Zac Larrier threw the longest touchdown pass in program history as No. 22 Air Force beat Navy 17-6 on Saturday afternoon in Annapolis, Md.
Larrier connected with Dane Kinamon for a 94-yard score on the first play of the second quarter to provide the Falcons with all the offense they would need to improve to 7-0 for the first time since 1997.
The Air Force defense took care of the rest, holding the Midshipmen (3-4) to just 124 yards of total offense. Alec Mock punctuated the impressive performance with an 18-yard pick-6 with 3:51 left in the game.
Navy was without senior quarterback Tai Lavatai (ribs) for the first three quarters. Freshman Braxton Woodson started under center, completing 2 of 6 passes for just 6 yards.
Lavatai came on for the fourth quarter but couldn’t complete a comeback, throwing for 96 yards and a pair of interceptions on 13-for-23 passing. He did, however, break the shutout, connecting with Eli Heidenreich for a 10-yard TD with 50 seconds remaining.
Meanwhile, Larrier completed 4 of 5 passes for 151 yards and the TD to Kinamon.
Emmanuel Michel led the Falcons’ rushing attack with 69 yards on 22 carries.
The Midshipmen ended up getting the ball with 6:40 left in the game, but Alex Tecza killed any chance of a comeback. He failed to haul in a routine pass from Lavatai, with the ball bouncing off his hands and into the grasp of Jamari Bellamy, who came down with an interception.
Lavatai later threw the pick-6 that added insult to injury.
Air Force looked poised to open the scoring on the game’s first drive, but Matthew Dapore missed a 42-yard field-goal attempt.
But the Falcons were still able to draw first blood thanks to Larrier’s record-setting touchdown throw, which gave Air Force a 7-0 lead that it ended up taking into the break.
Navy totaled just 20 yards through the first 30 minutes of action.
Dapore made it 10-0 with a 40-yard field goal with 5:55 left in the third quarter.
–Field Level Media