Recap and highlights: Air Force beats Washington State in Cheez-It Bowl

PHOENIX – Air Force’s ground attack eroded the Washington State defense, and the Falcons rushed for 371 yards in a 31-21 victory in the Cheez-It Bowl on Friday night at Chase Field.

Kadin Remsberg, who had 178 of those yards, ran for a 3-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal with 3 minutes, 50 seconds left to clinch the victory for Air Force.

The Falcons ran 81 plays to the Cougars’ 50, achieved 13 more first downs and outgained the Cougars 401 yards to 366. And in a game of limited possessions, Washington State’s inability to capitalize on red-zone scoring opportunities proved costly.

Faced with a fourth-and-goal from the 2 on their opening drive, the Cougars (6-7) failed to convert. Air Force (11-2) followed with a 20-play, 98-yard touchdown drive that gave the Falcons a 7-0 lead and set the tone for the game.

Air Force held the ball for 43:24, including more than 33 of the first 45 minutes.

Trailing 24-14 early in the fourth quarter, the Cougars again failed to convert on fourth down inside the Falcons’ 10-yard line.

Senior Brandon Arconado had a season-high 167 receiving yards and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the year, the first WSU receiver to do so since 2015.

Anthony Gordon threw for 351 yards and finished his senior year with 5,579, fifth most by a quarterback in a single season in Division I history. He threw touchdowns to Dezmon Patmon, Max Borghi and Arconado.

– Dan Thompson, For The Spokesman-Review

Pac-12 Networks / YouTube

First quarter

12:15 – WSU 0, Air Force 0: WSU running back Max Borghi is stuffed at the Air Force 2 and the Cougars opening drive comes up empty.

The Cougs started on their own 28 and, in four plays, raced down to the AFA 6. After two incomplete passes from Anthony Gordon, Borghi powered the ball to the 2 on third down and then was stopped on fourth down.

Second quarter

14:52 – Air Force 7, WSU 0: Falcons quarterback Donald Hammond III plunges into the end zone from 1-yard out to cap a 20-play, 98-yard drive.

Air Force took over at its own 2 and proceeded to move the ball down the field on the ground. AFA passed twice on the 12-minute, 23-second drive.

The Falcons picked up a 4th-and-1 at the WSU 15 to set up Hammond’s TD run.

10:43 – WSU 7, Air Force 7: Anthony Gordon connects with Dezmon Patmon on a 2-yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-goal to tie the game.

Gordon completed 7-of-10 passes on the drive for 70 yards. The WSU QB has 119 yards passing in the game.

Patmon has hauled in three passes for 22 yards. Brandon Arconado leads the Cougs in receiving yards with 66 on four catches.

Running back Max Borghi has four carries for 26 yards in the game.

1:19 – Air Force 17, WSU 7: The Falcons capitalize on Anthony Gordon’s fumble to push the lead to 10.

After Air Force made a 28-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead, Gordon fumbled on the Cougars first play from scrimmage. He was pressed in the pocket, tried to step up, and made contact with an offensive lineman and dropped the ball. Air Force was quick to jump on the loose ball at the WSU 27.

After three plays to move the ball to the WSU 3, Taven Birdow scored on a touchdown run for the Falcons.

0:24 – Air Force 17, WSU 14: Max Borghi catches a 5-yard touchdown pass from Anthony Gordon and the Cougars cut the Air Force lead to 3 just before halftime.

The Cougars went 75 yards in 55 seconds thanks to a 58-yard catch-and-run from receiver Tay Martin that took the Cougs down to the 5-yard line.

Gordon has 194 yards on 13-of-20 passing. Borghi has 31 total yards on five touches.

Halftime

Third quarter

8:19 – Air Force 24, WSU 14: Air Force quarterback Donald Hammond III makes a nice cut after keeping the ball on the option and scoots into the end zone with a 7-yard touchdown run.

The Falcons went 75 yards in 6:41 to open the second half and extend their lead to 10.

Hammond has 42 rushing yards and 30 passing yards for the game.

AFA leading rusher Kadin Remsberg picked up 39 yards on the ground during the drive and now has 130 yards on 17 carries.

Fourth quarter

9:59 – Air Force 24, WSU 21: Anthony Gordon hits Brandon Arconado with a 13-yard touchdown pass to get the Cougs back within one score.

The Cougars needed just 31 yards to find the end zone after a trick punt return gave Easop Winston Jr. space down the sideline to pick up 29 yards.

Gordon is up to 300 yards passing. Arconado has 160 yards receiving on 10 receptions.

3:50 – Air Force 31, WSU 21: On fourth-and-goal from the 3, Air Force running back Kadin Remsberg carries the ball just over the goal line to push the Falcons’ lead back to 10.

Remsberg took an option pitch and broke towards the pylon. He dove for the pylon and reached the ball inches into the end zone before WSU’s Tyrese Ross blasted Remsberg and knocked the ball free. After a short review, the call on the field of touchdown stood.

Remsberg has 178 yards on 26 carries.

Pregame