AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Quarterback Arion Worthman accounted for three touchdowns in a half’s worth of work and Air Force’s revamped defense allowed only six first downs, helping the Falcons cruise to a 62-0 win over VMI on Saturday.
Worthman ran for a short score and connected twice with receiver Geraud Sanders , including a 57-yard TD where Sanders was all alone. Worthman got the second half off as the Falcons (1-0) worked in the backups.
Air Force improved to 11-0 in season openers under coach Troy Calhoun, winning by an average of 37.5 points.
There was a scary moment early in the second quarter when VMI quarterback Austin Coulling took a big hit while going into a slide. He was strapped to a back brace and carted off the field. There was no immediate update on his condition.
Duncan Hodges took over and finished 5 of 10 for 3 yards.
The Keydets (0-1) were making their farthest trip west in school history to play a football game. Before this, their outermost excursion west was to College Station, Texas, to face Texas A&M in 1950.
Air Force figured to be a work in progress on defense after losing 11 of its top 12 tacklers from a season ago. But the Falcons held the Keydets to 95 total yards and forced more punts (10) than they allowed first downs.
The offense was in perfect step, scoring TDs on five of seven possessions in the first half before Calhoun began to work in the backups.
THE TAKEAWAY
VMI: It was a tall order for the Keydets, who were picked to finish ninth in the Southern Conference preseason poll. Coulling was 3 of 6 for 25 yards before being hurt.
AIR FORCE: Hard to read too much into this one — the Falcons simply did what they were supposed to do. They led 35-0 at halftime and never glanced back.
THIS & THAT
VMI coach Scott Wachenheim was a four-year starter for Air Force from 1980-83. He started his coaching career by serving as the offensive coordinator of the Falcons’ JV team in 1984. ... Falcons RB Tim McVey finished with 98 yards rushing and a score before getting the second half off. ... The Falcons worked in a fourth-string QB named Mike Schmidt.
UP NEXT
VMI: The Keydets face Catawba College out of North Carolina on Saturday.
AIR FORCE: After a bye week, the Falcons play at Michigan on Sept. 16. They lost in Ann Arbor 31-25 in 2012 when Denard Robinson accounted for four scores.
