B-Dawg's Air Force Falcons: Flying high A.F.

[BDawg35]

2023 SEASON, GAME 13


Air Force cornerback Mark Monroe makes a diving interception in the end zone.


Air Force receiver Cameron Everts grabs a touchdown pass.

NATTY BOUND?
Air Force takes care of business
with win over UNLV for MWC title

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Ben Brittain doesn't figure into Air Force's future plans, but he can always say he won a championship game for the Falcons.

One might say the Falcons won in SPITE of Brittain at times. Nonetheless, he was the quarterback of record in No. 3 Air Force's 28-12 victory over UNLV in the Mountain West Conference championship game on Dec. 9, 2023.

Brittain, an 84 OVR red-shirt junior, was pressed into duty when 85 OVR true freshman Chad Rice strained his calf while completing a pass 2 minutes and 20 seconds into the game. Brittain finished off that first drive by throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Everts on a "trail shake" pattern that usually goes for only about 15 yards.

Brittain also hit tight end Jon McMahan with a 10-yard touchdown pass with 6:04 left in the second quarter to give Air Force a 14-0 lead.

The Falcons built a 21-0 halftime lead when Jared Mann ran 28 yards for a touchdown, so you'd think Air Force coach B-Dawg would've taken it easy with a backup quarterback playing in a snowstorm.

C'mon! You know B-Dawg better than that!

Calling for Brittain to chuck the ball all over the yard, he threw three interceptions in a 4:03 stretch of the third quarter.

"I don't know what I was doing," B-Dawg said. "You get a false sense of security when you're up by 21 and you're shutting out the other team. We got in a couple long down-and-distance situations. You have to be able to trust the guys on the field. He's 84 OVR, so it's not like he's a bum."

UNLV couldn't take advantage of Brittain's generosity, getting only two field goals off the three turnovers to make it a 21-6 game through three quarters.

Brittain made up for the mistakes to some degree by scoring on a 15-yard run with 8:38 left in the game, essentially putting it away.

The Rebels scored their only touchdown with 40 seconds left in the game.

Brittain finished 14-for-25 for 182 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He ran five times for 26 yards and a touchdown.

And now comes the waiting game.

Air Force (12-1) has a very real shot at playing for the national championship after No. 1-ranked Missouri was blasted 51-20 by Auburn in the SEC championship game. No. 2 South Carolina was idle.

"I smell a shot at the natty," B-Dawg said. "It would take a grave injustice to keep us out."


Jared Mann leaps into the end zone.

UNLV Rebels at Air Force Falcons (Mountain West championship game)
Dec. 9, 2023	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#18 UNLV Rebels (9-4)	0	0	6	6	12
#3 Air Force Falcons (12-1)	7	14	0	7	28

Team Stats Comparison
	UNLV	AFA
Total Offense	398	397
Rushing Yards	35-123	38-185
Passing Yards	275	212
First Downs	24	21
Punt Return Yards	-1	43
Kick Return Yards	0	25
Total Yards	397	465
Turnovers	1	3
3rd Down Conversion	2-15	6-10
4th Down Conversion	3-4	0-0
2-Point Conversion	0-1	0-0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	4-1-1	2-2-0
Penalties	3-15	1-10
Possession Time	16:29	19:31

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		UNLV	AFA
5:50	(AFA) C. Everts 25 pass from B. Brittain (F. Pinton kick)	0	7
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		UNLV	AFA
6:04	(AFA) J. McMahan 10 pass from B. Britain (F. Pinton kick)	0	14
4:07	(AFA) J. Mann 28 run (F. Pinton kick)	0	21
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		UNLV	AFA
4:55	(UNLV) J. Walker 44 field goal	3	21
1:57	(UNLV) J. Walker 20 field goal	6	21
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		UNLV	AFA
8:38	(AFA) B. Brittain 15 run (F. Pinton kick)	6	28
:40	(UNLV) B. Ross 1 pass from K. Joseph (pass failed)	12	28

UNLV REBELS PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Keron Joseph 29/46 275 1 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD David Merrick 18 76 4.2 0 Nathan Barnes 7 22 3.1 0 Keron Joseph 8 19 2.3 0 Alphonso Humphrey 2 6 3.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Brian Ross 8 60 7.5 1 Ismael Green 5 63 12.6 0 Steve Keller 4 35 8.8 0 Danny Pope 3 45 15.0 0 Nathan Barnes 3 22 7.3 0 Dan Whitfield 2 14 7.0 0 Ray Landrum 2 12 6.0 0 Vincent Griffin 1 14 14.0 0 David Merrick 1 10 10.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Damien Ware 1 0 Neil Muhammad 0 1 Brant Anderson 0 1 Blake Cooper 0 1 DEFENSE TACK TFL SACK INT Chris Jones 10 3 0 1 Anthony Johnson 8 0 0 0 Matt Sims 8 2 0 0 Preston Carrington 5 1 0 0 Gemara Young 4 0 0 0 Tom Edwards 4 1 1 0 Eric Davis 3 0 0 1 Ryan Daniels 3 1 0 0 Eric Smith 2 0 0 0 Donald Brown 1 0 0 0 Gavin Manning 1 0 0 0 Ray Landrum 1 0 0 0 Phillip Harris 1 0 0 0 Josh Butler 1 0 0 1 Ricky Tillman 1 0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Jay Walker 2/3 0/0 6 44 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Jon Ostrander 5 227 45.4 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG LONG Team 0 0 0.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG LONG Dan Whitfield 1 -1 -1.0 0

AIR FORCE FALCONS PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Ben Brittain 14/25 182 2 3 Chad Rice 2/2 30 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Jared Mann 27 137 5.0 1 Ben Brittain 5 26 5.2 1 Marion Benjamin 4 13 3.3 0 Ryan Sampson 1 6 6.0 0 Brad Tremblay 1 3 3.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Cameron Everts 4 60 15.0 1 Jon McMahan 3 47 15.7 1 Ryan Sampson 3 41 13.7 0 Brian Brown 2 29 14.5 0 Marcus McConnell 2 27 13.5 0 Jared Mann 2 8 4.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Tommy Brandt 1 0 Jon McMahan 1 0 Nathan Hoffman 1 0 Adam Karas 1 0 Cole Ridgeway 1 1 DEFENSE TACK TFL SACK INT Mark Monroe 11 0 0 1 David Whitfield 11 4 0 0 Jayden Goodwin 7 2 0 0 Kaiser Cambra-Cho 5 0 0 0 Kory Williams 5 1 0 0 Daniel Andrews 4 0 0 0 Josh Green 4 2 1 0 Halatoa Tai 3 0 0 0 DeAndre McCollum 3 0 0 0 Quinton Sanders 3 0 0 0 Nate Wilson 3 0 0 0 Cameron Everts 2 0 0 0 Patrick Dowdell 1 1 1 0 Paul Kenney 1 1 1 0 Cole Palmer 1 1 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Fabrizio Pinton 0/0 4/4 4 0 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Fabrizio Pinton 3 137 45.7 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG LONG Marion Benjamin 1 25 25.0 25 Jon McMahan 1 0 0.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG LONG Marion Benjamin 3 43 14.3 20

[BDawg35]

FINAL 2023 BCS RANKINGS



ROBBED!!!
Air Force snubbed while big-money
SEC gets 2 teams in BCS title game

You really didn't expect the power brokers that run college football to actually allow Air Force to play in the national championship game, did you?

