The Odyssey was excited to make the trek to Colorado Springs on Saturday to see the revival of a rivalry that never should have gone dormant. Colorado made the 97-mile trek to Air Force for the first time in 48 years (the 1974 game was a 28-27 thriller). During the 1958-74 period, the instate rivals met all but one year. Rumor has it that the divergent campus cultures, in addition to the polarizing angst of the Vietnam War, caused the end of the series. I am certain that the CU coaching staff was also less than thrilled to prep for Air Force’s unique option offense and did not lose any sleep when the Falcons were no longer on the schedule.
The 2022 expectations for Colorado were far from Rocky Mountain High and were tamped down even further with a dreadful 2nd half performance against TCU in their opener. Much of the offensive ineptitude was laid at the doorstep of QB Brendon Lewis. Thus, Tennessee transfer, JT Shrout, got the starting nod on Saturday. Bad luck for Shrout: a misting rain. Worse luck: playing behind an offensive line that should be deemed quite offensive to CU fans. His stat line: 5/21/1 for 51 yards and a QB rating of 7.4. Ouch! Does Joel Klatt have any eligibility left??
The game’s first 30 seconds were catastrophic for the Buffs. A fumble near the goal line led to a quick Air Force touchdown that helped catapult the Falcons to a 20-0 lead. CU’s Deion Smith responded with a 25-yard TD run that was highlighted by a somersault into the end zone. The Odyssey was relieved to see that there was no penalty for excessive celebration. Our feeling is that touchdowns are going to be few and far between for the 2022 edition of the Golden Buffaloes. Thus, we would not penalize the Buffs for ANY TD celebration, even if it involved the entire squad forming a conga line in the end zone.
Despite being roundly outplayed, CU actually had a chance to make a real game of it in the 3rd quarter. Down 20-10, Colorado’s Alex Fontenot fumbled at the goal line. Did he cross the plane before coughing up the wet football? Massive suspense! Upon review, Fontenot looked to be a millimeter or two short of scoring what could have been a pivotal touchdown.
Air Force took total control, tacking on three scores for a final tally of 41-10. The score was misleading in one sense. The Falcons gave Colorado every chance to win as Air Force lost 3 fumbles and hiked a ball so far over the punter’s head that it was rumored to land near Scottsbluff, Nebraska. However, the relentless Falcons rushed for 435 yards and posted their biggest win margin in the series.
For CU, the nightmare does not appear to be over. Next Saturday, the Buffs travel to Minneapolis to play a quality team that has ravaged its first opponents to the tune of 100-10. Saturday’s dreary weather seemed a fitting match for their outlook for the balance of 2022. This Gopher outfit looks to be better than the 2021 edition which manhandled the Buffs, 30-0, in Boulder.
Contrast this to Air Force’s outlook where the skies have never been brighter! The Odyssey thought the best preseason bet was betting on the Falcons to win more than 8.5 games (even when having to give 30% juice). A schedule that looked favorable in August has become much more so. Is the Odyssey jinxing the Academy by saying that going undefeated is a real possibility? The biggest hurdles are a October 22 home date against Boise State and a November 26 tilt at San Diego State’s snazzy new stadium. Both these opponents have got off to a rocky start. Navy, Army and Utah State all appear much less formidable than initially anticipated. At this point, Air Force would be the projected favorite in each of their 10 remaining games.
Colorado Springs rests at 6,000 feet. Air Force’s 2022 possibilities are considerably higher.