.m.New Mexico
  • Falcon Stadium
  • Colorado Springs, CO
CBSSNW 35–320,827
November 197:00 p.m.Colorado State
  • Falcon Stadium
  • Colorado Springs, CO
FS2W 24–1220,121
November 267:00 p.m.at San Diego StateCBSSNW 13–325,223
December 225:30 p.m.vs. Baylor*ESPNW 30–1543,875

[1]

Rankings

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Ranking movements
Legend: RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
APRVRVRVRV
CoachesRVRVRVRVRVRVRVRVRVRVRV
CFPNot releasedNot released

Preseason

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Departures

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These players graduated at the conclusion of the 2021–22 academic year and as such left the team following the previous season.

Name Position Height (ft. & in.) Weight (lb.)
Tre Bugg III DB 6'0" 180
Jordan Jackson DT 6'4" 285
Dalton King TE 6'3" 215
Brandon Lewis WR 5'9" 175
Demonte Meeks ILB 6'1" 240
Ben Mercer C 6'0" 280
Corvan Taylor DB 6'2" 205
Hawk Wimmer OL 6'4" 330

NFL draft

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One player from the team was selected in the 2022 NFL draft prior to this season.

Name Position Selected by Round Pick
Jordan Jackson DT New Orleans Saints 6 194

Game summaries

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Northern Iowa

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Air Force Falcons (0–0) vs. No. 21 (FCS) Northern Iowa Panthers (0–0)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 21 (FCS) Panthers 3 0 01417
Falcons 14 13 14748

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO

Game information
StatisticsUNIAF
First downs2123
3rd down efficiency2–87–11
4th down efficiency0–00–0
Plays–yards56–40568–691
Rushes–yards24–11962–582
Passing yards286109
Passing: Comp–Att–Int20–32–13–6–0
Penalties–yards2–155–21
Turnovers22
Time of possession24:5835:02

Colorado

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Air Force Falcons (1–0) vs. Colorado Buffaloes (0–1)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Buffaloes 0 10 0010
Falcons 13 7 71441

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO

Game information
StatisticsCUAF
First downs825
3rd down efficiency1–114–12
4th down efficiency0–21–2
Plays–yards53–16275–443
Rushes–yards32–11170–435
Passing yards518
Passing: Comp–Att–Int5–21–11–5–0
Penalties–yards4–403–25
Turnovers33
Time of possession21:3838:22

At Wyoming

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Air Force Falcons (2–0) at Wyoming Cowboys (2–1)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Falcons 0 0 7714
Cowboys 3 7 0717

at War Memorial Stadium, Laramie, WY

Game information
StatisticsAFWYO
First downs1418
3rd down efficiency6–136–11
4th down efficiency1–10–0
Plays–yards54–27258–342
Rushes–yards40–17135–180
Passing yards101162
Passing: Comp–Att–Int7–14–018–23–1
Penalties–yards0–03–20
Turnovers01
Time of possession29:2630:34

Nevada

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Air Force Falcons (2–1) vs. Nevada Wolf Pack (2–2)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Wolf Pack 0 7 01320
Falcons 10 14 17748

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO

Game information
StatisticsNEVAF
First downs1130
3rd down efficiency4–910–15
4th down efficiency0–03–3
Plays–yards38–24278–541
Rushes–yards18–11275–461
Passing yards13080
Passing: Comp–Att–Int12–20–01–3–0
Penalties–yards4–305–50
Turnovers00
Time of possession16:1943:41
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Navy Midshipmen (1–2) vs. Air Force Falcons (3–1)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Midshipmen 0 3 0710
Falcons 10 0 0313

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO

Game information
StatisticsNAVYAF
First downs1316
3rd down efficiency4–133–11
4th down efficiency0–10–0
Plays–yards56–24355–356
Rushes–yards36–11447–200
Passing yards129156
Passing: Comp–Att–Int11–20–06–8–0
Penalties–yards5–385–45
Turnovers02
Time of possession27:4132:19

At Utah State

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At UNLV

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Boise State

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Navy Midshipmen (4–2) vs. Air Force Falcons (5–2)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Broncos 10 9 0019
Falcons 0 7 0714

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO

Game information
StatisticsBSUAF
First downs1714
3rd down efficiency5–136–14
4th down efficiency1–10–1
Plays–yards64–34259–271
Rushes–yards40–11550–175
Passing yards22796
Passing: Comp–Att–Int16–24–14–9–0
Penalties–yards9–704–22
Turnovers11
Time of possession33:0526:55

Vs. Army

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Air Force Falcons (5–3) vs. Army Black Knights (3–4)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Falcons 3 0 7313
Black Knights 0 7 007

at Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX

Game information
StatisticsAFARMY
First downs188
3rd down efficiency6–144–14
4th down efficiency0–01–3
Plays–yards66–32449–145
Rushes–yards53–22635–78
Passing yards9867
Passing: Comp–Att–Int6–13–14–14–1
Penalties–yards5–404–20
Turnovers11
Time of possession34:4925:11

