Air Force football defeated Louisville (6-7), 31-28, Tuesday afternoon at the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The Falcons finished the 2021 season with a 10-3 record, reaching double-digit wins for the second time in three seasons and the ninth time in program history.
Quarterback Haaziq Daniels and wide receive Brandon Lewis had standout games to lead the offense. Daniels accounted for four touchdowns (two passing and two rushing) and threw for a career-high 252 yards. Lewis set an Air Force bowl record with 172 yards receiving on five catches. Daniels threw a pair of touchdown passes to Lewis, the first one going for 61 yards and the second one going for 64 yards.
Air Force scored first with a Daniels rushing touchdown from five yards out late in the first quarter. The Falcons made it a 14-0 lead early in the second after Daniel hit Lewis up the middle for the first big touchdown pass.
Louisville got on the scoreboard with a touchdown in the second quarter to make it 14-7. Air Force came right back as Daniels and Lewis connected for the second big touchdown pass to make it 21-7.
Jawhar Jordan then returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards as Louisville countered with a touchdown to make it 21-14. Air Force responded with an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive before the half, capped by a Daniels one-yard rush to make it 28-14 at the intermission.
The defenses for both teams clamped down in the second half. The Falcons were unable to get on the board in the third quarter, while Louisville punched in a touchdown with four seconds left in the quarter to make it a 28-21 game.
The Falcons then went to work on the clock, chewing up nine minutes and 36 seconds off the clock on a 17-play, 66-yard drive that culminated with a 26-yard field goal by freshman Matthew Dapore.
The kick was a big one, as Louisville made it a three-point game at 31-28 on a touchdown with 2:27 to play. The Falcons were then able to recover the ensuing onside kick and then get a pair of first downs to run out the clock and earn its 14th bowl win all-time and the sixth under head coach Troy Calhoun.
Air Force out-gained Louisville 422-402, including a 252-207 advantage through the air. Louisville quarterback led the Cardinal offense by passing for 207 yards and running for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Junior running back Brad Roberts led Air Force on the ground with 77 yards on 20 carriers. Roberts set a school record with 298 rushing attempts on the season. He finished with 1,352 yards rushing, which is third most in a season at Air Force.
Lewis finished the season with 20 catches for 600 yards. His 30 yards per reception set a new school record.
