Colorado Springs, CO (Sports Network) - Connor Dietz threw for two scores and
rushed for another, as Air Force took down Nevada, 48-31, at Falcon Stadium.
In the first-ever meeting between these now Mountain West Conference foes, Air
Force (5-3, 4-1 MWC) amassed 600 total yards and held the nation's leading
rusher in check to win its third straight game.
Dietz finished with 139 yards on 6-of-7 passes and added 68 rushing yards,
while Wes Cobb led a balanced ground attack with 152 yards and a touchdown on
30 rushes.
Cody Fajardo totaled 211 passing yards, 68 rushing yards and three total TDs
for the Wolf Pack (6-3, 3-2), who have dropped two straight following a five-
game winning streak. Fajardo also threw an interception and completed 15-of-27
attempts.
Stefphon Jefferson carried the ball 20 times for 93 yards -- 63 below his
nation-leading average coming in.
After a slow first half, Jefferson got going in the third quarter and pulled
Nevada within 31-28 with a 21-yard touchdown run 5:15 into the second half.
But, just as they did the entire game, Air Force countered with Cobb capping a
15-play, 75-yard drive with a 1-yard plunge over the goal line.
Nevada's Allen Hardison made it a one-possession game with a 26-yard field
goal on the first play of the fourth quarter, though Dietz finished off
another lengthy drive with a 1-yard TD run.
After forcing a three-and-out, the Falcons ran off five minutes of the clock
before Parker Herrington sealed the win with a 20-yard field goal.
Earlier, Herrington snuck in a 45-yard try five minutes into the game.
Dietz fumbled on the Falcons' next drive, and Fajardo ran one in on 3rd-and-
goal from the one after the turnover. Air Force scored on its next two
possessions to regain the lead, as Mike DeWitt ran for an 8-yard TD and Dietz
found Dontae Strickland for a 46-yard score off a play-action fake.
Fajardo called his own number again and scored from three yards out early in
the second quarter, and Strickland answered with a 12-yard TD run.
A Fajardo-to-Aaron Bradley hookup of 14 yards cut Nevada's deficit to 24-21
with 2:48 on the clock, only to have Air Force score just before halftime. Six
different players touched the ball on the Falcons' 6-play, 83-yard drive,
culminating in Marcus Hendricks' 29-yard touchdown reception.
GAME NOTES:
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