Oct 31, 2009 - 8:30 PM
0 shoutsFORT COLLINS, Colo.(AP) -- Tim Jefferson did less thinking and better playing.
Jefferson, starting for the injured Connor Dietz, threw two touchdowns passes and Air Force rolled to a 34-16 victory over Colorado State on Saturday.
"Before I would think a lot when I was out on the field," Jefferson said. "When I got to sit back and watch Connor, relax and see how the team moved progressively down the field. "I noticed I was able to do the same thing.
Jefferson completed 7-of-12 passes for 111 yards and ran for 35 yards of Air Force's 271 yards on the ground.
"Tim was better and was even more assertive and showed more maturity," Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said of Jefferson. "He seemed like he was older in the way he played."
Kyle Halderman scored two touchdowns and Erik Soderberg kicked two field goals, including a career-long 50-yarder for Air Force (5-4, 4-2 Mountain West).
Reggie Rembert had his third interception of the season and Air Force punted only once.
Grant Stucker ran for a touchdown and Ben LeLine had a 22-yard field goal for Colorado State (3-6, 0-5).
The Rams have lost six in a row, their longest streak since losing 13 in a row over 2006 and 07.
"We just couldn't put points on the board, couldn't stay in a drive," Stucker said. "We couldn't make the big play and we just couldn't execute."
The Air Force scored on its first two possessions and its final one of the first half to lead 17-10.
Jefferson threw a 7-yard scoring pass to Halderman in the middle of the end zone on Air Force's first possession to lead 7-0. Following a Rams' punt, Jared Tew capped an 11-play, 68-yard drive with a 6-yard run with 1:05 remaining in the first quarter.
Colorado State got within 14-10 in the second quarter. DeLine kicked a 22-yard field and Stucker scored on a 13-yard scramble around right end with 1:43 in the first half.
Air Force had enough time to drive to the Rams 33 and set up Soderberg's 50-yard field goal as time expired in the half.
The Falcons scored 17 unanswered points in the second half.
Jefferson threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Warzeka early in the third quarter to extend Air Force's lead to 23-10. The Falcons kept the drive alive when Jefferson completed a 31-yard pass to Kevin Fogler on third-and-18 from their own 14.
"That was a big-time play," Calhoun said. "Tim had pressure, got out of the pressure and just spontaneously made a play."
Halderman swept left end for a 14-yard touchdown run with 1:34 remaining in the third quarter. The Falcons added the 2-point conversion to make it 31-10.
Soderberg kicked a 30-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Lee Greenwood scored on a 2-yard run with 3:38 left for Colorado State.
From the Bleachers
-
AIR FORCE: 34
COLORADO STATE: 16
Final
Oct 31 6:53 PM -
NCAAF
TD COLORADO ST
LOU GREENWOOD 2 YD RUN
(TWO-POINT RUN CONVERSION FAILED)
AIR FORCE 34
COLORADO ST 16 3:48 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Oct 31 6:43 PM -
NCAAF
AIR FORCE 34
COLORADO ST 10 8:50 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Oct 31 6:23 PM -
AIR FORCE: 31
COLORADO STATE: 10
End of 3rd
Oct 31 6:23 PM -
NCAAF END, 3RD QTR
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
AIR FORCE 14 3 14 31
COLORADO ST 0 10 0 10 END, 3RD QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: AIR FORCE - TD, KYLE HALDERMAN 8 YD
PASS FROM TIMOTHY JEFFERSON
(ERIK SODERBERG KICK), 7:
Oct 31 6:23 PM -
NCAAF
FG AIR FORCE
ERIK SODERBERG 30 YD
AIR FORCE 34
COLORADO ST 10 8:50 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Oct 31 6:23 PM -
NCAAF
TD AIR FORCE
KYLE HALDERMAN 14 YD RUN
(KEVIN FOGLER RUN FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION)
AIR FORCE 31
COLORADO ST 10 1:34 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Oct 31 6:08 PM -
NCAAF
AIR FORCE 23
COLORADO ST 10 11:28 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Oct 31 5:48 PM -
AIR FORCE: 17
COLORADO STATE: 10
Halftime
Oct 31 5:38 PM -
NCAAF
FG AIR FORCE
ERIK SODERBERG 50 YD
AIR FORCE 17
COLORADO ST 10 0:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Oct 31 5:38 PM -
NCAAF
TD COLORADO ST
GRANT STUCKER 13 YD RUN
(BEN DELINE KICK)
AIR FORCE 14
COLORADO ST 10 1:43 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Oct 31 5:17 PM -
NCAAF
AIR FORCE 14
COLORADO ST 3 8:17 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Oct 31 5:02 PM -
AIR FORCE: 14
COLORADO STATE: 0
End of 1st
Oct 31 5:02 PM -
NCAAF END, 1ST QTR
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
AIR FORCE 14 14
COLORADO ST 0 0 END, 1ST QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: AIR FORCE - TD, KYLE HALDERMAN 8 YD
PASS FROM TIMOTHY JEFFERSON
(ERIK SODERBERG KICK), 7:
Oct 31 5:02 PM -
NCAAF
FG COLORADO ST
BEN DELINE 22 YD
AIR FORCE 14
COLORADO ST 3 8:17 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Oct 31 5:02 PM -
NCAAF
TD AIR FORCE
JARED TEW 6 YD RUN
(ERIK SODERBERG KICK)
AIR FORCE 14
COLORADO ST 0 1:05 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Oct 31 4:47 PM -
NCAAF
TD AIR FORCE
KYLE HALDERMAN 8 YD PASS FROM TIM JEFFERSON
(ERIK SODERBERG KICK)
AIR FORCE 7
COLORADO ST 0 7:14 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Oct 31 4:37 PM
