SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 22, 2014
San Diego State 30, Air Force 14: Donnel Pumphrey rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown, and the host Aztecs defeated the Falcons for the fifth straight time.
Quinn Kaehler was 17-of-30 for 326 yards and a touchdown to Adam Roberts as San Diego State (6-5, 4-3 Mountain West) became bowl-eligible for the fifth straight season with its seventh consecutive victory at home. Linebacker Calvin Munson returned an interception 56 yards for a score for the Aztecs.
Kale Pearson was 10-of-22 for 171 yards and a touchdown pass to tight end Garrett Griffin, and rushed for 59 yards for Air Force (8-3, 4-3), which had its four-game winning streak snapped. The Falcons were without leading rusher Jacobi Owens, who will miss the rest of the season because of a right foot injury.
San Diego State scored on the opening drive when Kaehler connected with Roberts for a 14-yard touchdown pass and after recovering a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, missed a chance to add to its lead when Weston Steelhammer intercepted Kaehler in the end zone. Air Force came to life as Pearson threw a 74-yard TD pass to Griffin and D.J. Johnson's 1-yard run with 17 seconds left in the first half gave the Falcons a 14-13 lead at the break.
After Donny Hageman's third field goal gave the Aztecs the lead for good, Pumphrey's 12-yard touchdown run finished an 84-yard drive and made it 23-14 with 2:05 left in the third quarter. San Diego State sealed the victory when Munson returned an interception 56 yards to complete the scoring with 2:44 left, and the Aztecs permitted 153 yards in the second half while holding its seventh straight opponent to less than 400 yards (329).