The Mountain West Conference has a history of being jobbed, as some real-life Boy-Z State teams can attest.

Air Force Nation was beyond giddy when top-ranked Missouri was blown out by Auburn in the SEC championship game. Because the No. 3 Falcons won their conference championship game, it seemed natural that they would move up to No. 2 to play South Carolina for the natty.

Ah, but never underestimate the power of the almighty dollar, particularly when the corrupt SEC is involved.

Auburn leapfrogged Air Force and South Carolina in the final BCS rankings to finish in the top spot. South Carolina remained No. 2, so two SEC teams will play for the national championship.

This is normally where Air Force coach B-Dawg musters up some outrage, but he took it surprisingly well.

"Honestly, we weren't ready for a national championship shot at this point anyway," B-Dawg said. "This is another step in our growth. We've won two straight conference championships, we're going to a major bowl game against a great opponent. We'll be ready to truly compete for the natty next year."

The consolation prize might have helped ease B-Dawg's pain. That prize is a matchup with his favorite real-life team, Michigan, in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2, 2024.

"Playing Michigan gets me infinitely more excited than playing South Carolina, regardless of the circumstances," B-Dawg said. "I can't wait to play that game."




FINAL 2023 RANKINGS
1. Auburn, 11-2, 1.000
2. South Carolina, 11-1, .995
3. AIR FORCE, 12-1, .989
4. Notre Dame, 10-2, .981
5. Missouri, 12-1, .976
6. Michigan State, 10-3, .976
7. The U, 11-2, .971
8. Michigan, 10-2, .959
9. Texas, 9-3, .950
10. Penn State, 9-3, .949
11. Georgia, 8-4, .947
12. UCLA, 8-4, .941
13. Stanford, 8-4, .929
14. Ohio State, 8-4, .916
15. USC, 9-4, .904
16. West Virginia, 9-3, .900
17. Washington, 9-3, .895
18. San Diego State, 9-3, .869
19. Tulane, 11-2, .866
20. Alabama, 8-4, .861
21. Vanderbilt, 8-4, .848
22. Tulsa, 9-3, .840
23. UNLV, 9-4, .836
24. Virginia Tech, 8-4, .828
25. Arkansas State, 9-3, .828

[Knickerbocker91]

Re: FINAL 2023 BCS RANKINGS

Not surprised to see a Power 5 school get snubbed but hurts all the same. Like the mindset that this isn't a National Title team just yet but back-to-back strong seasons should start to put them in the conversation. Beating Michigan soundly should put the pollsters on notice.

[BDawg35]

Re: FINAL 2023 BCS RANKINGS

Not surprised to see a Power 5 school get snubbed but hurts all the same. Like the mindset that this isn't a National Title team just yet but back-to-back strong seasons should start to put them in the conversation. Beating Michigan soundly should put the pollsters on notice.

I've started to put one big-time team on my nonconference schedule each year. Maybe I need to do like Boy-Z State has done and play anyone, anywhere, any time. We have only two nonconference games available because of our rivalry games with Army and Navy.

[BDawg35]

2023 AWARD WINNERS


Air Force strong safety Nate Wilson makes one of his four sacks in 2023.

Air Force safety wins Thorpe
without picking off a pass

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — How does a player win the Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back without intercepting a single pass?

You have a season like Air Force strong safety Nate Wilson, that's how.

Wilson has made a name for himself as a tackling machine who can blow up plays in the backfield out of the Falcons' 4-2-5 defense. Wilson is tied for 14th in the country with 94 tackles, has 19 tackles for losses, four sacks and one forced fumble.

Wilson also won the Bednarik Award, which goes to the Maxwell Club's Defensive Player of the Year.

"Nate Wilson is the most underrated player in our program," Air Force coach B-Dawg said. "Everyone looks at the touchdowns and rushing yards and passing yards. They might even look at the higher sack totals some other guys have. But Nate Wilson seems to be in on every single tackle, and not just as the last line of defense. He's often the first hat on the ball before the running back can get to the line of scrimmage."

Senior outside linebacker David Whitfield also came away with some hardware, winning the Nagurski and Butkus awards. Whitfield, who was second to Wilson in Bednarik voting, has 83 tackles, 23 for losses and four sacks.

Senior defensive tackle Josh Green won the Lombardi Award as the nation's top lineman. He has 19 tackles for losses and 11 sacks among his 32 total tackles. Green is second in the nation in sacks.

Earning first-team All-America are Wilson, Whitfield, Green, running back Jared Mann, defensive end Quinton Sanders and cornerback Mark Monroe.

Mann has 1,374 yards and 18 touchdowns on 292 carries, Sanders leads the nation with 12 sacks among his 43 tackles, and Monroe has 57 tackles and four interceptions.

Three other Mountain West Conference players made first-team All-America.



Maxwell: Brady Cook, Missouri, QB, rJr., 88 OVR
Walter Camp: Brady Cook, Missouri, QB, rJr., 88 OVR
Bednarik: Nate Wilson, Air Force, SS, rSr., 85 OVR
Nagurski: David Whitfield, Air Force, OLB, rSr., 76 OVR
O’Brien: Brady Cook, Missouri, QB, rJr., 88 OVR
Walker: Jordan Leslie, Hawaii, HB, rSr., 83 OVR
Biletnikoff: Rob Jones, Missouri, WR, Sr., 95 OVR
Mackey: Julius Morgan, Tulane, TE, rSr., 81 OVR
Outland: Nate Barry, Missouri, OG, rSr., 92 OVR
Rimington: Garth Cunningham, Missouri, C, rJr., 91 OVR
Lombardi: Josh Green, Air Force, DT, rSr., 83 OVR
Butkus: David Whitfield, Air Force, OLB, rSr., 76 OVR
Thorpe: Nate Wilson, Air Force, SS, rSr., 85 OVR
Groza: Zach Thompkins, Missouri, Sr., 92 OVR
Ray Guy: Antwuan Johnson, Iowa, Sr., 93 OVR
Best Returner: Richard Davidson, Notre Dame, rSoph., 86 OVR (CB)
Coach of the Year: B-Dawg, Air Force