New Mexico

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Air Force Falcons (6–3) vs. New Mexico Lobos (2–7)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Lobos 0 0 303
Falcons 14 0 14735

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO

Game information
StatisticsUNMAF
First downs823
3rd down efficiency4–137–15
4th down efficiency0–24–4
Plays–yards46–17272–463
Rushes–yards25–4470–421
Passing yards12842
Passing: Comp–Att–Int10–21–02–2–0
Penalties–yards4–276–40
Turnovers01
Time of possession22:1137:49

Colorado State

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Air Force Falcons (7–3) vs. Colorado State Rams (2–8)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Rams 0 0 6612
Falcons 7 10 7024

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, CO

Game information
StatisticsCSUAF
First downs1522
3rd down efficiency2–97–16
4th down efficiency1–34–5
Plays–yards46–24473–359
Rushes–yards22–6571–359
Passing yards1790
Passing: Comp–Att–Int19–24–00–2–0
Penalties–yards3–154–25
Turnovers01
Time of possession22:3137:29

At San Diego State

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Air Force Falcons (8–3) at San Diego State Aztecs (7–4)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Falcons 7 0 3313
Cowboys 0 0 303

at Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA

Game information
StatisticsAFSDSU
First downs148
3rd down efficiency4–170–10
4th down efficiency1–21–1
Plays–yards69–28546–187
Rushes–yards66–27115– -1
Passing yards14188
Passing: Comp–Att–Int1–3–016–31–1
Penalties–yards4–308–49
Turnovers03
Time of possession39:1320:47

Vs. Baylor (Armed Forces Bowl)

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Air Force Falcons (9–3) vs. Baylor Bears (6–6)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Baylor 0 7 0815
Falcons 9 0 14730

at Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX

Game information
StatisticsBUAF
First downs1120
3rd down efficiency0–118–16
4th down efficiency3–62–5
Plays–yards49–23074–379
Rushes–yards28–4267–267
Passing yards188103
Passing: Comp–Att–Int11–23–04–7–0
Penalties–yards5–272–20
Turnovers00
Time of possession19:5740:03

Personnel

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Coaching staf

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Name Position(s) Season College
Marc Bacote Tight ends coach 1st James Madison
Jake Campbell Slot backs coach 11th Air Force
Troy Calhoun Head coach 16th Air Force
Ari Confesor Wide receivers coach 4th Holy Cross
Tim Horton Running backs coach 2nd Arkansas
Special teams coordinator
Charlie Jackson Assistant head coach 1st Air Force
Defensive backs coach
Brian Knorr Defensive coordinator 11th Air Force
Inside linebackers coach
Ken Lamendola Outside linebackers coach 1st Air Force
Steed Lobotzke Offensive line coach 8th Air Force
Matt McGettigan Strength & conditioning coach 16th Luther
Alex Means Defensive line coach 5th Air Force
Brett Skene Assistant offensive line coach 2nd Air Force
Specialists coach
Mike Thiessen Offensive coordinator 16th Air Force
Quarterbacks coach
Nick Toth Safeties coach 1st Ohio
E. J. Whitlow Defensive ends coach 1st Findlay

[29]

References

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  2. "https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401415209". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  3. "https://goairforcefalcons.com/sports/football/stats/2022/northern-iowa/boxscore/14540". Goairforcefalcons.com. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  4. "https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/401403977". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  5. "https://goairforcefalcons.com/sports/football/stats/2022/colorado/boxscore/14541". Goairforcefalcons.com. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  6. "https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap/_/gameId/401415217". Espn.com. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
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  9. "https://goairforcefalcons.com/sports/football/stats/2022/nevada/boxscore/14543". Goairforcefalcons.com. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
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  13. "https://goairforcefalcons.com/sports/football/stats/2022/boise-state/boxscore/14546". Goairforcefalcons.com. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  14. "Air Force vs. Army – Game Summary – November 5, 2022". ESPN. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  15. "Scoring Summary (Final) Air Force vs. Army West Point (Nov 5, 2022 at Arlington, Texas)". USMA Athletic Department. November 5, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  16. "Air Force vs. Army – Army Game Notes" (PDF). USMA Athletic Department. November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  17. "Air Force vs. Army – Air Force Game Notes" (PDF). USAFA Athletic Department. November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  18. "Football Falls to Air Force, 13–7 in Arlington". USMA Athletic Department. November 5, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
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  22. "https://goairforcefalcons.com/sports/football/stats/2022/colorado-state/boxscore/14550". Goairforcefalcons.com. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
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  28. "https://baylorlariat.com/2022/12/23/frozen-in-time-2022-armed-forces-bowl-one-of-coldest-bowl-games-ever/" Baylorlariat.com. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
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