In a battle featuring two teams that prefer to run the football, Coach Troy Calhoun and the Air Force Falcons (-11) are set to host their conference rival Wyoming Cowboys at Falcon Stadium. This vital daytime game is scheduled to get underway at 2:00 p.m. ET and FCBK will televise the action.
Betting Preview: Air Force Falcons vs. Wyoming Cowboys
In this Saturday Mountain West game, Air Force is tabbed as the heavy favorite and the team’s currently giving up 11 points. The Cowboys are also receiving +315 moneyline odds while the Falcons are -425. Vegas has determined the over/under (O/U) to be 43 points. Some solid live betting opportunities could be unveiled during this game.
Both of these teams have rewarded gamblers this season as the Cowboys have gained 7.0 units while the Falcons are ahead 4.8 units.
The Cowboys have gone 7-4 straight up (SU), including 4-3 SU against conference opponents. The Falcons are 9-2 SU overall and 6-1 SU in conference play.
The Cowboys enter after a 17-7 win over Colorado State last week where Tyler Vander Waal completed just six passes on 13 attempts for 56 yards. Xazavian Valladay (154 rushing yards on 27 attempts) and Levi Williams (49 yards on 13 carries, one TD) led the ground attack in the win while Austin Conway (three receptions, 35 yards) and Raghib Ismail Jr. (three catches, 24 yards) handled the receiving duties.
Air Force is coming off of a sound 44-22 win over New Mexico. The team’s defense let the Lobos rush for 268 yards on 43 attempts, along with one rushing TD. Tevaka Salanoa-Tuioti had a productive showing in the loss for New Mexico, accounting for 79 rushing yards on eight attempts. For Air Force, Donald Hammond III completed nine-of-10 passes for 327 yards and four touchdowns. Hammond III (41 yards on 11 rush attempts, one TD) handled the ground game in the win as Geraud Sanders (five receptions, 156 yards, two TDs) and Benjamin Waters (four catches, 171 yards, two TDs) led the Air Force pass-catchers.
Wyoming has run the ball on 70 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Air Force has a rush percentage of 85.5 percent. The Cowboys have produced 217.1 rush yards per game (including 217.3 per game against Mountain West opponents) and have 25 touchdowns via handoffs this year. The Falcons are logging 304.4 rush yards per game (315 in conference) and have 36 total rushing TDs.
The Cowboys offensive scheme has tallied 129.5 yards per game through the air overall (138 per game versus conference opposition) and has eight passing scores so far. The Falcons have recorded 129.9 pass yards per outing (139 against MWC competition) and have 13 total pass TDs.
On the defensive side of the ball, Wyoming has allowed 93.7 rush yards and 276.2 pass yards per game. The Air Force defense has allowed 216.9 yards per game to opposing passers and 107.1 yards per game to opposing runners. The Cowboys are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of only 5.60 to opponents, while the Falcons have given up a 7 ANY/A.
Offensively, Vander Waal is up to 300 passing yards this year, and has connected on 25-of-52 attempts with one scores through the air and has yet to throw an interception. He’s got a 4.41 adjusted net yards per pass attempt overall, although that number is 0.98 over the past two games.
Donald Hammond III has connected on 42-of-82 passes for 1,039 yards, nine TDs and four INTs for Air Force. His ANY/A stands at 11.83 for the season and 26.10 across his past two games.
When these two programs met last year, Wyoming earned the win 35-27.
Wyoming Cowboys vs. Air Force Falcons Free Prediction
SU Winner: Air Force, ATS Winner: Air Force, O/U: Under
Betting Notes
- The Wyoming defensive unit has 31 sacks on the year while Air Force has just 23.
- Air Force has lost 11 fumbles this season while Wyoming has lost three.
- The Cowboys offense has recorded five pass plays of 40 yards or more, while the Falcons have put up 12 such plays.
- The Wyoming defense has allowed six pass plays of 40 or more yards, while Air Force has given up four such plays.
- The Wyoming offense has created 24 rushing plays of 20+ yards, while Air Force has created 20 such runs.
- Both defenses have allowed five rushing plays of 20+ yards. The Cowboys have given up 36 running plays of 10+ yards while the Falcons have given up 28 such plays.
- The O/U for Air Force’s previous match was set at 57.5. The over cashed in that 44-22 victory over New Mexico.
- In its last three games, Air Force is 1-2 ATS and the under cashed in two of those three.
- In its last three games, Wyoming is 2-1 ATS and the under cashed in each of those three.
- The Over/Under for Wyoming’s last game was 51. The under cashed in the team’s 17-7 win over Colorado State.
- As a team, Wyoming has produced 3.5 yards per carry over its past three games and 3.8 over its last two.
- Air Force has averaged 5.1 yards per carry over its last three outings and 4.6 over its last two.
