BYU football: Air Force presents big challenge

PROVO — When BYU's 2010 Mountain West Conference schedule was unveiled last March, one game stood out in glaring fashion.

That would be this Saturday's contest at Air Force (2 p.m., Versus) in the league-opener for both teams.

Of course, coach Bronco Mendenhall would prefer not playing a team like the Falcons this early in the season. But there's nothing he can do about that.

"It's a challenge whenever you play them, especially early — as we're still learning about our team," Mendenhall said Monday. "Certainly, (Air Force has) played one game, which means you haven't seen everything that they're going to do in terms of new wrinkles or different approaches."

Since 1981, BYU owns a 6-4 record against the Falcons when the two teams meet in the month of September — and 2-2 when the game is played in Colorado Springs.

By comparison, since 1981, the Cougars are 14-2 against the Falcons when they play each other after September.

The last time BYU played Air Force on the road in September was a decade ago, when the Falcons defeated the Cougars, 31-23. BYU opened the 1995 season at Air Force — in quarterback Steve Sarkisian's first start — and the Falcons won easily, 38-12.

"The style of their offense lends to personnel getting beat up and worn down as the season goes on," Mendenhall said. "Now you're playing them probably at their best in terms of physical health. What they would say in terms of execution, I don't know. … For us, with only one game under our belt, with a relatively young team still working on assignments in our base defense now to play the option is a challenge."

The Cougars have won six straight games against Air Force, including a September 2007 victory in Provo, 31-6.

"Air Force is a good team and they're very, very well-coached," Mendenhall said. "I love the way that they play."

Last season after each win, Mendenhall refrained from talking about the following week's opponent with his players, opting instead to savor each victory over the weekend and not worry about the next foe until Monday.

But immediately after beating Washington in last Saturday's season-opener, Mendenhall talked to his team about preparing for Air Force.

"It's week No. 2 with a young team and you're playing the Academy," he explained. "I would have loved to have (enjoyed the win) … I did pretty good through Sunday. But early Monday morning, it was thinking about Air Force. I'm working on it still."