Army erased a 10-point halftime deficit and rallied to take the lead in the third quarter, but Air Force answered with a go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth and held on for a 24-21 victory over the Black Knights on Saturday night at Michie Stadium.

The loss dropped Army to 5-4 overall and 4-2 in the American Conference, leaving the Black Knights one win short of bowl eligibility. Air Force improved to 7-2 and 3-2 in the Mountain West before a crowd of 33,575.

Army trailed 17-7 at halftime but scored 14 unanswered points in the third quarter to take its first lead of the night. The Black Knights could not add to that advantage, however, as the Falcons controlled the ball for much of the fourth quarter and used a 10-play drive to run out the final 5:27.

Army’s defense gave the Black Knights an opportunity to pull even or take the lead when it stopped Air Force on fourth down at the Army 1-yard line with 7:11 remaining. But Army gained just 2 yards on its ensuing possession before punting, giving the Falcons another opportunity to close out the game.

The Black Knights relied heavily on their ground game, rushing for 182 yards on 44 carries. Godspower Nwawuihe led Army with 82 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown, while Bryson Luter added 81 yards and a score on just nine attempts. Luter provided one of the game’s biggest plays with a 39-yard run during Army’s third-quarter comeback.

Cale Hellums rushed 13 times for 34 yards and a touchdown while completing five of 10 passes for 38 yards and an interception. Army finished with just 38 passing yards but converted three of four fourth-down attempts and scored touchdowns on both trips inside the red zone.

Air Force was more productive offensively, rushing for 260 yards on 52 carries and finishing with 344 yards of total offense. Kemper Hodges led the Falcons with 119 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Gage LaDue added 65 yards on 11 attempts, while quarterback Evan Medders rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown and completed six of eight passes for 84 yards and another score.
Army opened the game with a promising 15-play drive that consumed more than eight minutes, but the possession ended without points when Dawson Jones missed a 46-yard field goal attempt.

Air Force answered with a 67-yard drive, settling for a 21-yard field goal after Stephen Nnadozie broke up a third-down pass in the end zone to keep the Falcons out of the end zone.

The Black Knights’ next possession ended in costly fashion. On fourth-and-9, punter James Wagenseller was ruled down after his knee touched the ground while he held the ball, giving Air Force possession at the Army 13-yard line.

The Falcons needed only three plays to capitalize, with Hodges scoring on a 3-yard run to make it 10-0 with 12:40 remaining in the first half.

Army responded with a 15-play, 75-yard drive that included two fourth-and-1 conversions. Nwawuihe broke free for a 21-yard touchdown run with 3:23 left in the half, cutting the deficit to 10-7.

But Air Force answered before the break. The Falcons covered 75 yards in 10 plays, with Medders scoring on a 4-yard run with seven seconds remaining to restore the 10-point advantage.

Army’s defense forced consecutive three-and-outs to open the second half, giving the offense an opportunity to get back into the game. After the second stop, Army took possession at its own 44-yard line.

The Black Knights turned to backup quarterback Luter for a spark, and he delivered. Following a 5-yard run by Nwawuihe, Luter broke loose for 39 yards to the Air Force 12. He carried five times for 50 yards on the drive before Hellums returned at quarterback and scored on a 1-yard run. The touchdown made it 17-14 with 6:07 remaining in the third quarter.

Army’s defense then forced another Air Force three-and-out. When the Falcons attempted a fake punt on fourth-and-3 from their own 32, Brian Ray III stopped Hodges short of the first down, giving Army possession at the Air Force 34.

Three plays later, Luter put the Black Knights in front. After an 11-yard keeper and a 4-yard run by Nwawuihe, Luter broke loose for a 19-yard touchdown run. Jones’ extra point gave Army a 21-17 lead with 2:40 left in the third quarter.

The lead did not last long.

Air Force moved 75 yards in seven plays, with Medders contributing a 14-yard run and a 25-yard completion to Mason Hayes. After the drive continued into the fourth quarter,

Medders connected with Kibbee for a 24-yard touchdown pass. Kibbee caught the ball at the Army 10 and carried it into the end zone, putting the Falcons back in front, 24-21, with 14:25 remaining.

Army threatened to respond, but Hellums’ deep pass intended for Zach Mundell was intercepted by Korey Johnson at the Air Force 44 with 12:18 left.

The Falcons then put together a lengthy drive that appeared poised to produce another touchdown. Hodges gained 46 yards on five carries, moving Air Force inside the Army 5-yard line.

A false-start penalty pushed the Falcons back, and Army’s defense dug in. Jaxon Hammond and Jack Bousum stopped Medders for no gain on third-and-2. On fourth down, Kai Woolfolk and Bousum stopped Rocco Conti after a 1-yard gain, turning the ball over to Army at its own 1 with 7:11 remaining.

The defensive stand went for naught, however, as Army managed just 2 yards before punting. Wagenseller’s 65-yard kick gave Air Force possession at its own 32 with 5:27 remaining.

The Falcons never gave the ball back. LaDue converted a third-and-6 with an 8-yard run to the Army 19, and Medders took three knees to seal the victory.

Caleb Williams and Woolfolk led Army’s defense with eight tackles apiece. Nnadozie and Dillon Stowers added seven tackles each.
The victory also secured the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for Air Force for the first time since 2022. The Falcons had defeated Navy, 14-9, on Oct. 3.

Army has a bye next week before returning to Michie Stadium on Nov. 21 to host East Carolina. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.

The Pirates are 5-4 overall and 3-2 in the American Conference after defeating South Florida, 20-17, on Nov. 6 on a 55-yard field goal as time expired.

East Carolina holds a 9-1 advantage in the all-time series. Army’s only victory came in 2024, when the Black Knights won 45-28. The Pirates won the most recent meeting, 28-6, on Sept. 25, 2025.