Air Force notes: Fort Hood remembered
Fort Hood remembered
A moment of silence was held before the game to honor the 13 people killed Thursday in a shooting spree at Fort Hood in Texas. Flags across the academy also were flown at half-staff, including the one at Falcon Stadium.
“It tugs on you,” Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said, fighting back tears. “You’re talking about service members getting ready to deploy.”
A familiar position
Air Force could be headed to the Armed Forces Bowl for a third straight year.
If TCU qualifies for the Bowl Championship Series and the Mountain West Conference stays true to form, Utah and BYU would earn the top two spots, the Las Vegas Bowl and the Poinsettia Bowl. The Armed Forces Bowl and the New Mexico Bowl share the third and fourth picks, and the No. 5 finisher goes to the Humanitarian Bowl.
“We’re the Armed Forces Bowl, so it makes sense to always try to have a military team,” said Brant Ringler, executive director of the Dec. 31 game in Fort Worth, Texas. “It will come down to team records. And then, what’s easiest for the fans?”
Trophy to Navy
The win by Air Force gives Navy the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, awarded to the top service academy, for the seventh straight season. Navy beat Air Force 16-13 in overtime, and it can claim the trophy outright by topping Army on Dec. 12 in Philadelphia. If Army wins, Navy retains the trophy because it had it last season.
