SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 1, 2014
Air Force 23, Army 6: Kale Pearson connected with Garrett Griffin on a pair of touchdown passes as the visiting Falcons claimed their 19th Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.
Jacobi Owens rushed 27 times for 118 yards as Air Force (6-2) rolled up 242 on the ground en route to winning for the fifth time in six outings. Pearson went 8-for-12 for 141 yards and Will Conant connected from 50 yards among his three field goals.
Nursing a 6-3 lead in the third quarter, Air Force extended its advantage as Griffin reeled in a short pass from Pearson over the middle, avoided an attempted tackle by freshman Rhyan England and scampered the rest of the way for a 54-yard touchdown. Conant drilled a 50-yard field goal on the Falcons' next possession for a 16-3 edge - his second kick this season from at least that distance and fifth career.
Dan Grochowski's 46-yard field goal trimmed Air Force's lead to 16-6, but Pearson rolled to his right before connecting with Griffin on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 7:05 remaining in the fourth that capped an 11-play drive. The Black Knights (2-6) mustered little else and fell for the third straight time and for the sixth time in seven outings since a 47-39 season-opening victory over Buffalo.
Grochowski made a 42-yard field goal and sent a 41-yard attempt wide in the first quarter before Conant connected on 38- and 26-yard kicks in the second. Air Force enjoyed a 180-68 edge in total yards in the first half, but only had a 6-3 lead to show for it.