To go along with my article about the Mountain West Conference’s 10^th Anniversary, The Gazett ran a list of Air Force’s Top 5 football moments since joining the conference.

As promised, here are 10 more moments plus the original five, counting down in reverse order.

I’d love to hear which of these moments people enjoyed the most – and which ones we missed.

15. Big Comeback on Thursday Night

Air Force goes to halftime trailing Colorado State, 21-3, on Oct. 14, 2006, and it looks like the Falcons will add to their poor Thursday night record. But Air Force scores three unanswered touchdowns in the second half to steal a 24-21 victory.

14. Fisher’s Final Moment of Glory

Sparked by Adam Zanotti’s 98-yard fumble return for a touchdown, Air Force scores all its points in the first half and routs Army, 43-7. It turns out to be the last victory of the Fisher DeBerry Era, as the Falcons finish the season with four straight losses.

13. Bringing Home the Hardware

Air Force’s 2007 season is honored by the Mountain West Conference as Troy Calhoun earns the league’s coach of the year award and Chad Hall is named the league’s offensive player of the year. Center Blaine Guenther, outside linebacker John Rabold and cornerback Carson Bird all are named to the all-conference first team along with Hall.

12. Snowbowl

On Nov. 11, 2000, Air Force beats Colorado State, 44-40, in a wild game at Falcon Stadium. The game is played in a driving snow storm, but the teams still combine for more than 1,000 total yards.

11. Silicon Sweet

On Dec. 31, 2000, Air Force edges Fresno State, 37-34, in the Silicon Valley bowl to cap a 9-3 season. It still stands as the Falcons’ last bowl victory. Current Air Force coaches Mike Thiessen and Ben Miller help key the triumph.

10. Mr. Touchdown

During the 2002 season, Chance Harridge sets the NCAA record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 22. The record stands until 2007 when Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow of Florida breaks it.

9. California Dreamin’

Early in the 2002 season, Air Force goes on the road to knock off No. 23 California. It’s part of a 6-0 start.

8. All Air Force

On Oct. 12, 2002, the Falcons rout BYU, 52-9. It’s the largest margin of victory for the Falcons in the teams’ series, and it helps them vault into the polls.

7. Showing up in Force in Fort Worth

Air Force caps its turnaround 2007 season by appearing in a bowl for the first time since the 2002 campaign. The Falcons fall to Cal, 42-36, but the academy sets a record for bowl tickets sold with 12,000.

6. Ransacking The House That Rockne Built

Perhaps the highlight of a stretch in which Air Force wins six of seven regular season games in 2007. The Falcons take down Notre Dame, college football’s most storied program, 41-24.

5. Heartbreak on Rocky Top

In the Falcons’ 2006 opener, Air Force scores a pair of late touchdowns to pull within a point of No. 17 Tennessee in front of more than 100,000 fans at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. Air Force decides to go for two and the win, but Hall is stopped on a sweep and the Volunteers escape with a 31-30 victory.

4. Return to Glory

It takes just three games for Calhoun to register a signature win at the academy. On Sept. 13, 2007, Air Force trails Mountain West Conference favorite TCU, 17-3, with about 10 minutes left. But the Falcons score a pair of touchdowns – the second a 71-yard run on fourth-and-1 by Jim Ollis – to tie the game, then force overtime when Carson Bird makes an interception in the end zone late. Ryan Harrison kicks the game-winning field goal in overtime, and cadets storm the field.

3. AFA the Center of College Football Universe

On Oct. 19, 2002, Notre Dame brings an unbeaten record and the nation’s No. 7 ranking into Falcon Stadium to face unbeaten and No. 18 Air Force. ESPN College GameDay sets up shot at the academy and a national television audience watches as the Fighting Irish win, 21-14.

2. One Hall of a Game

Three weeks after breaking Air Force’s single-game rushing record at Colorado State, senior Chad Hall breaks his own record with 275 yards on 34 carries in a 30-10 victory over Army on Nov. 3, 2007. Hall also catches three passes for 19 yards and returns three punts for 39 yards, giving him 333 all-purpose yards in the game – also a new school single-game record – and 1,961 for the season – a new single-season mark.

1. Calhoun Comes Home

Following the 2006 season, former Air Force quarterback and assistant Troy Calhoun leaves his post with the NFL’s Houston Texans to take over for the legendary Fisher DeBerry. In Calhoun’s first season, Air Force rebounds from three consecutive losing seasons by going 9-4, participating in its first bowl game in five seasons and finishing second in the Mountain West Conference.

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