1988 Air Force Falcons football team

1988 Air Force Falcons football
Conference	Western Athletic Conference
Record	5–7 (3–5 WAC)
Head coach	Fisher DeBerry (5th season)
Offensive scheme	Wishbone triple option
Captain	All seniors
Home stadium	Falcon Stadium
Seasons ←  1987 1989  →

1988 Western Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Wyoming $	8	–	0	–	0			11	–	2	–	0
UTEP	6	–	2	–	0			10	–	3	–	0
Hawaii	5	–	3	–	0			9	–	3	–	0
BYU	5	–	3	–	0			9	–	4	–	0
Utah	4	–	4	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Air Force	3	–	5	–	0			5	–	7	–	0
San Diego State	3	–	5	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
New Mexico	1	–	7	–	0			2	–	10	–	0
Colorado State	1	–	7	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
$ – Conference champion

The 1988 Air Force Falcons football team represented the United States Air Force Academy in the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The Falcons were coached by Fisher DeBerry and played their home games at Falcon Stadium.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 3	at Colorado State	Hughes Stadium Fort Collins, CO (rivalry)	W 29–23	25,471	[1]
September 11	at San Diego State	Jack Murphy Stadium San Diego, CA	L 36–39	20,112	[2]
September 17	Northwestern *	Falcon Stadium Colorado Springs, CO	W 62–27	42,612	[3]
September 24	Wyoming	Falcon Stadium Colorado Springs, CO	L 45–48	44,028	[4]
October 1	New Mexico	Falcon Stadium Colorado Springs, CO	W 63–14	38,615	[5]
October 8	Navy *	Falcon Stadium Colorado Springs, CO (Commander-in-Chief's Trophy)	W 33–24	50,570	[6]
October 15	at Utah	Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT	W 56–49	25,331	[7]
October 22	at No. 2 Notre Dame *	Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)	L 13–41	59,075	[8]
November 5	at Army *	Michie Stadium West Point, NY (Commander-in-Chief's Trophy)	L 15–28	40,660	[9]
November 12	BYU	Falcon Stadium Colorado Springs, CO	L 31–49	40,218	[10]
November 19	at UTEP	Sun Bowl El Paso, TX	L 24–31	35,595	[11]
November 26	at Hawaii	Aloha Stadium Halawa, HI (rivalry)	L 14–19	43,942	[12]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[13]

Game summaries

BYU

BYU Cougars (7–2) at Air Force Falcons (5–4)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
BYU	7	14	14	14	49
Air Force	10	7	14	0	31

at Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs, Colorado

• Date: November 12, 1988
• Game weather: 44 °F (7 °C)
• Game attendance: 40,218
• Box Score

Game information

First quarter AFA – Steve Yarborough 44-yard field goal. Air Force 3–0. AFA – Greg Johnson 3-yard run (Steve Yarborough kick). Air Force 10–0. BYU – Fred Whittingham 3-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). Air Force 10–7. Second quarter BYU – Sean Covey 1-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 14–10. AFA – Dee Dowis 4-yard run (Steve Yarborough kick). Air Force 17–14. BYU – Tyler Anderson 41-yard pass from Sean Covey (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 21–17. Third quarter BYU – Matt Bellini 21-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 28–17. AFA – Dee Dowis 6-yard run (run failed). BYU 28–23. AFA – Dee Dowis 15-yard run (run good). Air Force 31–28. BYU – Tony Crutchfield 79-yard kickoff return. BYU 35–31. Fourth quarter BYU – Sean Covey 2-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 42–31. BYU – Mike Salido 5-yard run (Jason Chaffetz kick). BYU 49–31. Top passers BYU – Sean Covey – 10/16, 159 yards, TD AFA – Dee Dowis – 3/8, 97 yards, 2 INT Top rushers BYU – Matt Bellini – 21 rushes, 138 yards, TD AFA – Greg Johnson – 15 rushes, 112 yards, TD Top receivers BYU – Mike Salido – 4 receptions, 47 yards AFA – Albert Booker – 2 receptions, 58 yards

Roster

1988 Air Force Falcons football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class OL Kevin Bell RB Albert Booker QB Troy Calhoun Sr WR Greg Cochran WR Mark Crossman QB Dee Dowis Jr RB Ron Gray OL David Hlatky OL Scott Hollister RB Chris Howard RB Greg Johnson OL Jeff Johnson RB Tim Kosmatka RB Rodney Lewis QB Lance McDowell OL Jim Payne RB Anthony Roberson WR Steven Senn RB Andy Smith RB Ken Spencer WR Mark Weber	Defense Pos. # Name Class DL Kenny Gibaldo LB Randle Gladney DB James Hecker LB Brian Hill DL Tom Kafka DB Gary Kilmer LB Mark Lyons DB Mario Mathis DL Pat McNelis LB Joe Powell DL Darryl Sumrall DB Andy Toth LB Terry Walker	Special teams Pos. # Name Class P Chris Blasy K Steve Yarborough	Head coach Fisher DeBerry Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt

References

1. "Air Force runs to 29–23 win over Colorado State". The Daily Sentinel. September 4, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
2. Curt Holbreich (September 12, 1988). "Last of Hewitt's 259 Yards Lifts Aztecs to 39–36 Win". The Los Angeles Times (San Diego County ed.). p. III-1. Retrieved January 18, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
3. "NU defense lets Air Force fly high". Chicago Tribune. September 18, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
4. "Cowboys work 'miracles' against Falcons". Casper Star-Tribune. September 25, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
5. "Air Force wipes out UNM 63–14". Alamogordo Daily News. October 2, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
6. "Air Force topples Navy, 34–24, for seventh stright in series". The Baltimore Sun. October 9, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
7. "Air Force runs past Utah in scoring battle". The Charlotte Observer. October 16, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
8. "Irish overcome jitters to whip Air Force". The Indianapolis Star. October 23, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
9. "Bowl-bound Army beats Air Force". The Journal News. November 6, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
10. "BYU runs down Air Force". The Salt Lake Tribune. November 13, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
11. "UTEP clinches Independence bid". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. November 20, 1988. Retrieved May 30, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
12. "'Bows hold off Falcons, 19–14". Honolulu Star-Bulletin & Advertiser. November 27, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
13. "1988 Air Force Falcons Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference . Retrieved April 8, 2025.