BYU football: Air Force wants to make it the 'Big 4'

PROVO — BYU, TCU and Utah are regarded as the "Big Three" of the Mountain West Conference.

But don't forget about Air Force.

The Falcons are proving they should be mentioned with the Cougars, Horned Frogs and Utes. Air Force will try to make a case that it belongs in the league's upper echelon when it invades LaVell Edwards Stadium today (1:30 p.m., CBS-C) to face No. 19 BYU.

In 2007, the Falcons finished second in the MWC standings behind the league-champion Cougars, but ahead of Utah and TCU. AFA placed fourth a year ago behind Utah, TCU and BYU.

With a win today in its regular-season finale, Air Force (7-4, 5-2) would secure a spot in the top three of the standings.

"I think they've been there (in the upper-echelon) the past two years," Cougar coach Bronco Mendenhall said of the Falcons. "Where they've finished isn't necessarily indicative. They're a bowl team with eight or more wins the past couple of years. In this league, that's hard to do. So I've always considered them toward the top."

BYU tight end Andrew George agreed. "I think they're making a jump in the conference," he said. "We need to be prepared and play well to beat them."

Air Force's Troy Calhoun is the first head coach in Falcon history to win at least seven regular-season games in each of his first three campaigns.

"This group, on the work part of it, has been an incredible group. I'm proud of our staff, too," Calhoun said of his program's success. "You look at it, we've got some really good young players and yet we've been exceptionally fortunate to have 15 seniors who have been really good with their leadership."

Cold temperatures and possible snow in the forecast today could benefit the upset-minded Falcons. Last month, Air Force played in freezing conditions, was able to force turnovers, and threw a scare into TCU before falling, 20-17, in Colorado Springs. It's the closest any team has come to defeating the undefeated, No. 4-ranked Frogs this season.

Coming off a lackluster performance in a close win over winless New Mexico a week ago, the Cougars are looking to re-establish themselves.

"Our last football game wasn't quite the way we should have or wanted to play," said quarterbacks coach Brandon Doman.

"As we saw with New Mexico, people are going to be ready to play us," said linebacker Coleby Clawson. "We're going to have to be mentally focused and prepared to take on a physical Air Force team."

While the much-anticipated annual rivalry game against arch-rival Utah is just one week away, the Cougars say they are completely focused on Air Force.