Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scor

FACTS & STATS: Site: Falcon Stadium (46,692) -- United States Air Force Academy, Colorado. Television: The Mountain. Home Record: Wyoming 3-2, Air Force 3-2. Away Record: Wyoming 2-1, Air Force 2-2. Neutral Record: Wyoming 0-0, Air Force 0-0. Conference Record: Wyoming 2-1, Air Force 1-3. Series Record: Air Force leads, 26-20-3.

GAME NOTES: On the road for three of their final four games of the 2011 regular season, the Wyoming Cowboys take on the Air Force Falcons in Mountain West Conference action in Colorado this weekend.

Last Saturday, the Cowboys were angling for their second three-game win streak of the campaign, but the team's offense was silenced in the second half of a 31-20 loss to TCU in Laramie. With the defeat, the Pokes are now third in the MWC standings at 2-1, trailing only the Horned Frogs and undefeated Boise State.

As for the Falcons, if nothing else they can celebrate the fact that they've retained the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy for the second straight year and the 18th time overall thanks to a 24-14 win over visiting Army last weekend. The win for Air Force was its second in a row and the fifth overall this season, putting the team on pace to become bowl eligible with three games remaining in the regular season.

Air Force slipped by Wyoming with a 20-14 win last season on the road, which means the Falcons now own a 26-20-3 advantage in the all-time series.

Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith went 17-of-26 for 210 yards and two touchdowns, adding four rushes for 69 yards on the ground before he was knocked out in the loss to TCU at home last week. Colby Kirkegaard stepped in and converted 5-of-10 passes for another 37 yards, but by then it was too late as the UW offense fell apart in the second half. Take away Smith from the rushing attack and the Pokes managed just 38 yards. Smith has been a pleasant surprise for the Cowboys this season, completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 234.4 ypg and a total of 13 touchdowns, but you have to wonder how well he will bounce back after last week's injury. Smith has been a crucial part of the rushing attack as well, averaging better than four yards per carry, en route to six TDs, so getting him back at full strength is critical moving forward as the team tries to make itself eligible for the postseason.

The Wyoming defense forced five turnovers by the Horned Frogs, but at the same time the Cowboys couldn't keep the visitors from running wild and charging up a staggering 390 yards and four touchdowns on 47 attempts. Brian Hendricks stepped up his efforts by posting one sack and a pair of forced fumbles, while Gabe Knapton recorded a couple of fumble recoveries. Luke Anderson was tied for the team lead with 11 tackles, nine of them solo efforts, and forced a fumble himself but it still was not enough. The 390 yards allowed on the ground was easily the most permitted by the Cowboys this season, but it was also the third time in the last five games that an opponent has recorded at least 300 rushing yards, so it is easy to see why Wyoming is now ranked seventh in the conference and 115th in the country with 231.5 ypg. The pass defense is a but more respectable (230.4 ypg), but overall the group is 111th in the country with 461.9 ypg allowed.

The Air Force offense came out flat in one of the more important games of the season for the academy, but in the second half the hosts responded, scoring 24 unanswered points in securing the double-digit win over Army. Quarterback Tim Jefferson posted scoring runs of one and two yards in the third frame and finished with 122 yards passing. Kicker Parker Herrington converted all three of his field goal attempts in the second half when Air Force drives stalled. Jefferson might not be a premier passer, but the fact that he adds another element to the offense means opponents can't always crowd the line of scrimmage and hope to snuff out any and all running plays. From time to time Jefferson catches opponents looking into the backfield, but for the most part the Falcons are and always will be a running team with 310.4 ypg which is tops in the conference and fourth in the country. An unsung hero for the Falcons, Jonathan Warzeka is averaging almost 90 all-purpose yards per game.

The Falcons gave up a pair of rushing TDs in the first quarter last Saturday, but from then on the Black Knights struggled as they fumbled the ball away four times and had a pass intercepted. Army was able to produce 340 yards on the ground, but that was expected given that the Knights entered the week ranked first in the country with a staggering 369.0 ypg. Air Force has long been a team that struggles when trying to slow down opposing ball carriers and at this point the squad is fifth in the conference and 111th in the nation with 219.2 ypg allowed. The academy rarely gets a strong push at the line of scrimmage, placing 119th in the nation with just 3.4 tackles for loss per game and 104th in terms of sacks, with a mere 1.3 per outing. Brady Amack has been ruthless in trying to slow down opponents this season, recording 10.4 tackles per game to rank second in the Mountain West and 14th in the country entering play this week.

As long as the Falcons can control the tempo and keep possession of the ball by running the ball over and over again, expect to see the academy back in the win column again this weekend.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Air Force 27, Wyoming 17