FIRST TEAM
QB, Brady Cook, Missouri, rJr., 88 OVR
HB, Jordan Leslie, Hawaii, rSr., 83 OVR
HB, Jared Mann, Air Force, Soph., 85 OVR
WR, Rob Jones, Missouri, Sr., 95 OVR
WR, Mark Henry, Duke, rSr., 83 OVR
TE, Julius Morgan, Tulane, rSr., 81 OVR
OT, Donta Johnson, Auburn, Sr., 92 OVR
OG, Eric Salas, Auburn, rSr., 95 OVR
C, William Campbell, Auburn, Sr., 96 OVR
OG, Nate Berry, Missouri, rSr., 92 OVR
OT, Dane Oliver, Alabama, Sr., 95 OVR
DE, Quinton Sanders, Air Force, Sr., 82 OVR
DE, Marlon Johnson, Penn State, Jr., 89 OVR
DT, Josh Green, Air Force, rSr., 83 OVR
DT, Brock Rucker, Florida Atlantic, rSr., 82 OVR
MLB, Leon Martin, New Mexico, rSr., 83 OVR
OLB, David Whitfield, Air Force, rSr., 76 OVR
OLB, Chris Jones, UNLV, rSr., 85 OVR
CB, Mark Monroe, Air Force, Jr., 91 OVR
CB, Joseph Austin, Iowa, rJr., 83 OVR
FS, Josh Greenwood, California, rSr., 87 OVR
SS, Nate Wilson, Air Force, rSr., 85 OVR
K, Zach Tompkins, Missouri, Sr., 92 OVR
P, Jason Rodgers, Auburn, Jr., 78 OVR
RET, Derrick Hunt, Missouri, rJr., 78 OVR (WR)

SECOND TEAM
QB, Payton Thorne, Michigan State, rSr., 95 OVR
HB, J.P. Anderson, Army, rSr., 87 OVR
HB, Brandon Wright, Michigan State, rSr., 96 OVR
WR, Mike Johnson, Florida, rSr., 99 OVR
WR, Scott Byrd, West Virginia, rSr., 92 OVR
TE, Albert Jones, Louisiana Tech, rJr., 83 OVR
C, Mike Allen, Auburn, Sr., 93 OVR
OG, Sam Bailey, Michigan State, rSr., 95 OVR
OG, Theo Wilson, Penn State, rSr., 96 OVR
OT, Richard Washington, Penn State, rSr., 92 OVR
OT, Derek Meeks, The U, rJr., 89 OVR
DE, James Mills, USC, rSr., 93 OVR
DE, Trey Carter, Notre Dame, rSr., 95 OVR
DT, Joe Lewis, Stanford, rSr., 94 OVR
DT, Patrick Dowdell, Air Force, Jr., 79 OVR
OLB, Joseph Phillips, Texas Tech, rJr., 81 OVR
MLB, Dennis Price, Iowa, rJr., 88 OVR
OLB, Lamar Chapman, Ohio State, rJr., 93 OVR
CB, Kaiser Cambra-Cho, Air Force, Sr., 77 OVR
CB, Nick Givens, Virginia Tech, rJr., 88 OVR
FS, John Griffin, Michigan State, rJr., 88 OVR
SS, DeAndre McCollum, Air Force, Fr., 80 OVR
K, Eric Walker, Virginia Tech, Jr., 83 OVR
P, Robby Kennedy, Washington, Sr., 89 OVR
RET, Josh Mathis, Rutgers, rSoph., 76 OVR (WR)

FRESHMAN
QB, Chad Rice, Air Force, Fr., 85 OVR
HB, Marion Benjamin, Air Force, Fr., 70 OVR
HB, Greg Perry, Louisville, rFr., 77 OVR
WR, David Roberts, Texas, rFr., 82 OVR
WR, Brian Brown, Air Force, Fr., 80 OVR
TE, Tiger Clark, Florida, Fr., 81 OVR
OT, Darius Rodgers, Notre Dame, rFr., 83 OVR
OT, Gerald White, The U, Fr., 75 OVR
C, Tyson Bryant, South Carolina, rFr., 83 OVR
OG, Derrick Johnson, Auburn, rFr., 82 OVR
OG, Marcus Ward, Auburn, rFr., 82 OVR
DE, Bruce Hickman, Alabama, rFr., 84 OVR
DE, David James, Arkansas State, Fr., 75 OVR
DT, Brett Powell, Michigan, Fr., 77 OVR
DT, Eric Smith, UNLV, Fr., 76 OVR
OLB, John Frederick, Boy-Z State, Fr., 78 OVR
MLB, George Robinson, Notre Dame, Fr., 79 OVR
OLB, Joey Cronin, Alabama, Fr., 82 OVR
CB, Kevin Simmons, Army, rFr., 74 OVR
CB, Thomas Griffin, Nebraska, Fr., 78 OVR
FS, Nick Burgess, Nebraska, rFr., 79 OVR
SS, DeAndre McCollum, Air Force, Fr., 80 OVR
K, Steve Talley, South Carolina, Fr., 74 OVR
P, Jimmy Hodge, USC, Fr., 81 OVR
RET, Desmond Flynn, Georgia, Fr., 80 OVR (HB)




FIRST TEAM
HB, Jared Mann, Air Force, Soph., 85 OVR
WR, Cameron Everts, Air Force, Sr., 82 OVR
OG, Adam Karas, Air Force, Sr., 77 OVR
DE, Quinton Sanders, Air Force, Sr., 82 OVR
DT, Josh Green, Air Force, rSr., 83 OVR
DT, Patrick Dowdell, Air Force, Jr., 79 OVR
OLB, David Whitfield, Air Force, rSr., 76 OVR
CB, Mark Monroe, Air Force, Jr., 91 OVR
CB, Kaiser Cambra-Cho, Air Force, Sr., 77 OVR
FS, Halatoa Tai, Air Force, Sr., 80 OVR
SS, Nate Wilson, Air Force, rSr., 85 OVR
RET, Marion Benjamin, Air Force, Fr., 70 OVR (HB)

SECOND TEAM
QB, Chad Rice, Air Force, Fr., 85 OVR
TE, Jon McMahan, Air Force, Sr., 76 OVR
OT, Josh Watson, Air Force, Soph., 78 OVR
C, Cole Ridgeway, Air Force, Sr., 78 OVR
OG, Tommy Brandt, Air Force, Sr., 76 OVR
DE, Jason Pratt, Air Force, Soph., 79 OVR
MLB, Kory Williams, Air Force, rJr., 72 OVR
CB, Jayden Goodwin, Air Force, Sr., 74 OVR
SS, DeAndre McCollum, Air Force, Fr., 80 OVR
P, Fabrizio Pinton, Air Force, Sr., 95 OVR

[BDawg35]

2023 HEISMAN TROPHY CEREMONY


Army running back J.P. Anderson is the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner.

