AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. \u2014 Rocky Long didn\u2019t make any halftime adjustments. He couldn\u2019t. There wasn\u2019t an intermission because the teams kept right on playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The San Diego State coach more than got his point across during an 88-minute lightning delay in the second quarter. The impromptu break provided the perfect opportunity to recharge his sluggish bunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rashaad Penny scored three times, including a 53-yard scamper with 5:39 remaining, and No. 22 San Diego State held off Air Force 28-24 on a dreary Saturday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI welcomed the delay because I thought we had to regroup,\u201d Long explained. \u201cWhen they said it was going to be an hour and a half … then I didn\u2019t like it that much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given the lengthy delay that started at 7:56 of the second quarter, both teams agreed to skip intermission and headed straight into the third quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That only allowed Penny to pick up steam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Penny, the nation\u2019s leading rusher entering the game, struggled early in the soggy conditions. But he finally found some running room as the Aztecs (4-0, 1-0 Mountain West) began their quest to capture a third straight conference title. Penny finished with 128 yards rushing, which was 68 below his season average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t always have a great day. I didn\u2019t have a great day,\u201d Penny said. \u201cYou have games like this where it\u2019s all adversity. \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rain played a starring role early. The shower was steady at kickoff and grew more intense with every wind gust. The conditions led to a botched extra point by Air Force, a punt from San Diego State that traveled only 17 yards and conservative play calling. The Falcons led 9-0 when the game was halted and the teams sent to their locker rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was the first weather delay at Falcon Stadium since 1993 against the Aztecs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAfter the delay, we said we can\u2019t put ourselves in the hole anymore,\u201d Penny explained. \u201cJust stick with each other and we came out and played great.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On his go-ahead TD, Penny was expecting to go right, but cut back left against an over-pursuing defense and found a crease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His run came moments after Air Force (1-2, 0-1) grabbed the lead when Tim McVey took a pitch, jumped over a San Diego State defender on the ground, landed backward and twirled into the end zone for a 12-yard score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Air Force got the ball back with just over 2 minutes left, but Trey Lomax intercepted Arion Worthman\u2019s fourth-down pass to help the Aztecs extend their winning streak to seven straight over the Falcons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe thought we came out pretty hot. We had a lot of momentum,\u201d McVey said. \u201cGive them credit \u2014 they came back after the delay ready to play.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was by no means a thing of beauty for San Diego State, which had a punt blocked, missed a field goal and fumbled deep in Air Force territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe weather played to their strengths and didn\u2019t play to ours,\u201d Long said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
THE TAKEAWAY<\/p>\n\n\n\n
San Diego State: <\/b>Big exhale. The Aztecs couldn\u2019t get anything going the first half, but Penny saved the night with his big run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Air Force:<\/b> The Falcons fell to 19-77-3 all-time against ranked teams, including a 5-16 record under coach Troy Calhoun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PUNT BLOCK<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Air Force\u2019s Garrett Kauppila blocked a punt in the fourth quarter, with Lesley Dalger scooping it up and heading toward the end zone. But Dalger lost control of the ball around the 4. No matter, Worthman scored on a 1-yard dive with 12:35 remaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FULLBACK DIVE<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Air Force fullback Parker Wilson had 11 carries on the season before Saturday. He had his number called 20 times against the Aztecs in large part because of the weather. Meanwhile, McVey, the team\u2019s leading rusher, didn\u2019t have his first carry until the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard to run the triple option when it\u2019s raining like that,\u201d McVey explained. \u201cWe were hitting them hard with the fullback and the fullback was running really well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
EMPTY SEATS<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Air Force announced the attendance at 27,575, but there was hardly anyone in the seats once the teams returned to the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UP NEXT<\/p>\n\n\n\n
San Diego State: <\/b>Hosts Northern Illinois on Saturday. The Aztecs lead the series 5-0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Air Force: <\/b>Travels to New Mexico. The Falcons lost 45-40 in a game that was played in Dallas last October.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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