This Saturday the Navy Midshipmen are set to take on the Air Force Falcons in a traditional college football rivalry game that goes all the way to 1980. The Midshipmen have bounced back from a season-opening loss to Maryland with two wins over Georgia Southern and Louisiana Tech, while the Falcons' only loss on the season is a 27-24 loss at Oklahoma. Navy leads the all-time series 54-49, and currently rides a seven-game winning streak against Air Force. If you are thinking about betting on the game this weekend, the current college football odds have the Falcons favored by 10 points over the Midshipmen at home.

Navy (2-1)

While the Falcons are off to a good start, they haven’t exactly been playing at the level many people expected coming into the season. They have really struggled against two pretty mediocre teams the past two weeks. Last week against Louisiana Tech the Midshipmen dug themselves a big hole in the first half, as the Bulldogs scored on five straight possessions to end the first half and had a 23-16 lead at half. The Midshipmen defense really stepped up in the second half, as they didn’t allow the Bulldogs to score the rest of the way.

Quarterback Ricky Dobbs provided Navy with its biggest passing total in three seasons, as he completed 8-of-14 attempts for 219 yards and a touchdown. Dobbs was also a factor on the ground, rushing for 67 yards and a touchdown.

It hasn’t quite been the start to the 2010 season that many people expected for Dobbs, as he has just 174 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, after rushing for 1,203 yards and 27 touchdowns a year ago. Dobbs got plenty of help against the Bulldogs, as Michael Stukel, Kriss Proctor, and Vince Murray all had a rushing touchdown last week. The Midshipmen will need the running game to be at its best this weekend if they want to knock off a very good Air Force team.

Air Force (3-1, 2-0 MWC)

The Falcons have gotten off to a great start to the 2010 season, and it is all thanks to the top rushing attack in the country, as Air Force averages 394 yards a game on the ground. Even the Sooners had trouble stopping the Falcons rushing attack, as they piled on 351 yards against the No. 7 team in the country. The Falcons did have some trouble putting away Wyoming last week, as they trailed 14-7 going into the fourth quarter. Nathan Walker scored on a nine-yard touchdown run early in the fourth to tie it up at 14-14, and quarterback Tim Jefferson put the Falcons up for good with a six-yard touchdown run with just over three minutes to play.

Jefferson finished the game with 94 yards and a touchdown on the ground, but didn’t have a very good day throwing the ball, as he was 5-of-12 for just 66 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.

Running back Jared Tew had his best day running the football this season, as he ran for 136 yards and a score on 27 carries. Asher Clark finished third on the team with 80 yards on 14 carries. There is no secret to what the Falcons are going to do this weekend, as they are going to run the ball and then run it some more.

 

Looking at the Odds

While Air Force has really looked good this season, I think your money has to be on the Midshipmen to cover the spread in this game, as the series has been pretty tight over the years. In six of Navy’s last seven wins over Air Force they have won by a touchdown or less, so it is hard for me to imagine Air Force coming in and blowing out Navy. My final score prediction is Air Force 27, Navy 24.

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