Falcons Drill Rams in Season Finale

COLORADO SPRINGS(AP) -- Shaun Carney threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns, and Air Force scored four touchdowns in the second half to turn a close game into a 47-17 rout over Colorado State Saturday in the season finale for both teams.

Anthony Butler and Adam Cole each ran for two touchdowns for Air Force (5-6, 3-4 Mountain West), which scored on seven of its first eight possessions and had 576 total yards to end a three-game losing streak to Colorado State.

The resounding victory against their instate rivals had to feel good to the Falcons after a disappointing season. Air Force finished with a losing record for the first time since 1993 and just the third time under coach Fisher DeBerry.

Colorado State (4-7, 2-5) had a big first half offensively, but couldn't keep it going in the second to close out its worst season since going 3-8 in 1991. The Rams had just 30 yards in the third quarter and were horrible defensively -- again -- giving up 373 yards rushing.

After a surprisingly high-scoring first half in frigid conditions, Air Force pulled off another surprise by pulling away in the third quarter instead of wilting.

The Falcons had been outscored 102-48 during the third in their first 10 games, but that trend didn't continue Saturday. They went 80 yards on their first drive and capped it with Cole's 2-yard touchdown run, then pushed the lead to 34-17 on Carney's 5-yard touchdown pass to J.P. Waller.

Darnell Stephens scored on a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter, and Cole added his second score midway through on a 2-yard run that put the Falcons up by 30.

Snow was coming down sideways and the wind chill was 13 degrees at the start, and it only got colder as the game progressed. Neither team seemed to have much trouble with the conditions, particularly the quarterbacks.

Carney hit Stephens on a 31-yard pass on Air Force's first drive to set up Butler's 7-yard touchdown run, then found Waller for a 35-yard touchdown pass to put the Falcons up 14-10 early in the second quarter.

Carney also took the Falcons 80 yards for Butler's second touchdown, a 3-yard run with 4 seconds left that put Air Force up 21-17 at halftime. He was 6-for-12 for 123 yards in the first half -- more than he had in four games this season -- despite several drops by his receivers.

Carney finished 11-of-18 and ran for 93 yards on 17 carries.

Caleb Hanie completed his first eight passes and hit Kory Sperry on a 31-yard touchdown pass on Colorado State's first drive. He added a 30-yard completion to Marcus Houston late in the second quarter that set up Johnny Walker's 20-yard reverse for a 17-14 lead.

Hanie finished 17-for-27 for 229 yards, but was just 6-of-14 for 53 yards with an interception in the second half.