Horned Frogs give away victory
Victory seemed ensured for Texas Christian.
With the score tied, the Horned Frogs had first down at Air Force's 22-yard line with a minute left Thursday. Run the ball into the line and send kicker Chris Manfredini -- who made 12 of 14 field goals last season -- onto the field for the chip-shot game-winner.
TCU coach Gary Patterson figured that was the plan. He was listening on his head set when he heard the offensive coaches talk about going with a running play, and he then switched over to the defensive coaches' radio frequency.
On the next play, Frogs quarterback Andy Dalton threw a pass into the end zone that was intercepted. Air Force won in overtime, 20-17.
Patterson publicly criticized offensive coordinator Mike Schultz immediately afterward. On Tuesday, Patterson pointed out the many years he and Schultz have worked together, and said he made a mistake in not playing more of a prevent defense that helped Air Force pull off a 71-yard option run that tied the game.
Still, Patterson made it clear the pass into the end zone should not have been called.
"Even my mother called me and said, 'Gary, you should've run the ball and kicked the field goal,' " Patterson said.
• BANGED UP -- UNLV has mostly escaped major injuries, but the Rebels are hurting a little as they prepare for Saturday's 7 p.m. home game against Utah.
Quarterback Travis Dixon did not practice much Monday because of a sprained left knee sustained Sept. 8 against Wisconsin. But coach Mike Sanford said Dixon, who was bothered by it Saturday against Hawaii, would be fine.
Defensive end Thor Pili (sprained right shoulder) is questionable, and fellow defensive end Luke Plante might need surgery to repair a sprained left knee suffered late in training camp.
Center Joe Hawley is recovering from a slight concussion, and his status is uncertain.
In other UNLV news, backup tailback Robert Paulele quit the team. The walk-on was having a difficult time paying for classes, Sanford said, adding Paulele would look for a job while staying in school.
The Rebels will start incoming freshman Matt Murphy at offensive left tackle.
• WAITING FOR AN INVITE -- It's rare for a university president to openly lobby to join a conference, but that's what Boise State's Robert Kustra did last week.
His clear desire to move the Fiesta Bowl champion from the Western Athletic Conference to the Mountain West didn't sit well with WAC commissioner Karl Benson.
Kustra told the Idaho Statesman, "Let's see how the season goes, and it might be time to raise (the issue) again."
He acknowledged the Mountain West has not reciprocated the interest. Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson said there is "no movement" regarding expansion, though several schools from other conferences have asked about the possibility.
MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL
CONFERENCE STANDINGS
The Mountain West from top to bottom:
Air Force (3-0, 2-0 Mountain West) at Brigham Young (1-2, 0-0): Falcons have allowed only 32 points this season.
Wyoming (2-1, 0-0) at Ohio (2-1): Cowboys allowing just 227.7 yards per game.
New Mexico (2-1, 0-0) vs. Sacramento State (0-2): Donovan Porterie became the first Lobos quarterback with consecutive 300-yard passing games since Graham Leigh in 1998.
BYU (1-2, 0-0) vs. Air Force (3-0, 2-0): Cougars rank No. 109 in penalties, averaging 10 for 83 yards.
UNLV (1-2, 0-0) vs. Utah (1-2, 0-1): Rebels have not won a conference opener since 1995.
Colorado State (0-2, 0-0) at Houston (1-1): Rams are 9-3 following a bye under coach Sonny Lubick.
San Diego State (0-2, 0-0) vs. Portland State (1-2): Aztecs have not had a fumble.
Utah (1-2, 0-1) at UNLV (1-2, 0-0): Utes have beaten UNLV 11 times in a row.
Texas Christian (1-2, 0-1) vs. Southern Methodist (1-2): Horned Frogs have outscored opponents 226-16 in the first half over the past 11 games.
FIVE BEST PLAYERS
1. Beau Bell, LB, UNLV: Atop or tied for conference lead in tackles per game (10.3), sacks (two) and fumbles forced (two).
2. Max Hall, QB, BYU: Third nationally with 405.3 yards passing per game.
3. Rodney Ferguson, RB, New Mexico: A workhorse with nearly 30 carries per game.
4. Bryan Kehl, LB, BYU: Second in tackles, at 9.3
5. Tommy Blake, DL, TCU: Remains on list, but needs to pick up his game.
THEY WROTE IT ...
Albuquerque (N.M.) Journal sports editor Sam Aselstine, on NCAA accusations that the Lobos committed four major violations: "While (coach Rocky) Long wasn't named in the NCAA accusations, his coaches were. And while on the surface Long had little to do with former recruit Una Smiley getting shot leaving a strip club on a visit here, Smiley was in the care of players Long selected to host and, presumably, provide a good image of Lobo football. These marks on Long's record can't be good for his job security, particularly with a new sheriff in town."
Colorado Springs (Colo.) Gazette columnist David Ramsey, on Air Force's improved defense under new coordinator Tim DeRuyter: "... DeRuyter installed a complicated, risky defense -- full of trickery, full of blitzing. He preached optimism, daring to discuss such radical dreams as a Mountain West Conference title, a bowl game and wins over Army and Navy. He seemed delusional. The Falcons had surrendered an average of 27 points per game the past three seasons, and DeRuyter inherited players who appeared too slow, too small, too weak and too timid. DeRuyter ignored the faults. He saw defenders with superior intelligence fueled by the humiliations of the past. They were ready to listen to a strong voice."
Salt Lake Tribune columnist Kurt Kragthorpe, on BYU's 55-47 loss to Tulsa: "This was like a video game. Or an Arena Football game. Or an old WAC game. Or a Holiday Bowl. It was completely out of character for the modern-day Cougars, in the sense that the Hurricane's quick-striking ability against BYU's defense violated everything (coach Bronco) Mendenhall has talked about for the past two seasons. "
THEY SAID IT ...
Utah safety Robert Johnson, on a dream before the Utes' 44-6 victory over UCLA: "I saw that I was going to have an interception, but I didn't see two. It was so clear to me. I never had a dream like that before. I knew we were going to win."
Kehl, on the Cougars' defense against Tulsa: "We flat-out, in my opinion, lost the football game. You can't ask any more of our offense than to score 47 points. You may hear a few people say different things, but you cannot give up 55 points and expect to win a football game."
Air Force quarterback Shaun Carney, on the 20-17 victory over TCU: "This is one that nobody expected us to have, except for us on the field and our coaching staff."
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