Air Force at Hawaii: How the Falcons can beat the Rainbow Warriors
The Falcons Are Looking To Stay Perfect In Conference Play
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Can Air Force Rebound After a Week 10 Letdown?
WEEK 11: Air Force Falcons 8-1 (5-0) vs. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors 3-7 (1-4)
WHEN: Saturday, November 11th — 10:00 P.M. MT/ 9:00 P.M. PT
WHERE: Clarence T.C. Ching Complex ( Honolulu, O‘ahu)
WEATHER: Mainly clear skies. Low 74F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph.
TV: Spectrum- Kanoa Leahey (play-by-play), Rich Miano (analyst), Jordan Helle (sidelines)
RADIO: KVOR AM 740 in Colorado Springs, 104.3 the Fan in Denver, SIRIUS XM 380, SXM 970
Jim Arthur (play-by-play), Jesse Kurtz (analyst)
SERIES RECORD: Air Force leads the series record 14-7-1
WEBSITES: HawaiiAthletics.com, the official Hawaii athletics website | GoAirForceFalcons.com, the official Air Force athletics website
GAME NOTES (PDF): Hawaii | Air Force
SP+ PROJECTION: Air Force by 22
FEI PROJECTION: Air Force by 20.6
📺 Spectrum/Team1 Sports app
More instructions on how to watch Saturday’s game here ➡️ https://t.co/8Hg5hij1m7 pic.twitter.com/KfaNm7jNiC
— Air Force Football (@AF_Football) November 9, 2023
Exactly one week after the most disappointing outings in recent memory, Air Force has an opportunity to get off the mat and realize a new mission. The Kuter trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the Hawaii versus Air Force game is hardly a consolation for fumbling away the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. Yes, (bad) pun intended.
However, it’s much more than just the trophy that is at state on the island Saturday night. While winning the CiC outright is no longer possible, something the Falcons have never done in their history is still very much alive and in front of them. A Mountain West Conference Championship.
You would think the season was over for Air Force after last week’s stumble. They fell out of the College Football Playoff rankings just as soon as they entered, dropped to the rear of the race for a New Years Six Bowl bid and yet they’ve lost just one game all year, none of which have come in Conference play. The only team in the entire Mountain West that can say that.
If Air Force wants to reinforce how much those games against military brethren mean, they cannot allow Army to beat them twice this year by not showing up at Hawaii on Saturday.
The Air Force Football content is from 15:50 through 34:45https://t.co/MW2Q7cQWiE
— Rick Baum (@Falcon8fan) November 8, 2023
HERE’S HOW AIR FORCE CAN BEAT THE RAINBOW WARRIORS
While I fancy myself more of a New Testament guy, an Old Testament verse is most apropos for Saturday; Vengeance is mine saith (Air Force).
It’s almost eerie how similar Hawaii and Army are as it relates to their disparate comparisons to Air Force in nearly every significant team statistical category. None of that mattered last week, as the Falcons took a season’s worth of miscues and bundled them into a single gift-wrapped package delivered to Mile High Stadium.
That is why for week 11 against the Rainbow Warriors, we are going to simplify the blueprint to victory. Be the Air Force team from the first 10 weeks of the season.
Get a ground game established behind that elite offensive line. Even if that means an exercise of patience. The dive will feed the pitch, the pitch will feed the dive. A steady diet of Emmanuel Michel, Owen Burk and John Lee Eldridge II will lead to the ultimate demise of Hawaii. Continue working in Dane Kinamon, and the offense only becomes more dynamic.
This is an opponent surrendering 176 yards on the ground and 34 points per game. That presents nearly ideal as a rebound candidate. If the Falcon defense can continue their high level of play, Bo Richter and crew are going to make it a long night for Brayden Schager and the Hawaii offense. Which in turn will make for an even longer night for their overextended and fatigued defense.
And after three weeks of struggling in the kicking game, now would be a good time to see Matthew Dapore get back to form that resembled an All-Conference kicker. Air Force has been and can be a complete football team.
The road ahead is a difficult one for a team that has ambitions of a Conference Championship. With games against Boise State and UNLV looming, they cannot look past this week’s opponent. This truly is a ‘get right game’ for the Falcons.
No better time to shake off the seasons first loss and regain form, than a convincing win in paradise.
Back to basics.
Protect the ball. Run the ball. Sing second.
Air Force 35 – Hawaii 17
A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL YOU MILITARY VETERANS
It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to write about a team of young men that I feel are representing all that is best in us as people. And it is with immense respect and a heart full of gratitude that I express my sincerest thanks to all the Veterans out there providing a way of life that I am able to enjoy because of the sacrifices you make. On behalf of my family and so many others, Thank you.