Army running back wins Heisman
despite few touches vs. Air Force

NEW YORK — Army's CPU football coach is apparently smarter when using senior running back J.P. Anderson in simmed games than when playing Air Force.

Against Air Force, Anderson has averaged an insane 19.3 yards per carry the past two seasons, but has been handed the ball only nine times. He's had 174 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries.

He's averaged a more appropriate 23 carries in his other 11 games, allowing him to do enough damage to win the 2023 Heisman Trophy.

Anderson won the award in one of the biggest landslides in history, getting 2,207 voting points and 657 first-place votes. Missouri quarterback Brady Cook was second with 1,083 points and 52 first-place votes.

Anderson has run the ball 258 times for 1,680 yards and 17 touchdowns this season. He's caught 18 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns in an offense that doesn't air it out much.

Anderson is only 87 OVR, not exactly the rating you'd expect from a Heisman-winning back, but none of the top three vote-getters are higher than Cook's 88 OVR.

1. J.P. ANDERSON, Army, HB, rSr.
Voting: 657 1st, 109 2nd, 18 3rd, 2,207 total
2023 stats: 258 carries, 1,680 yards, 17 TD; 18 catches, 264 yards, 3 TD
Ratings: 87 OVR, 89 SPD, 89 BTK, 79 CAR

2. BRADY COOK, Missouri, QB, rJr.
Voting: 52 1st, 315 2nd, 297 3rd, 1,083 total
2023 stats: 302-for-447, 3,927 yards, 42 TD, 7 int.; 176 carries, 647 yards, 9 TD
Ratings: 88 OVR, 82 SPD, 83 AWR, 82 THP, 89 THA

3. JORDAN LESLIE, Hawaii, HB, rSr.
Voting: 55 1st, 277 2nd, 328 3rd, 1,047 total
2023 stats: 326 carries, 2,010 yards, 22 TD; 3 catches, 18 yards, 0 TD
Ratings: 83 OVR, 84 SPD, 84 BTK, 83 CAR

4. GINO ENGLISH, Florida State, QB, rSr.
Voting: 15 1st, 45 2nd, 83 3rd, 218 total
2023 stats: 186-for-317, 2,731 yards, 26 TD, 5 int.; 155 carries, 819 yards, 10 TD
Ratings: 98 OVR, 92 SPD, 85 AWR, 89 THP, 92 THA

5. BRIAN KOWALL, UCLA, HB, Sr.
Voting: 4 1st, 31 2nd, 34 3rd, 108 total
2023 stats: 157 carries, 1,062 yards, 12 TD; 32 catches, 409 yards, 6 TD
Ratings: 98 OVR, 90 SPD, 95 BTK, 94 CAR

[BDawg35]

2023 BOWL PREVIEW

SUGAR BOWL PREVIEW | JAN. 2, 2024
	@
#8 Michigan Wolverines (10-2, 6-2 conference)		#3 Air Force Falcons (12-1, 7-1 conference)
Offensive Stats Comparison 95 (A) Overall rating 81 (B-) 95 (A) Offensive rating (81) B- 93 (A-) Defensive rating (82) B- 34.3 (#18) Points Per Game 35.6 (#13) 441.5 (#20) Total Offensive Yards 449.6 (#14) 238.3 (#8) Rushing Yards 195.4 (#54) 203.2 (#69) Passing Yards 254.2 (#14) Defensive Stats Comparison 25.5 (#38) Points Per Game 18.1 (1st) 368.5 (#35) Total Yards Allowed 338.1 (#8) 176.4 (#33) Rushing Yards Allowed 95.9 (#1) 192.1 (#41) Passing Yards Allowed 243.1 (#114) Injury Report C G. Howard Season None C C. Barnett Probable Game Notes B-Dawg was bummed to be passed over for a shot in the national championship game, but is excited to play Michigan in the Sugar Bowl, being a Wolverines fan in real life. This Michigan team looks so much like Jim Harbaugh's teams in real life, putting together a great record, but failing to beat its rivals. The Wolverines lost 42-17 to Ohio State and 41-14 to Michigan State after an 8-0 start that included three wins over cupcakes to start the season. Calvin Vandermeulen is 183-for-310 for 2,433 yards, 28 touchdowns and only six interceptions for Michigan. His favorite receiver is Corey Johnson, who has 59 catches for 739 yards and 12 touchdowns. Shawn Goode can make teams pay on the ground, racking up 1,501 yards and 13 touchdowns on 212 carries. Chad Rice has had a great freshman year as Air Force's starting quarterback, going 244-for-371 for 2,947 yards, 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Jared Mann leads the ground attack with 1,374 yards and 18 touchdowns on 292 carries. Possession receiver Cameron Everts has 93 catches for 1,132 yards and eight touchdowns. Defensive end Quinton Sanders leads the nation with 12 sacks.

[BDawg35]

2023 SEASON, GAME 14


Air Force quarterback Chad Rice fires the game-winning touchdown pass.


Air Force tight end Jon McMahan hauls in the winning 7-yard touchdown pass with 39 seconds left.


Jayden Goodwin tackles Corey Johnson at the Air Force 8-yard line to end the game.

STATING THEIR CASE
Are Falcons worthy of national title
after Sugar Bowl win over Michigan?

NEW ORLEANS — Is Air Force the best college football team in the nation in 2023?

That's up for debate. But at least the Falcons are in the debate after prevailing 16-12 in an epic defensive battle with eighth-ranked Michigan in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2, 2024.

Air Force finished the season 13-1, opening the season with a victory at a Michigan State team that was ranked No. 2 coming off a national championship. The Falcons beat No. 18 UNLV in the Mountain West Conference championship game.

"To be a championship team, you need to have a championship defense," Air Force coach B-Dawg said. "We had that today. We had that against Michigan State. We had that against UNLV. Against the toughest teams on our schedule, we allowed only three offensive touchdowns. I downplayed the BCS championship game snub, because I didn't want our guys to be too bummed out and not put their all into getting ready for this game. We took this game as seriously as a national championship game. It showed, especially on defense."

The only touchdown in this game came with only 39 seconds remaining when freshman Chad Rice hit tight end Jon McMahan with a 7-yard pass.

