Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/195693
Game Preview: Air Force Junior free safety Christian Spears leads the Falcons with two interceptions and ranks second with 52 tackles this year. photo courtesy air force Junior kicker Will Conant has been a steady performer for Air Force, making nine of 11 attempts on the season. He has even converted two of his three attempts from more than 50 yards out. Unfortunately for the Falcons, it will take touchdowns, not field goals, to upset the Irish at home. Advantage: Even a pair of service academies that highlights a fourgame stretch in which the Irish should go undefeated before heading to Stanford. This contest could allow Kelly to give extended minutes to some of his younger performers. Advantage: Notre Dame Coaching This is Air Force's Super Bowl, with little else to play for the rest of the season, save for a Nov. 2 matchup against Army. Even with the Falcons bringing everything they have, it is unlikely they produce an upset bid at home in Notre Dame's first visit to the school since 2006. Notre Dame players and Kelly have mentioned the desire to play a much better second half of the season than the 4-2 beginning, and struggles against the Falcons are not the way to head into November. This is easily Falcons head coach Troy Calhoun's worst season at the helm of Air Force. In his seventh season, the team stumbles into the Notre Dame game with six straight losses after topping Colgate in the season opener. The team is still searching for its first win over a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent, and it is unlikely to come against Notre Dame. After early-season stumbles, Kelly and his squad still have a lot to play for and begin a stretch against Intangibles