Falcon Crest

A new darkhorse BCS buster may have just slinked in the back door: Air Force

Downing TCU in OT last night, the surprising Falcons are 3-0, with wins over two of what should have been the top 3 teams in the Mountain West (they beat Utah last week). Next week, they go for the trifecta with a visit to already tarnished BYU.

If they get by BYU, they will have taken out the class of their conference and seized a pole position on a run for the Mountain West title. But could a 12-0 run be possible? Look what they have left. They could do it, there are a lot of decent teams in their way, but probably nobody as bad as what they would have already beaten if they down BYU.

If they DO pull it off, this is a Cinderella run for the ages...

@BYU
A big toughie. BYU beat Arizona and lost a narrow one to UCLA. Beating BYU would say a lot about who Air Force is and set the stage for a Cinderella run.

@Navy
Obvious rivalry game and the class of the service academies right now. Winning at BYU says they can beat Navy. Winning at Navy says they are trouble.

UNLV
These guys played Wisconsin tough last week, but barely beat historically putrid Utah State the week before. They might be real, but they might not. Either way, probably NOT as bad as BYU, TCU and Utah -- and also a home game.

@Colorado State
Beaten narrowly by Colorado. Then beaten narrowly by Cal. This is a team on the rise, but again a team that on paper right now Air Force could beat.

Wyoming
Cowboys are 2-0 and have already beaten Virginia and Utah State convincingly. This could be the toughest game left on the Air Force schedule. And, it could also be a battle of unbeatens for the conference title (though Wyoming plays Boise this week). Much like Air Force, Wyoming could also be a dark horse unbeaten BCS buster. More on that if they beat Boise State tomorrow.

@New Mexico
Probably the 2nd easiest game on the slate. NM is 1-1, hasn't played anybody, and hasn't looked good doing it.

Army
Definitely the easiest team left on the schedule.

@Notre Dame
Three weeks ago, this was considered one of the easiest games on ND's schedule. Imagine getting to Nov 10 with an unbeaten Air Force playing an Irish team that absolutely must have this win to stay bowl eligible...

San Diego State
Only one game thus far -- a thorough pounding by Washington State. At this early vantage point, this late game looks quite winable.

Crazy?

Well, yes, it's way early to say this is anything but a remote possibility. But, as with Wyoming and a quickly shrinking list of other mid-majors, an unbeaten run for Air Force is no less likely than any of the others. The thing that makes this interesting is the unlikely roll through an early tough pile of opponents without losing. In some ways, Air Force has already done a lot of the heavy lifting without anyone really paying attention.

Of course, even unbeaten, there is no assurance that they get a BCS bid (though it would be a crime if they did not).

NOBODY was looking at Air Force as undefeated potential at the beginning of the year. Phil Steele picked Air Force dead last in the conference, but they've now beaten two of the three teams he picked at the top. Toss in the suddenly soft Notre Dame, and a Navy team that is a tad weaker than in past years, and the stars may be lining up.

BYU next week will say a lot.

You heard it here first.