文章基本信息

标题：Falcons hang on for bowl win - Air Force Academy beats Fresno State in Silicon Valley Football Classic - Brief Article
作者：Jim Greeley
期刊名称：Airman
印刷版ISSN：0002-2756
电子版ISSN：1554-8988
出版年度：2001
卷号：Feb 2001
出版社：Superintendent of Documents

Falcons hang on for bowl win - Air Force Academy beats Fresno State in Silicon Valley Football Classic - Brief Article

Jim Greeley

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Sometimes it pays to be lucky. That's the New Year's lesson the U. S. Air Force Academy learned in its 37-34 Silicon Valley Football Classic win over Fresno State.

After racing out to a 34-7 halftime lead, the academy watched the Bulldogs bull their way back into the game. The Falcons only managed a field goal in the second half, while Fresno's quarterback David Carr lit up the Air Force secondary for five touchdowns, three of them for more than 40 yards, and set the stage for a fairy tale comeback.

Fresno scored 27 unanswered second-half points, and, with nine seconds left, was poised to tie the game with a 31-yard field goal. Then came one of the gutsiest calls in NCAA bowl history.

Instead of kicking the field goal and raking his chances In overtime, Bulldog coach Pat Hill went for the win with a fake field goal.

Fresno State added the fake-kick specifically for its match-up with the Falcons. The call caught the Falcons unprepared.

"We were going all out for the block," said Falcon linebacker and kick-block specialist Corey Nelson. Nelson led an academy defense that had blocked nine kicks this season.

"I was positive they would go for the tie," said Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry. "I thought they would carry momentum into overtime, and our only chance was to block the kick."

Nelson was in the air when he saw Fresno place-holder Jason Simpson take off with the ball and roll to his right.

"I just thought 'you've got to be kidding,'" said Nelson. "There was nothing I could do."

The play was perfect. Simpson had two wide-open receivers to choose from. The only Falcon close to them was safety Jeff Overstreet, but he couldn't cover both guys.

Simpson overthrew teammate Giachino Chiaramonte, and the Falcons won.

"I think he [Simpson] had a hard time with the pass because he was shocked he had so many guys open." DeBerry said. "Plays like that will make me a feeble old man. Quick!"

The Falcons finished the season 9-3.

After the game, the word "lucky" was never mentioned by academy coaches or players, but they had to be thinking it.

"We gave the crowd and the national TV audience a great game," DeBerry said.