Air Force Takes Off in Fourth to Defeat Lobos : WAC: Falcons score 27 points in the final quarter and overcome 20-point deficit to defeat New Mexico, 33-32.

Air Force wasn’t about to let New Mexico make it two in a row.

Last season, the Lobos knocked Air Force out of the Western Athletic Conference championship race with a close victory in the last game of the regular season.

But on Saturday, Air Force overcame a 20-point deficit to edge the Lobos, 33-32, and keep the Falcons’ hopes alive for at least another week.

The victory raised the Air Force record to 3-1 overall, 2-1 in conference play. New Mexico is 1-3 and 0-1.

Air Force scored 27 points in the final quarter to pull out the victory. Junior halfback Obasi Onuoha provided much of the offense with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Wayne Young scored another.

“This is proof that it is never over till it’s over,” Air Force Coach Fisher DeBerry said. “We did what we had to do. The defense gave us the opportunities and the offense capitalized.”

DeBerry said he told the team at halftime, “that we were not out of the game. . . . I told them this was reminiscent of our comeback against Utah in 1986 up there when we won, 45-35 (after trailing, 35-14).”

New Mexico freshman Winslow Oliver seemingly had put the game away less than two minutes into the fourth quarter when he answered Clarence Hopkins’ touchdown reception with an 80-yard run for his first collegiate touchdown. That made the score 32-12. Oliver, who averaged 121 yards in his first three games, finished with 186 yards in 31 carries.

But the running of Onuoha and Young and a series of mistakes by the Lobos put Air Force back into the game.

Onuoha, a 175-pound junior halfback, scored on a two-yard run with 11:06 to play to make it 32-19.

After a New Mexico fumble, Onuoha ran the ball in from the 11 and the score was 32-26.

Four plays into the next series, quarterback Stoney Case’s pass was intercepted by Alex Armour on the New Mexico 37-yard line. Nine plays later Young dived over for the tying score and Matt Glover’s kick made it 33-32.

New Mexico’s attempt to get into field-goal range ended with an interception.