Michigan had taken a 12-9 lead on Cole Hussung's fourth field goal of the game, a 54-yarder which he made easily, with 2:45 remaining in the game. If the Falcons couldn't score, they would've been lamenting a shanked 37-yard field goal try by Fabrizio Pinton with 4:57 remaining.

There was no reason to believe Air Force could actually get the ball in the end zone after struggling so mightily against a 93 OVR Michigan defense.

But the Falcons put together a 10-play, 75-yard drive that was quite the rollercoaster ride.

Rhett Strong nearly intercepted a pass on the third play of the drive. On third-and-six, sure-handed receiver Cameron Everts dropped a pass on a quick comebacker. With the game on the line on fourth-and-six, McMahan was left wide open near the first-down sticks and picked up some extra yardage for a 16-yard gain to the Michigan 32 with 1:34 remaining.

Having lived to play another day, Air Force gained 22 yards on a pass to Ryan Sampson with 1:20 to go. After a 3-yard run by Jared Mann moved the ball to the 7, backup running back Marion Benjamin dropped a pass over the middle with 42 seconds left. On third down, McMahan came off the line and settled just inside the goal line where Rice found him for the touchdown before the defense could react to him.

"I couldn't fire that pass quickly enough," B-Dawg said. "I usually soft-toss that one to make sure it's caught, but I was afraid the defense would recover and break it up if the ball didn't arrive immediately. Great catch under pressure by Jon."

Michigan now needed a touchdown to win the game. Even though the Wolverines didn't get into the end zone the entire game, B-Dawg was always nervous that things would click for a talented Michigan offense at any moment.

Things got a little nervous for the Falcons when the Wolverines got to the Air Force 46-yard line with 20 seconds left. After a 7-yard scramble by Michigan quarterback Calvin Vandermeulen, the Wolverines engaged in some CPU stupidity by not using their final timeout, allowing the clock to run down before spiking the ball with two seconds left.

That left Michigan with only one play remaining from the Air Force 39. Corey Johnson made a leaping 31-yard pass to the 8 against a prevent defense, bounced off a tackle attempt by Halatoa Tai, but was quickly brought down by Jayden Goodwin to end the game.

"A lot of people are bored by defensive football, but when you're the one at the sticks against a team that has the potential to score at any time like Michigan, there is nothing more exciting," B-Dawg said. "This is one of the most fun games I've ever played. I dare say, if it would have happened within my first 1,000 wins, I probably would've put in somewhere on that top-10 games list."

Air Force, with a defense ranked No. 1 in the country, put the clamps on 1,500-yard rusher Shawn Goode, holding him to 53 yards on 20 carries. Senior All-America strong safety Nate Wilson had four tackles for losses, giving him 53 among his 275 career tackles.

Everts finished with four catches for 46 yards, giving him a school-record 239 catches. B-Dawg didn't realize Everts was so close to his all-time record of 246 catches set by Vanderbilt's Jason Toth in NCAA 2007 or he might have force-fed him more in the last game or two.


Jon McMahan makes a 16-yard catch on fourth-and-six on the winning drive.

* VIDEO OF WINNING TOUCHDOWN *

AIR FORCE FALCONS vs. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (SUGAR BOWL)
Jan. 2, 2024	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#3 Air Force Falcons (13-1)	0	6	3	7	16
#8 Michigan Wolverines (10-3)	3	6	0	3	12

Team Stats Comparison
	AFA	MICH
Total Offense	397	210
Rushing Yards	40-119	30-55
Passing Yards	278	155
First Downs	25	11
Punt Return Yards	42	2
Kick Return Yards	0	0
Total Yards	439	212
Turnovers	3	0
3rd Down Conversion	7-16	5-15
4th Down Conversion	2-3	0-0
2-Point Conversion	0-0	0-0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	5-1-2	3-0-2
Penalties	0-0	0-0
Possession Time	21:09	14:51

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		AFA	MICH
2:18	(MICH) C. Hussung 35 field goal	0	3
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		AFA	MICH
8:58	(AFA) F. Pinton 26 field goal	3	3
1:41	(MICH) C. Hussung 36 field goal	3	6
:58	(MICH) C. Hussung 38 field goal	3	9
:00	(AFA) F. Pinton 47 field goal	6	9
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		AFA	MICH
:00	(AFA) F. Pinton 25 field goal	9	9
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		AFA	MICH
2:45	(MICH) C. Hussung 54 field goal	9	12
:39	(AFA) J. McMahan 7 pass from C. Rice (F. Pinton kick)	16	12

AIR FORCE FALCONS PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Chad Rice 21/39 278 1 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Jared Mann 21 50 2.3 0 Chad Rice 14 45 3.2 0 Marion Benjamin 3 15 5.0 0 Brad Tremblay 2 9 4.5 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Jon McMahan 7 66 9.4 1 Ryan Sampson 5 81 16.2 0 Cameron Everts 4 46 11.5 0 Jared Mann 3 57 19.0 0 Brian Brown 2 28 14.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Jon McMahan 2 0 Adam Karas 0 1 DEFENSE TACK TFL SACK INT David Whitfield 8 2 0 0 Nate Wilson 7 4 0 0 Jason Pratt 5 2 1 0 DeAndre McCollum 5 0 0 0 Quinton Sanders 4 3 1 0 Halatoa Tai 4 0 0 0 Kory Williams 3 0 0 0 Kaiser Cambra-Cho 2 0 0 0 Josh Green 2 2 1 0 Mark Monroe 1 0 0 0 Cole Palmer 1 0 0 0 Phil Riggs 1 0 0 0 Nathan Hoffman 1 0 0 0 Cameron Everts 1 0 0 0 Jayden Goodwin 1 0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Fabrizio Pinton 3/5 1/1 10 47 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Fabrizio Pinton 1 35 35.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG LONG Team 0 0 0.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG LONG Marion Benjamin 5 42 8.4 10

MICHIGAN WOLVERINES PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Calvin Vandermeulen 16/25 155 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Shawn Goode 20 53 2.6 0 Calvin Vandermeulen 10 2 0.2 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Patrick Moore 4 42 10.5 0 Shawn Goode 4 10 2.5 0 Corey Johnson 2 53 26.5 0 Sidney Irvin 2 21 10.5 0 Jesse Charles 2 18 9.0 0 Andrel Anthony 1 10 10.0 0 Kellen Johnson 1 1 1.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Orlando Sanchez 1 1 Kellen Johnson 1 0 Antonio Haynes 0 1 Andrew Taylor 0 1 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Adam Brown 12 0 0 0 Ronald Reid 9 0 0 0 Anthony Davis 7 0 0 1 Mike Howard 6 1 1 0 Lamar Leach 5 1 1 0 Junior Colson 5 1 1 0 Rob Salas 4 2 0 0 Clarence Davis 4 1 0 0 Danny Washington 4 0 0 0 Omar Cook 2 0 0 0 Andrew Lucas 2 1 0 0 Rodney Stanford 1 0 0 0 Rhett Strong 1 0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Cole Hussung 4/4 0/0 12 54 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Stanley Swain 6 264 44.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Team 0 0 0.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Patrick Moore 1 2 2.0 2

[BDawg35]

2023 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, BOWL RESULTS, FINAL POLLS

South Carolina beats Auburn for natty

South Carolina rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit by scoring 27 straight points in a 34-21 victory over Auburn in the BCS championship game for the 2023 season.

