Upcoming Event: Football versus No. 17 Texas Tech on September 20, 2025 at 10 a.m.
10 a.m.
Football
vs No. 17 Texas Tech
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Saturday, October 16
Colorado Springs, Colo.
TBA
University of Utah
21
at
15
Air Force
Utes Down Air Force 21-15
10/16/1999 12:00 AM | Football
Oct. 16, 1999
By JOHN MOSSMAN
AP Sports Writer
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - Wide receiver Steve Smith scored three touchdowns in the second half, including a 61-yard punt return, and Utah beat Air Force 21-15 in wintry conditions Saturday night.
The game was played in light snow, which obscured the yard lines, and with a 28-degree temperature at kickoff.
Utah (5-1 overall, 2-0 Mountain West) rallied from a 3-0 halftime deficit with two touchdowns by Smith just 1:45 apart early in the third quarter.
On the first play from scrimmage of the second half, Air Force quarterback Mike Thiessen fumbled and tackle Garrett Smith recovered at the 13. Three plays later, Darnell Arceneaux passed 13 yards to Smith on a slant pattern for the game's first touchdown with 13:19 left in the quarter.
Moments later, Smith circled under a punt and dropped the ball, but quickly recovered and dashed around the left side for a 14-3 lead with 11:34 to go.
After a field goal by Air Force (4-2, 1-2), Arceneaux drove the Utes 80 yards in 10 plays, capped by Smith's 21-yard reception on the first play of the fourth quarter for a 21-6 lead.
Air Force subsequently drove to the Utah 22 against the MWC's best defense, but Thiessen's pass was intercepted by cornerback Jay Hill.
Thiessen threw a 24-yard TD pass to Ryan Fleming on the Falcons' next possession, but fullback Nathan Beard was stopped on the fourth-down conversion try.
Jackson Whiting kicked his third field goal, from 33 yards, to cut the deficit to 21-15 with 58 seconds left, but Utah then recovered an onside kick.
Both teams started backup quarterbacks because of injuries, with T.D. Croshaw opening for Utah before giving way to regular starter Arceneaux late in the first quarter. Thiessen played the entire game in place of Cale Bonds for Air Force.
Whiting's 35-yard field goal with 8:03 left in the second quarter was the only score of the first half.
Neither team generated much offense early in the game under the frigid conditions. Five minutes into the game, Smith returned a punt 49 yards to the Air Force 34, but the Air Force defense held and a false-start penalty forced the Utes to punt.
Early in the second quarter, Air Force began a 14-play, 59-yard drive culminating in Whiting's field goal. Thiessen kept the drive alive with two third-down conversions, including a 10-yard pass to Matt Farmer on third-and-10.
Utah had a scoring chance late in the half, reaching the Air Force 30. Mike Anderson's 17-yard run helped get the drive started, but a holding penalty set the Utes back and Golden Whetman was short on a 57-yard field goal attempt.
Utah: 31, Wyoming: 6 | POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
Sunday, September 14
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Keith Kelley, voice of the Wyoming Cowboys
Tuesday, September 09
Ute greats Ron McBride and Roy Jefferson Ring of Honor Induction
Monday, September 08
Utah: 63, Cal Poly: 9 | POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
Saturday, September 06