At least Air Force doesn’t have to worry about bloated expectations this year. ESPN.com and CBSSports.com each have put out their bowl projections, and Air Force is not listed on either of them. There are 35 bowls, so just about every team with a winning record should be invited to the postseason. So it’s clear the national media doesn’t figure that Air Force will be much of a factor this season.
That happens when a team loses 16 starters, and has five other potential key contributors are dropped from the team before training camp, which is the situation the Falcons are facing. ESPN.com had two of its writers do bowl projections, and Air Force didn’t make either list (though Army and Navy made both). CBSSports.com’s list was done by Jerry Palm, a noted and respected numbers guru.
An easy schedule won’t hurt the Falcons’ quest for bowl eligibility, and Air Force probably wouldn’t get left out if it is eligible because it sells a lot of tickets. The Falcons have been to a bowl game in every one of Troy Calhoun’s first five seasons as Falcons coach including 2007 – when his team blew past preseason expectations to finish second in the Mountain West and go to a bowl.
(UPDATE: I hadn’t seen that SI.com had posted its bowl projections today, and Stewart Mandel did have Air Force in, going to the Armed Forces Bowl.)
Schlabach is a tool, he never has had respect for AF, Edwards usually sits on the fence for AF.
Good! Some of our best years have come after low expectations.
Its quite reasonable to leave AFA out of the Bowl Picture…but I think we sneak in:
1) Easier Schedule
2) New Defensive Coordinator
3) Great ground attack will take a load of the Defense
I agree with the assessments which leave Air Force out of the bowl picture. I think this is going to be a long season for the Falcons. I’m expecting coach Troy Calhoun to expereince his first losing season since becoming the head coach.
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321,
Your position is based on what? What you’ve read, your having been to AF practices and applying your years of experience in watching and assessing the performance of players, info from magazines that have writers who could careless about Service Academy football and throw out WAFGs in trying to make their pre-season predictions?
What was your prediction for AF last year?
Mike
I love it when the “experts” make their predictions. Based on what I have observed daily at practrices from the coaching staff and the player talent and intensity of effort, me thinks this could possibly be one of Coach Calhoun’s finest coaching achievements. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t garner the Mountain West Coach of the Year Award. Just my humble opinion. GO FALCONS!
Will the first game tell us anything as to the overall quality of this years team?
Chuck, In the past five years on Opening Day, AFA has played and defeated: South Dakota [37-20], Northwestern State [65-21], Nicholls State [72-0], Southern Utah [41-7] and South Carolina State [34-3] Air Force went 5-0 in those games and outscored the opposition 139-51. I think the teams learned little if anything about themselves from those games. I think the team will learn a concomitant amount in playing Idaho State this weekend and again when playing Michigan the following weekend.
However, when AFA plays UNLV and CSU in the third and fourth games of the season, because those teams play AFA each year and have a level of familiarity with the Falcons, I think we fans will get a more accurate read on how competitive Troy Calhoun’s squad will be in the conference this year.
I’m looking forward to being in attendance at all but one game–Fresno State, because my wife and I are hosting a large family gathering for Thanksgiving–this season.
Chuck, In the past five years on Opening Day, AFA has played and defeated: South Dakota [37-20], Northwestern State [65-21], Nicholls State [72-0], Southern Utah [41-7] and South Carolina State [34-3] Air Force went 5-0 in those games and outscored the opposition 139-51. I think the teams learned little if anything about themselves from those games. I think the team will lea
whats the matter Mike? someone not have the opinion that Air Force will be in the BCS and a national championship contender? I can sit and watch cricket all day long and that doesnt make me an expert. Stop blustering you blowhard
BS,
BEAT Navy!
Mike
typical post from you. all bluster
Ahhhhhh…..brownshoe, all he said was your initials “BS (ie…brownshoe) Beat Navy”.
Where is the bluster in that or don’t you want to beat Navy?
the bluster is that he has nothing substantial to say. he browbeats someone because they dont think AF will have a great year, but he is just another fan schmuck like the rest of us
The Mountain West is weak besides Boise State, I see Air Force making a bowl. Even if we go 6-6 we’ll make a bowl. Calhoun can coach.
For Air Force this season:
Wins versus: Idaho State, UNLV, Navy and New Mexico
Losses versus: Michigan, CSU, Wyoming, Nevada, Army, San Diego State, Hawaii and Fresno State.
BS,
You’re a Squid so let’s cut through the nonsense and let everyone know you have an agenda that has nothing to do with supporting the USAFA or AF football. No browbeating is going on its a blog. The fact of the matter is I posed questions to 321 to get him/her to support what was posted here. They were legitimate questions, nothing tricky about them and 321 chose not to answer them. I would submit the blustering you refer to came from 321 and while you’ll no doubt disagree because you’ve got that little hidden agenda, there is a clear lack of understanding about the capabilites of this team in those comments.
Of course you’re going to come back and say what do I know about the condition of the team beyond my blue colored glasses and my response is for you to look at the Gazette sports section today and see the articles pertaining to the AF football program. What you’ll see is Mr. Ramsey talking about a starting QB who could be an exceptional ground attack QB who just be a better passer than anyone expected him to be. Dietz will be complemented by a stable of TBs and FBs that are the deepest AF has had in years. You see comments about an O line that may not be the biggest in college football, but certainly is one of the top 5 in performance. I could go on by since you’re a Navy fan why bother, it will simply keep you up at night worrying about another loss to the hated Falcons.
The big ? for AF this year is whether the D can improve as a unit, reduce opportunities for the oppostion to score points and give their very talented O more opportunites to control the clock and score points. The leadership shown in spring and fall practice by Coach Warren, Coach Russ and the entire D coaching staff along with their Sr players (read the articles in the Gazette today) to transform this unit into a technically sound and highly aggressive group of players is one indicator that tells me they will show that needed improvement. Add in the fact the unit truly has talented athletes, all be it not in great depth so staying healthy is once again going to be an issue, the D can become an asset to the Falcons.
The key to success in AF football has always been the attitude of the players. Read the articles I mentioned and you’ll see these Falcons have a clear mission in mind and are determined to execute it to the fullest. That mindset makes the 2012 AF Fightin’ Falcons a very dangerous animal to deal with and no matter how hard you don’t want that to be the truth, it is and it will be proved not on this blog or any forum, but on the football field.
GO AIR FORCE BEAT EM ALL!
Mike Simler
dear sweet baby Jesus, you are painfully long winded! If you can pull your head out long enough to look, what I pointed out what someone else had a different opinion and you jumped all over him. There are also articles that point out there are a lot of questions about AF, they lost a lot of talent, and the QB isnt near the passing QB that Jefferson was. So they are legitimate reasons that AF may not have a winning season whether you like it or not
Long winded to push your little sailboat back to crab town. This Falcon team isn’t going to take their foot off the throats of your beloved Squids and let them back in the game like last year. Expect the largest margin of victory reminiscent of those
nightmare years you still have nightmares over.
BEAT NAVY!
Mike
what a scary little man. too bad your drama doesnt translate to the playing field. I think I will go watch some cricket so I can become an expert in that then become a windbag on some blog. did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night?