Bo Nix threw two touchdown passes and Tyson Williams had a 5-yard run to stake Auburn to its early 21-7 lead.

South Carolina got within 21-14 by halftime on a 17-yard run by quarterback Kyle Butler with 21 seconds left in the first half. South Carolina then outscored Auburn 20-0 in the second half.

Butler was 16-for-30 for 220 yards and two touchdowns and ran 15 times for 84 yards and a touchdown. Marshawn Lloyd ran 18 tiems for 106 yards and a touchdown, while Joe Jackson caught five passes for 130 yards for South Carolina.

Nix was 15-for-26 for 138 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Auburn. Williams ran 16 times for 108 yards and a score.

South Carolina automatically won the national championship in the coaches' poll, but faced some competition from Air Force among Associated Press voters. South Carolina had 41 first-place votes and 1,601 voting points from the media, while Air Force had 24 first-place votes and 1,458 points.


2023 BOWL RESULTS

New Mexico Bowl: Fresno State 42, Arizona 26
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Boy-Z State 42, Ohio 26
Poinsettia Bowl: New Mexico 35, Marshall 6
Beef O’Brady’s Bowl: Louisiana Tech 34, Southern Methodist 27
New Orleans Bowl: Rice 28, Arkansas State 19
Las Vegas Bowl: UCLA 45, UNLV 14
Hawaii Bowl: San Diego State 38, Florida Atlantic 21
Little Caesars Bowl: Central Michigan 35, Washington State 21
Military Bowl: Northern Illinois 24, Army 17 (OT)
Holiday Bowl: Oklahoma 45, U-Dub 21
Belk Bowl: Florida State 45, Navy 35
AdvoCare V100 Bowl: Boston College 27, Utah 24 (OT)
Russell Athletic Bowl: Syracuse 34, Central Florida 10
Meineke Car Care Bowl: Iowa State 20, Minnesota 17
Armed Forces Bowl: Florida International 30, Hawaii 13
Fight Hunger Bowl: Tulsa 56, Colorado 14
Alamo Bowl: West Virginia 33, Stanford 21
B-Dubz Bowl: Texas Christian 28, Ohio State 26
Music City Bowl: Florida 38, Virginia Tech 16
Sun Bowl: California 37, Duke 7
Liberty Bowl: Ball State 42, Southern Miss 13
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Clemson 31, Vanderbilt 10
Heart of Dallas Bowl: Rutgers 34, Toledo 14
Gator Bowl: Iowa 51, Texas A&M 17
Capital One Bowl: Nebraska 40, Missouri 35
Outback Bowl: Georgia 41, Penn State 34
Rose Bowl: USC 38, Michigan State 34
Fiesta Bowl: Baylor 39, Tulane 36
Sugar Bowl: AIR FORCE 16, Michigan 12
Orange Bowl (a.k.a. Catholics vs. Convicts): Notre Dame 31, The U 17
Cotton Bowl: Texas 35, Alabama 24
BBVA Compass Bowl: Brigham Young 31, Kansas State 18
Go Daddy Bowl: Miami (Ohio) 28, South Alabama 21
BCS Championship: South Carolina 34, Auburn 21


FINAL 2023 COACHES’ POLL
1. South Carolina (61), 12-1
2. AIR FORCE, 13-1
3. Notre Dame, 11-2
4. Auburn, 11-3
5. Georgia, 9-4
6. Texas, 10-3
7. Missouri, 12-2
8. The U, 11-3
9. UCLA, 9-4
10. Michigan, 10-3
11. West Virginia, 10-3
12. USC, 10-4
13. Michigan State, 10-4
14. San Diego State, 10-3
15. Penn State, 9-4
16. Tulsa, 10-3
17. Nebraska, 11-3
18. Tulane, 11-3
19. Syracuse, 10-3
20. Baylor, 9-4
21. Florida, 8-5
22. U-Dub, 98-4
23. Iowa, 9-4
24. Stanford, 8-5
25. Fresno State, 9-4
Others receiving votes: Florida State, Clemson, New Mexico, Central Michigan, Texas Christian.


FINAL 2023 ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL
1. South Carolina (41), 12-1, 1,601 points
2. AIR FORCE (24), 13-1, 1,458 points
3. Notre Dame, 11-2
4. Auburn, 11-3
5.Georgia, 9-4
6. Texas, 10-3
7. USC, 10-4
8. Missouri, 12-2
9. UCLA, 9-4
10. Michigan, 10-3
11. The U, 11-3
12. West Virginia, 10-3
13. Michigan State, 10-4
14. San Diego State, 10-3
15. Nebraska, 11-3
16. Penn State, 9-4
17. Tulsa, 10-3
18. Syracuse, 10-3
19. Tulane, 11-3
20. Baylor, 9-4
21. Florida State, 9-4
22. Florida, 8-5
23. U-Dub, 9-4
24. Fresno State, 9-4
25. Stanford, 8-5
Others receiving votes: Clemson, Iowa, Ball State, New Mexico, Arkansas State, Texas Christian, Miami (Ohio), Central Michigan.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: B-Dawg's Air Force Falcons: Flying high A.F.

What a special season! Not surprised that Air Force got snubbed for a natty chance, but that margin of error with regards to the early-season loss is sooooo slim when you're outside the Power 5. The foundation is definitely there for another crack at it next season, even if you have a few key seniors to replace.

Are you caught up now in terms of playing in real time, or are you still a season or so behind?

[BDawg35]

Re: B-Dawg's Air Force Falcons: Flying high A.F.

What a special season! Not surprised that Air Force got snubbed for a natty chance, but that margin of error with regards to the early-season loss is sooooo slim when you're outside the Power 5. The foundation is definitely there for another crack at it next season, even if you have a few key seniors to replace.

Are you caught up now in terms of playing in real time, or are you still a season or so behind?

