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6 p.m.
Football
at Wyoming
Saturday, December 1
Colorado Springs, Colo.
12:00 PM MT
University of Utah
37
at
38
Air Force
Falcons Upset Utes, 38-37
12/1/2001 12:00 AM | Football
Dec. 1, 2001
By JOHN MOSSMAN
AP Sports Writer
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Forced to play short-handed because of the suspension of 12 players, Air Force found some heroes in unexpected places.
Sophomore linebacker Marchello Graddy, making only his second start, had a key interception. Freshman linebacker Anthony Schlegel had a crucial, game-ending tackle. Sophomore receiver Anthony Park and freshman cornerback Charles Akinyemi, both making their first starts, had a touchdown and a fumble recovery, respectively.
Graddy's interception set up Keith Boyea's 19-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Runyon with 4:25 left, and Air Force held off bowl-bound Utah 38-37 Saturday.
"It was a great learning experience for our team," Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry said. "I hope they learned from this experience that the team comes first. The lessons learned today are a lot more important than the outcome of the game."
But the outcome still was pretty special for the beleaguered Falcons, who had lost five of their previous six games.
"That's one of the most exciting games ever played in Falcon Stadium," DeBerry said. "I don't know if I've ever been more proud of a team than I am today."
Utah, which will play Southern California in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 25, moved to the Air Force 12 in the final minute.
But with eight seconds left, quarterback Lance Rice dropped back to pass, scrambled to his right and was tackled at the 4 by Schlegel as time expired.
"The last play was just a big mistake, a miscommunication," Utah coach Ron McBride said. "It wasn't the quarterback's fault. It was a mix up between what was being called upstairs and what was being called on the sideline. He was supposed to spike it (to set up a field goal), but he got a different play from upstairs."
The Utes (7-4, 4-3 Mountain West) rallied from a 17-point third-quarter deficit by scoring 23 straight points. Adam Tate's 3-yard run gave Utah a 37-31 lead with 8:43 remaining, but the extra-point attempt was blocked by Zach Johnson.
Air Force (6-6, 3-4) couldn't sustain a drive and punted, but three plays later Rice's underthrown pass was tipped and Graddy intercepted at the Utah 16. After two plays netted 3 yards in losses, Boyea found Runyon open over the middle, and Brooks Walters kicked the extra point.
Utah outgained Air Force 543-274 in total yards, but the Falcons converted three Utah turnovers into 21 points.
The trio of turnovers came at the Utah 9-, 6- and 16-yard lines.
"We gave them three short-field opportunities, and they took advantage of all three," McBride said. "That is what really hurt us."
In a game originally scheduled for Sept. 15 but postponed by the terrorist attacks, Air Force played without a dozen players, including five starters, who were suspended for the game for violating team curfew rules after last week's game in Hawaii.
Until midway through the third quarter, it looked like it wouldn't matter.
Air Force defensive tackle Justin Pendry made a leaping, one-handed interception of a screen pass at the Utah 6, and Boyea scored two plays later for a 31-14 lead with 12:32 left in the third period.
Utah then surged. Dameon Hunter, who finished with 226 yards rushing, capped a 75-yard drive with a 2-yard run. Four plays later, a high snap on an Air Force punt sailed through the end zone for a safety, making it 31-23.
After the free kick, Utah scored again as Cliff Russell turned a short pass into a 19-yard scoring play. Offensive tackle Jordan Gross took a pass that was ruled a lateral and scored the tying 2-point conversion.
Tate, who ran for 140 yards, and Hunter then pounded the Falcons on a 77-yard, go-ahead scoring drive.
Both teams launched two long scoring drives in the first quarter, but Air Force struck for 10 points late in the half for a 24-14 halftime lead.
Boyea, sharing time with sophomore Chance Harridge, was behind center on all four of Air Force's scores.
Boyea rushed for 104 yards on 12 carries in the half, including a 2-yard scoring run that followed a fumbled punt return by Utah.
With the score tied 14-14, Utah's Morgan Scalley mishandled a punt and Akinyemi recovered at the Utes 9, setting up Boyea's TD run.
A short Utah punt then set up Walters' 45-yard field goal.
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