Air Force’s pattern of shootout losses continues in 44-35 setback vs. Hawaii
The same shrill tune is stuck on repeat for Air Force football.
This time it was Hawaii that came to Falcon Stadium and won 44-35, putting up 535 yards of offense to negate an attack for the Falcons that saw sophomore quarterback Liam Szarka set a school record for total offense in a game with 417 yards.
For three weeks, this has been the story. Air Force (1-3, 0-3 Mountain West) puts up big points, the opponent puts up even more.
“We’ve got to get it right,” linebacker Luke Fisher said Saturday. “We’ve got to grow up.”
Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado torched the Falcons – who started two freshmen in the secondary – for 457 yards and three touchdowns as he completed 35-of-47 attempts.
The Rainbow Warriors (4-2, 1-1) also ran for 78 yards and posted their first two rushing touchdowns of the season.
This marks three consecutive seasons that the Falcons have lost at least three games in a row. They dropped four straight in 2023 after an 8-0 start, one of those losses coming at Hawaii. Last year they dropped seven in a row after winning the opener, a similar situation to where they currently find themselves.
“At the end of the day we’ve got to execute and we’ve got to finish,” said tailback Kade Frew, who scored a touchdown in the third quarter.
Hawaii Warriors defensive back Matagi Thompson (25) hits Air Force Falcons running back Owen Allen (2) at the line of scrimage for a short gain during the first half Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)Hawaii posted a pair of 6-play, 75-yard touchdown drives on their first two possessions. Air Force answered the first one, but on the second was stuffed on a fourth-and-4 quarterback keeper from the 9-yard line after opting against a field goal.
“I just thought we were going to need some touchdowns,” coach Troy Calhoun said of the decision.
The Falcons were also stopped on a fourth down in the third quarter on a trick play when receiver Quin Smith (caught three passes for 110 yards and a touchdown) threw to a wide open fullback Owen Allen, who couldn’t corral it.
Calhoun called it a “calculated risk” throwing a relatively deep pass to a player not typically placed in that position.
The aggressive mindset is necessitated by a defense that entered the week giving up the most yards per play in the nation (9.1) and has given up 49 (at Utah State), 49 (vs. Boise State) and 44 points in its three Mountain West games.
Hawaii showed why the Falcons felt the need to press, dominating time of possession 37:24 to 22:36 and controlling the ball for more than 12 minutes on a 24-play drive in the second quarter.
The Rainbow Warriors were 14 of 19 on third down.
Despite all this, Hawaii’s lead was at just six points until a field goal with 34 seconds remaining in the game.
Szarka, who made his first start after coming on in relief in the first three games while rotating with Josh Johnson, completed 10-of-12 passes for 278 yards, three touchdowns and an interception that resulted from a hit while he was throwing. He also ran 17 times for 139 yards.
His 417 total yards eclipsed the previous program record of 394 from quarterback Arion Worthman at Navy in 2017.
“(He) did make some plays, yet, in fairness, I think when you’re down a couple of scores there’s a little more space, there are a few more yards,” Calhoun said. “We’ve got to get where we aren’t down a couple of scores, and that’s a team commitment.”