I wish!!! But I'm creeping a little closer. I've been consistently two full seasons behind. I've got the 2023 season wrapped up here now. I'm in conference championship week in the 2025 season now. I'd love to be posting 2024 games before playing my 2025 bowl game. We'll see ...

I continued to schedule one national power and one cupcake for my two nonconference games in 2024 and 2025. I may go with two powerhouse teams in 2026 to build up my strength of schedule.

[BDawg35]

2023 SEASON WRAP-UP

2023 AIR FORCE RESULTS
Results	High Passing	High Rushing	High Receiving
8/26: Michigan State (W 27-20)	259, Rice	83, Mann	140, Everts
9/2: Kansas (W 24-16)	279, Rice	123, Mann	103, McConnell
9/16: Nevada (W 49-24)	274, Rice	133, Mann	96, Everts
9/23: UNLV (W 31-7)	273, Rice	69, Benjamin	112, Everts
9/30: Navy (W 30-13)	260, Rice	120, Mann	89, Everts
10/7: Utah State (L 44-47)	291, Rice	124, Rice	165, Everts
10/14: San Diego State (W 27-23)	285, Rice	101, Mann	82, McMahan
10/28: Army (W 27-24)	238, Rice	103, Mann	167, Everts
11/4: New Mexico (W 50-7)	149, Rice	83, Benjamin	51, Sampson
11/11: Colorado State (W 60-13)	244, Rice	91, Mann	84, McMahan
11/18: Wyoming (W 35-20)	184, Rice	141, Mann	82, Everts
11/25: Boy-Z State (W 31-21)	181, Rice	163, Mann	82, Everts
12/9: UNLV (W 28-12)	182, Brittain	137, Mann	60, Everts
1/2: Michigan (W 16-12)	278, Rice	50, Mann	81, Sampson

[BDawg35]

DEARLY DEPARTED FOLLOWING 2023



Freshman tight end transfers to SDSU

Air Force is suddenly in the market for a tight end.

The Falcons knew they would graduate Sugar Bowl hero Jon McMahan and backup Timmy Griffin from their tight end corps, but they got unexpected news when freshman Josh King chose to transfer to San Diego State.

The 73 OVR King claimed to be homesick. His chances of staying at Air Force were deemed low. B-Dawg promised him more than nine games and 30 catches, but that didn’t work. B-Dawg wasn’t going to promise him 50 catches, because his tight ends never come anywhere close to 50 catches.

Three-star tight end Ryan Mueller has been among Air Force’s targets all season.

Fabrizio Pinton, P, 95 OVR
Career stats: 119 punts, 4,795 yards, 40.3 avg., 59 long, 24 inside 20, 8 touchbacks

Nate Wilson, SS, 85 OVR
Career stats: 275 tackles, 53 TFL, 6 sacks, 2 interceptions, 5 deflections, 2 FF

Josh Green, DT, 83 OVR
Career stats: 65 tackles, 39 TFL, 24 sacks, 2 deflections, 2 FF, 2 FR

Cameron Everts, WR, 82 OVR
Career stats: 239 catches, 2,960 yards, 17 TD, 29 drops

Quinton Sanders, DE, 82 OVR
Career stats: 93 tackles, 39 TFL, 23 sacks, 2 FF, 3 FR

Halatoa Tai, FS, 80 OVR
Career stats: 63 tackles, 11 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 interception, 4 deflections, 2 FF, 2 FR, 2 TD’s

Timmy Griffin, TE, 79 OVR
Career stats: 7 catches, 71 yards, 1 TD, 1 drop

Marcus McConnell, WR, 78 OVR
Career stats: 49 catches, 601 yards, 6 TD, 9 drops

Cole Ridgeway, C, 78 OVR
Career stats: 13 pancakes, 3 sacks

Kaiser Cambra-Cho, CB, 77 OVR
Career stats: 65 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 sack, 3 interceptions, 5 deflections, 1 FF

Kyle White, FB, 77 OVR
Career stats: 13 carries, 44 yards, 1 TD; 7 catches, 44 yards, 0 TD

Adam Karas, OG, 77 OVR
Career stats: 20 pancakes, 1 sack

Cole Palmer, OLB, 76 OVR
Career stats: 30 tackles, 6 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FR

Tommy Brandt, OG, 76 OVR
Career stats: 18 pancakes, 5 sacks

David Whitfield, OLB, 76 OVR
Career stats: 157 tackles, 44 TFL, 8 sacks, 1 interception, 3 FF, 1 FR

Jon McMahan, TE, 76 OVR
Career stats: 70 catches, 843 yards, 5 TD, 9 drops

Jayden Goodwin, CB, 74 OVR
Career stats: 47 tackles, 8 TFL, 1 sack, 1 interception, 1 deflection

Nathan Hoffman, OT, 74 OVR
Career stats: 8 pancakes, 10 sacks

Josh King, TE, 73 OVR
Transfer: San Diego State (homesick)
Career stats: 4 catches, 22 yards, 0 TD

[BDawg35]

AIR FORCE CLASS OF 2024 RECRUITING



Air Force recruiting class ranks 49th

After six seasons in dynasty mode, you’d think B-Dawg would be a recruiting juggernaut at Air Force.

After all — and here’s the dirty little secret (shhhhhh) — this really is a video game, not real life.

Yet, the Falcons’ Class of 2024 ranks a pedestrian 49th in the nation, even though they finished the 2023 season ranked No. 2 in the country (again, it’s a video game). Not only that, but three other Mountain West Conference teams out-recruited Air Force.

Low numbers hurt the Falcons’ ranking. With only six players committing to Air Force during the season, the Falcons ended up with a class of 14 players. They lost 19 players to graduation or transfer.

Air Force has some quality in that class with three four-star recruits in receivers Eric Peterson and Lamar Hunter and defensive tackle Ashton Hogan.

“Of the guys in this class, Hogan is the one who intrigues me the most,” B-Dawg said. “We’ve had some defensive tackles with success, most notably Josh Green last season. Hogan will be higher rated later in his career, so he could be a wrecking ball in the middle.”

