Costly Fourth-Quarter Interceptions Derail Pokes at Air Force

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., -- The Wyoming Cowboys (3-4 overall, 1-2 MW) outgained high-powered Air Force (2-5 overall, 1-4 MW), but fourth-quarter miscues haunted the Brown and Gold in a 24-21 loss on Saturday afternoon inside Falcon Stadium on the campus of the United States Air Force Academy.

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"It came down to mistakes in the fourth quarter,” UW head coach Jay Sawvel said. “A turnover that kept us from getting seven or at least three (points), a bad interception that gave them three and then defensively we didn’t play as well in the second half as what we had in the first half. We had a couple critical situations where we could have got off the field and didn’t get that done. All of us share in that. We had four possessions in the first half. That’s the type of game it was going to be because we were going to defend them better than these other teams that give up touchdowns in three plays.

"So, it was going to be a different mindset. I thought in the third quarter we came out and just ran the ball. We needed to stay in that mode. Then we just made a couple mistakes at a couple critical points."

The Cowboys recorded 409 yards of total offense with 211 yards passing and 198 yards on the ground. Air Force rushed for 330 yards and had 363 yards of total offense.

The Wyoming offense was paced by running backs Terron Kellman and Samuel “Tote” Harris with each rushing for 83 yards. Kellman added two scores and Harris added four receptions for 42 yards. Wide receiver Jaylen Sargent added a season-high five catches for 65 yards.

Quarterback Kaden Anderson was 23-of-29 passing for 211 yards with a touchdown and interception.

The Cowboy defense was led by defensive end Tyce Westland with a career-high 14 tackles in the contest. He also added two tackles for loss and a pass breakup. Safety Andrew Johnson added eight tackles with fellow safety Jones Thomas adding seven.

The Falcons recorded a field goal on the opening drive of the contest with a drive over nine minutes. Wyoming responded with a nine-play, 74-yard drive that ended with a 23-yard score from Kellman for a 7-3 game with 1:29 left in the first quarter. Sargent made an acrobatic third down catch to highlight the drive for the Brown and Gold.

After forcing a Cowboy punt, The Falcons used an 11-play drive to tally their second field goal of the game for a 7-6 contest with under seven minutes remaining in the half. Neither team could add another tally as the contest went to the half.

Kellman found the endzone on anther 23-yard rush to open the third quarter for a 14-6 lead for the Cowboys. He converted on a fourth-down the previous play, as Wyoming marched 75-yards on 10 plays.

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Air Force answered with their first touchdown of the contest on a one-yard run from Liam Szarka, as the Falcons added the two-point conversion to make it a 14-14 game in the third frame.

A pair of turnovers in the fourth quarter would lead to 10 points from the Falcons for a 24-14 lead. Anderson found Michael Fitzgerald for a score late, but Air Force took the contest 24-21.

Air Force’s Szarka added 141 rushing yards with a touchdown to lead the team. Fullback Owen Allen added 105 yards on 10 carries.

The Cowboys return to action next Saturday hosting Colorado State for the Border War in a 5:30 p.m. start on CBS Sports Network.

FIRST QUARTER: Wyoming Cowboys Football 2025

Check out some photos from our photographer DJ Johnson and the University of Wyoming through fall camp and the first three weeks of the 2025 football season

Gallery Credit: DJ Johnson photos, University of Wyoming

Filed Under: Air Force Falcons, University of Wyoming Football

Categories: Featured, Football