Amazing Comeback Falls Just Short

Trailing Air Force by three points with 14 seconds left, Fresno State was going to go for the win, not the tie.

The Bulldogs faked a field goal, but holder Jason Simpson’s pass to Giachino Chiaramonte fell incomplete in the end zone and Air Force claimed the inaugural Silicon Valley Classic on Sunday, 37-34.

Fresno State had practiced the fake, knowing Air Force’s kick-blocking abilities. When the Falcons put two jumpers--linebackers Corey Nelson and Kevin Runyon--in the middle, the play was called.

“We just didn’t make the play, and, if anything, we just ran out of time,” Coach Pat Hill said.

Just before the fake, Fresno State’s David Carr spiked the ball on third and seven and called a timeout. Hill said the spike was a miscommunication.

It could have given the Bulldogs an edge, however, because Air Force put all its focus on the kick and left Chiaramonte and another receiver open. Simpson’s pass simply went too long.

“When they spiked the ball on third down, I felt they were determined to go for the tie, so we had all 11 prepared to rush the field goal,” Air Force Coach Fisher DeBerry said.

Fresno State had climbed back from a 34-7 halftime deficit, but couldn’t quite overcome the Falcons’ first-half outburst.

Mike Thiessen hit Scotty McKay with two touchdown passes, and ran for two more scores--all in the first half. Thiessen completed 12 of 24 passes for 204 yards.

Dave Adams added field goals of 37, 46 and 24 yards for Air Force (9-3).

Carr completed 22 of 33 passes for 291 yards and five touchdowns. But Fresno State (7-5) appeared unprepared for all the passing from the option-oriented Falcons.

“We searched and searched in the first half, trying to figure out why we weren’t moving the ball. Then we just started to make some big plays,” Carr said. “The second half, we just seemed to have the right plays called at the right time.”

All except the last one.