LIBERTY BOWL : Air Force Uses Ground Attack to Upset Ohio State

It may be called the Air Force Academy, but Coach Fisher DeBerry’s Falcons don’t strike through the air.

Instead, the Falcons prefer the rough and rugged ground game displayed Thursday night as they upset No. 24 Ohio State, 23-11, in the Liberty Bowl.

Air Force ran 61 times for 254 yards, with quarterback Rob Perez getting 93 yards in 26 carries. He passed only three times, completing one for 11 yards and having another intercepted.

The Falcons (7-5), a 17-point underdog, had built a 13-5 lead on a pair one-yard touchdown runs by Perez. Then, after Ohio State (7-4-1) got back within two points, Air Force’s Carlton McDonald put the game away with a 40-yard interception-return touchdown. It was McDonald’s second interception of the game.

“I thought Perez did an excellent job of moving the team,” DeBerry said. “In my opinion, (it was) one of the greatest wins in the history of Air Force Academy football. We proved we deserved to be here. I don’t know if I’ve ever been prouder of a team.”

Despite having a weight advantage of about 50 pounds per man along the line of scrimmage, Ohio State had trouble throughout trying to run against the quicker Air Force defense.

The Buckeyes finally scored a touchdown with 13:21 to play on a 29-yard run by Robert Smith. Kent Graham, replacing starter Greg Frey, moved Ohio State 69 yards in four plays for the touchdown.

Graham’s 21-yard completion to Brian Stablein produced a first down at the Air Force 36, and Smith carried for seven yards before scoring from the 29 to pull Ohio State within 13-11.

Ohio State went for a tying two-point conversion, but Graham overthrew Bobby Olive at the back of the end zone.

Air Force responded with a time-consuming drive, but missed out on a possible clinching touchdown when Perez and fullback Rodney Lewis mishandled a handoff and Ohio State’s Jim Peel recovered at the Buckeye 12 with 6:59 to play.

But Ohio State couldn’t capitalize, as Air Force stopped the Buckeyes’ passing game, chasing Frey out of the pocket repeatedly and forcing a punt.

When Jeff Bohiman’s kick went only 12 yards, Air Force had the ball at the Ohio State 36 with another opportunity to lock up the game.

This time, Joe Wood kicked a 46-yard field goal to give Air Force a 16-11 lead with 2:47 to play.

Forced to score a touchdown, Ohio State came out passing. McDonald was waiting on Frey’s pass to the sideline and ran untouched to the Ohio State end zone.

The Falcons, members of the Western Athletic Conference, impressed the Buckeyes of the Big Ten.

“We’ve never played a wishbone team like they play (the wishbone),” Buckeye linebacker Steve Tovar said. “They ran it to perfection, the best I’ve ever seen it. We just couldn’t adjust.”

“I told you that Air Force was well disciplined and well prepared,” Ohio State Coach John Cooper said. “We probably played well enough defensively to win this game . . . but not offensively. We didn’t protect the quarterback and never got our running game going.”

Ohio State dominated the opening minutes of play, converting a bad punt snap into a safety and then driving to a field goal for a 5-0 lead.

The Buckeyes had the Falcons on the ropes minutes later, when Bobby Thomas muffed a punt and Ohio State’s Vinnie Clark recovered at the Buckeye 45.

Ohio State marched to the Air Force 15, but Frey was sacked by Virgil Simpson for an 11-yard loss and Williams then missed a 43-yard field goal attempt.

Given a reprieve, Air Force finally got its wishbone attack going.