Fresno State (5-4, 3-2 MW) at Air Force (1-7, 0-4 MW)
Saturday, November 9, 2024 | 6:45 p.m. PT | FS1 | Falcon Stadium (46,692) | USAFA, Colo.
MEDIA COVERAGE
TV - FS1
Play-by-Play - Chris Vosters
Analyst - Charles Arbuckle
Sideline - N/A
Radio - Bulldog Sports Network (BSN)
Play-by-Play - Paul Loeffler
Analyst - Pat Hill
Sideline - Cam Worrell
Social Media: Twitter: @FresnoStateFB | Instagram:@fresno_state_football | Facebook: FresnoStateFootball | YouTube: FresnoStateAthletics
Live Stats: BulldogsLive.com
A LOOK INSIDE
Series: Air Force leads 3-7-0
Head Coaches:
Tim Skipper
Fresno State Record (Years): 6-4 (1st season*)
Career DI Record (Years): Same
Troy Calhoun
Air Force Record (Years): 131-89 (18th season)
Career DI Record: Same
QUICK LOOK
Fresno State will play its final Mountain West road test this weekend at Air Force.
The loss to Hawai'i last weekend snapped the Bulldogs' mini winning streak at two games, which came after a two-game losing skid.
Fresno State will look for its first win against Air Force since 2012.
Fresno State looks for its first win on the road against Air Force since 1997.
Current Fresno State interim head coach Tim Skipper was a freshman on that 1997 team. Jethro Franklin, J.D. Williams, Kevin Coyle and John Baxter were all on staff during that 1997 win.
This contest will feature two head coaches that are coaching at their respective alma maters.
As Mountain West opponents, Fresno State is just 1-3 against Air Force.
Fresno State has a bye week following Saturday's game, its second bye week of the season after five games in a row.
With a win on Saturday, Fresno State would become bowl eligible for the fourth straight season.
The Bulldogs have won their last five bowl games, an active streak that is third in the nation behind Georgia and Minnesota with seven each.
Skipper would be the fourth first-year head coach to lead the Bulldogs to a bowl game, joining Alvin Pierson (1945), Tim DeRuyter (2012) and Jeff Tedford (2017). Tedford is the only one to have led the team to a victory, defeating Houston in the Hawaii Bowl that season. That win by Tedford and Co. sparked the Bulldogs' current bowl game winning streak.
Junior linebacker Phoenix Jackson was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Hawai'i.
Jackson is the fifth Bulldog to earn a player of the week nod this season.
The highlight play of the night for Jackson was his 89-yard interception return for a touchdown. It was his first interception of the season (second of his career), and the first pick-6 for the Bulldogs since 2022.
Fresno State's defense has 13 total interceptions so far this season. The 13 picks are from seven different players.
Fresno State will be without CB Cam Lockridge for the first half of the Air Force game. Lockridge was ejected for a targeting call in the second half against Hawai'i.
Fresno State's offense produced only 176 yards of total offense against Hawaii. It was the first time the Bulldogs were held to fewer than 200 yards of total offense since a 19-14 loss at UConn on Oct. 1, 2022 when Fresno State had 187 total yards of offense.
The 176 yards of total offense were the fewest for Fresno State since it had 89 total yards in a loss at San Diego State on Oct. 4, 2015.
Fresno State saw action against Hawaii from offensive lineman Jacob Spomer who had been out for nearly a full calendar year with injury. The Bulldogs' offensive line has seen six different starting lineup rotations in nine games played this season.
Fresno State QB Mikey Keene had his third game without an interception this season, completing 80.6 percent of his pass attempts against Hawai'i.
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
Fresno State and Air Force will meet for the first time since 2019 on Saturday.
Fresno State and Air Force will be meeting for the 11th time in program history
Air Force currently leads the series after compiling a 7-3 record all time against Fresno State
The Bulldogs are 1-3 all time on the road against Air Force, and their only win in Colorado Springs came on October 18, 1997 where they defeated the Falcons 20-17
In their last meeting on October 12, 2019, the Bulldogs lost to the Falcons on the road in Colorado Springs by a final score of 43-24.
After the Bulldogs joined the Mountain West in 2012, they have played four conference games against Air Force, and they are 1-3 in those previous matchups
Coming into this meeting, Air Force is currently riding a three game winning streak against Fresno State
Within the previous ten matchups between the two teams, Fresno State has given up over 30 points to Air Force in seven of those previous contests
Fresno State is averaging 26 points a game against Air Force in the series, while Air Force is averaging 32.2 points a game in the series
Fresno State's largest margin of victory over Air Force came in their last victory against them on November 24, 2012 where they defeated the Falcons at home by a final score of 48-15. The win in 2012 secured Fresno State a portion of the MW title, in its first season in the league.
Air Force currently sits at the bottom of the Mountain West standings after losing their first four conference games against San Jose State, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado State.
Air Force enters this contest with a 1-3 record at home after defeating Merrimack and losing to San Jose State, Navy, and Colorado State
Prior to this matchup, Air Force lost to their rival #21 Army on the road by a final score of 20-3