Backup QB Connor Dietz ignites Air Force in second half, leading Falcons over Wyoming 10-0

Air Force holds off Wyoming, 10-0

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Connor Dietz came off the bench in the second half to spark the Air Force offense and Jared Tew scored a 17-yard touchdown to lead the Falcons to a 10-0 win over Wyoming on Saturday.

Air Force (4-3, 3-1 Mountain West) has now won four straight over the Cowboys (4-3, 2-1), whose three-game winning streak ended.

Tew led Air Force’s rushing attack, finishing with 105 yards while Savier Stephens added 46.

All week long, Air Force coach Troy Calhoun was mum on whether he would insert Tim Jefferson back into the starting lineup after a balky right ankle sidelined him for the TCU game last weekend.

Jefferson started, but couldn’t move the Falcons.

Dietz entered soon after halftime. He guided the Falcons to two scores, a 29-yard field goal by Erik Soderberg and the sealing TD run by Tew in the fourth quarter.

That was more than enough for Air Force’s defense, one of the stingiest in the nation. The Falcons shut out of a conference opponent for the first time since a 24-0 win at Colorado State in 1997.

The Cowboys were rolling along coming into Saturday. They had won three straight and were averaging more than 32 points a game since true freshman Austyn Carta-Samuels took over at quarterback.

But Carta-Samuels struggled against the Falcons, completing 14 of 31 passes for 74 yards. He also threw an interception and the Cowboys never moved the ball inside the red zone.

Brandon Stewart finished with 51 yards rushing while David Leonard had seven catches for 36 yards.

A stout Cowboys defense kept Air Force at bay for most of the game, but wore down late. Brian Hendricks finished with 23 tackles for Wyoming and John Fletcher had two sacks.

In the scoreless first half, the teams combined for 12 penalties and Air Force mustered 79 yards of offense.

The Falcons got inside the 5, but Asher Clark was stopped by Chris Prosinski and Shamiel Gary from the 3 before Jefferson’s fourth-down pass was knocked away by Tashaun Gipson in the corner of the end zone.

With time winding down in the opening half, the Cowboys caught the Falcons in a coverage mix up and Stewart broke into the clear along the sideline.

However, Carta-Samuels sailed a pass too far and Stewart caught it out of bounds near the Air Force 10.

Wyoming’s 47-yard field goal attempt just before halftime was blocked by Zach Kauth.