IN-SEASON RECRUITS
Eric Peterson, WR-15, 6-3, 196, North Brunswick, N.J., 4 stars
Matt Jackson, P-6, 5-10, 210, Bay City, Mich., 3 stars
Jonathan Bailey, OG-33, 6-0, 299, Panthersville, Ga., 3 stars
Brandon Mitchell, OT-34, 6-4, 315, Edison, N.J., 3 stars
David Joseph, WR-62, 6-4, 196, Woodburn, Ore., 3 stars
Cory Goode, WR-131, 5-11, 187, Lima, Ohio, 3 stars

OFFSEASON RECRUITS
Ashton Hogan, DT-8, 6-5, 247, San Diego, Calif., 4 stars
Lamar Hunter, WR-34, 5-11, 193, Southside, Ala., 4 stars
Brian Hubbard, DT-54, 6-2, 247, Downey, Calif., 3 stars
Fred Deluca, OLB-74, 6-4, 225, Lower Burrell, Pa., 3 stars
Reggie Gallagher, C-24, 6-2, 296, Rockcreek, Ore., 3 stars
Ryan Mueller, TE-30, 6-4, 259, Northfield, Vt., 3 stars
Cornelius Booker, OG-43, 6-2, 315, Silver City, N.M., 3 stars
Anthony Kelly, FB-26, 5-11, 257, Mount Pleasant, Texas, 2 stars

SIGNED ELSEWHERE
Will Grimes, OG-32, 6-3, 322, Watertown, S.D., 3 stars – PURDUE
Mikal Carpenter, QB-28, 6-4, 219, Waynesboro, Miss., 3 stars – OKLAHOMA STATE
Mike Banks, WR-47, 6-4, 198, Southwood Acres, Conn., 4 stars – PENN STATE
Curtis Thomas, OT-20, 6-5, 310, New Britain, Conn., 3 stars – ARIZONA
Justin Larkin, TE-27, 6-6, 275, Richland Hills, Texas – 3 stars – ARIZONA
Kenneth Evans, CB-27, 5-11, 189, Marion, S.C., 3 stars – DUKE

TOP 2024 RECRUITING CLASSES
1. Notre Dame
2. Nebraska
3. USC
4. Georgia
5. The U
6. Alabama
7. Penn State
8. Oklahoma
9.Auburn
10. Clemson
11. Texas
12. Iowa
13. Texas A&M
14. Mississippi State
15. Michigan
16. South Carolina
17. Mississippi
18. West Virginia
19. Ohio State
20. Arkansas State
21. LSU
22. Arkansas
23. Maryland
24. Florida State
25. Stanford
26. Hawaii
36. Boy-Z State
41. Fresno State
49. AIR FORCE
53. Navy
65. Army
66. UNLV
73. San Jose State
81. Colorado State
85. Utah State
92. New Mexico
96. San Diego State
102. Nevada
104. Wyoming

TOP CLASS OF 2024 RECRUITS
1. E.J. Jackson, ATH-1, 6-0, 186, Phenix City, Ala., 81 OVR – LSU
2. Jim Jones, ATH-2, 6-0, 204, Marksville, La., 81 OVR – ARKANSAS STATE
3. Marcus Smith, WR-1, 5-10, 177, Flowing Wells, Ariz., 81 OVR – MISSOURI
4. Andy Torres, ATH-3, 6-1, 223, Bellflower, Calif., 79 OVR – NOTRE DAME
5. Adam Shelby, ATH-4, 6-2, 173, Concord, Calif., 79 OVR – BRIGHAM YOUNG
6. Calvin Wallace, ATH-5, 6-4, 226, Paramount, Calif., 79 OVR – USC
7. Nick Steele, ATH-6, 6-3, 192, Jamestown, N.Y., 79 OVR – PENN STATE
8. Dedrick Garcia, WR-2, 6-4, 220, Santa Barbara, Calif., 78 OVR – TENNESSEE
9. Nick Whitehead, ATH-7, 6-7, 227, Long Beach, Miss., 78 OVR – MISSISSIPPI STATE
10. Ty Boyd, ATH-8, 6-1, 182, Trotwood, Ohio, 78 OVR – OKLAHOMA

[BDawg35]

2024 POSITION CHANGES/TRAINING



Chris Holt, 70 OVR RT to 69 OVR LG
Nate Allen, 64 OVR LT to 49 OVR TE
Willie Andrews, 66 OVR DT to 61 OVR RE

+7
Matt Howard, HB, Sr., 82 OVR

+6
Jared Mann, HB, Jr., 91 OVR
Chad Rice, QB, Soph., 91 OVR
Kyle Stegall, K, Soph., 88 OVR
Brandon Blount, QB, rFr., 85 OVR
Chris Holt, OG, Sr., 75 OVR
Phillip Nicholas, C, Soph., 74 OVR
Mark Fine, OG, Jr., 74 OVR
Scott McKenzie, CB, rFr., 73 OVR
Nate Allen, TE, Jr., 55 OVR

+5
Mark Monroe, CB, Sr., 96 OVR
Ryan Sampson, WR, rJr., 88 OVR
Jason Pratt, DE, Jr., 84 OVR
Patrick Dowdell, DT, Sr., 84 OVR
Kevin Moyer, QB, rJr., 83 OVR
J.B. White, WR, Soph., 79 OVR
Michael Freeman, HB, rJr., 79 OVR
Daniel Andrews, OLB, Jr., 78 OVR
Tim Mangum, DE, Sr., 78 OVR
Kory Williams, MLB, rSr., 77 OVR
Jason McGill, MLB, Jr., 76 OVR
Nick Lindsey, FS, rSoph., 76 OVR
Clarence Johnson, DE, rJr., 76 OVR
Paul Kenney, DT, rJr., 76 OVR
Craig Hunt, MLB, rSr., 76 OVR
Marion Benjamin, HB, Soph., 75 OVR
Grant Hayden, OLB, rSoph., 74 OVR
Brent Avery, MLB, rJr., 74 OVR
Matt Payne, OLB, Jr., 73 OVR
Jeff Gallagher, OT, Soph., 73 OVR
Kevin Leonard, SS, Soph., 73 OVR
Danny Rush, SS, rFr., 72 OVR
Ben Charles, WR, Soph., 72 OVR
Austin Parks, OG, Jr., 71 OVR
Larry Cruz, DT, rFr., 71 OVR
Victor Dukes, DE, rSoph., 69 OVR
Matt Humphrey, FS, rJr., 69 OVR
Frank Sharp, FS, rSoph., 68 OVR
Willie Andrews, DE, Soph., 66 OVR
Joe Talley, OG, rSoph., 59 OVR

+4
Ben Brittain, QB, rSr., 88 OVR
DeAndre McCollum, SS, Soph., 84 OVR
Brian Brown, WR, Soph., 84 OVR
Josh Watson, OT, Jr., 82 OVR
Phil Riggs, CB, rJr., 78 OVR
Alex Hemphill, DE, rJr., 75 OVR
Alan Richards, CB, rSoph., 74 OVR
William Davis, CB, rSoph., 72 OVR
Jason Prince, OLB, rJr., 69 OVR
Matt Keyes, OT, Soph., 65 OVR

+3
Brad Tremblay, FB, Sr., 83 OVR