TCU crushes Falcons to stay atop MWC

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Oct 23, 2005 | by Associated Press

Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry thought his team was as well- prepared as it had been all season. No. 21 TCU emphatically put an end to that notion.

Jeff Ballard threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns Saturday at the Air Force Academy, Colo., to lift the Horned Frogs to a 48-10 victory over the Falcons, as TCU remained the only undefeated team in the Mountain West Conference.

"It was like pitch-and-catch," said Ballard, a midseason replacement for the injured Tye Gunn. "We've shown we're a passing team too, and not just a running team. I'm getting more comfortable with the plays and understanding more about the offense."

Ballard went 20-for-28 for TCU (7-1, 5-0), which won its sixth straight game and maintained a 1 1/2-game lead over Colorado State in the first season in the Mountain West for the Horned Frogs.

Air Force (3-5, 2-4), which snapped a four-game losing streak last week, used its triple option to hold the ball for nearly 35 minutes, but mistakes hurt the Falcons. They had a punt blocked, committed 90 yards in penalties, missed two field goals and Shaun Carney threw an interception in the TCU end zone.

"What was disappointing for our football team was the number of penalties we got," DeBerry said. "It was very, very uncharacteristic of Falcon football. Penalties will take away your momentum quicker than anything in the world."

DeBerry said he woke up Saturday morning and told his wife he felt good about the game and his team's preparation.

"We prepared very well and I thought our guys were ready to play," DeBerry said. "Obviously, TCU was ready to play and they played a fine football game."

The Horned Frogs started early, taking the lead with a 74-yard drive on the game's opening possession, capped by a 1-yard touchdown by William Jackson.

Trailing by 11, the Falcons pulled within 14-10 when Carney scored from 3 yards out midway through the second quarter. But Ballard answered by leading the Frogs on a 69-yard drive, capping it with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Brent Hecht.

Then, after Thomas Crump's block of an Air Force punt, Ballard scored on a 1-yard run to give the Horned Frogs a 27-10 lead at halftime and the rout continued from there.

TCU receiver Cory Rodgers caught six passes for 128 yards and a score.

Carney finished 11-for-18 for 148 yards, but threw two interceptions, including one that Drew Coleman picked off in the end zone to end Air Force's opening drive.

Tempers flared midway through the second quarter when TCU lost Drew Coleman after a questionable downfield block by Air Force third- string wide receiver Victor Thompson.

Thompson cut Coleman's lower legs in the back corner of the end zone as Air Force ran a dive up the middle at the 15-yard line. Thompson was flagged for an illegal block and as Coleman left the game with a right leg injury, TCU coach Gary Patterson was mad enough to yell at the officials and the Air Force bench.

"I asked the official and he said (Thompson) made a football play," Patterson said. "I didn't think it was a very good football play but those things happen. I'm an emotional coach, so I get a little upset, then I settle down. I was disappointed in the young man, but the game's the game."

COLORADO ST 39, WYOMING 31: At Fort Collins, Colo., Justin Holland threw for a career-high 419 yards and four touchdowns and converted a key fourth down play for CSU.

Holland was 20-for-37 throwing. David Anderson caught six passes for 169 yards and one TD. Kory Sperry had two TD receptions for Colorado State (4-3, 3-1 Mountain West Conference) which has beaten Wyoming six of the last seven meetings in the annual so-called "border war."

Kyle Bell ran for 135 yards, his fourth 100-yard game of the year.

Jovon Bouknight caught 12 passes for 187 yards to extend his consecutive game streak to 44 games with at least one reception. He caught TD passes and threw for another.

Corey Bramlet was 24-for-38 for 296 yards for three touchdowns and was intercepted twice. He has eight interceptions in the last three games for Wyoming (4-4, 2-3 Mountain West Conference).

MOUNTAIN WEST STANDINGS

Conference All games

W L PF PA W L PF PA

TCU 5 0 199 122 7 1 264 170

Colorado St. 3 1 115 95 4 3 209 201

BYU 2 2 111 120 3 4 182 199

New Mexico 2 2 103 122 4 3 199 199

SDSU 2 2 98 83 3 4 177 175

Utah 2 3 136 139 4 4 204 194

Wyoming 2 3 140 139 4 4 224 177

Air Force 2 4 179 192 3 5 223 236

UNLV 1 4 81 150 2 6 163 244

Saturday's games

Notre Dame 49, BYU 23

TCU 48, Air Force 10

Colorado St. 39, Wyoming 31

Utah 42, UNLV 32

New Mexico at San Diego St., late

Friday's games

Colorado St. at New Mexico, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 29

Air Force at BYU, 1 p.m.

TCU at San Diego St., 6 p.m.