Air Force vs. Navy score: Unbeaten Falcons shut down Midshipmen, extend winning streak to 12 games

QB Zac Larrier, who wasn't expected to play, leads No. 22 Air Force (7-0) over Navy

No. 22 Air Force began its defense of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy with a 17-6 win Saturday at Navy, moving to 7-0 on the season and extending its overall winning streak to 12. The victory was also the Falcons' fourth straight in their series against the Midshipmen, giving them their longest winning-streak against Navy since prevailing in six consecutive meetings from 1997-2002. 

Air Force opened the scoring on a windy afternoon moments into the second quarter when quarterback Zac Larrier, who was not expected to start after a knee injury against Wyoming in Week 7, found wide receiver Dane Kinamon for a school-record 94-yard touchdown pass. The milestone moment was the Falcons' lone offensive touchdown of a game in which they gained more yards through the air (151) than on the ground (137) despite entering the game with the FBS' top rushing offense. 

Air Force's defensive prowess was also clear for all to see, holding the Mids to 124 total yards and coming just shy of delivering the Falcons' their first shutout victory ever in the series. Air Force linebacker Johnathan Youngblood had a team-high 13 tackles and linebacker Bo Richter recorded four tackles for loss as the unit wreaked havoc on Navy true freshman quarterback Braxton Woodson, who made his first start due to a rib injury to Tai Lavatai in Week 7. 

Lavatai ultimately entered for the Mids in the fourth quarter after Woodson was just 2 of 6 passing for 6 yards. His presence was enough to get Navy on the board with a last-minute touchdown pass to running back Eli Heidenrich, but not until after he was intercepted twice down the stretch. The second of those interceptions was returned by Air Force linebacker Alec Mock for a touchdown that dug the Mids into a 17-0 hole, eliminating much chance of any comeback.

With the win, Air Force is now a victory away from defending the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy – the Falcons can clinch that hardware against Army in Week 10 – and is also a step closer to potentially becoming the first service academy to crack a New Year's Six bowl as the designated Group of Five participant. For Navy, the shutout loss snapped a two-game winning streak as the Mids missed an opportunity to move above .500 for the first time this season. 

Air Force returns to action in Week 9 with an in-state feud against Colorado State. Navy will be on a bye before it looks to rebound against Temple in Week 10. 

[Oct 21, 2023 at 11:30 am ET · Dean Straka]

Pick 'em! 

Will Air Force take care of business and exit Annapolis, Maryland, sitting a perfect 7-0? Or will Navy play spoiler and draw first blood in the quest for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy? CBS Sports' team of college football experts is largely aligned on what will unfold in this battle of service academies, though some are calling it to be a more tightly-contested battle than others. Full picks for Air Force-Navy and other top matchups are below. 

College football picks, schedule: Predictions against the spread, odds, top 25 games in Week 8

Shehan Jeyarajah

[Oct 21, 2023 at 11:00 am ET · Dean Straka]

Falcon defense soaring 

While Air Force's rushing attack has been in the spotlight amid a 6-0 start, don't sleep on a Falcon defense that ranks third nationally in total yards allowed per game (240.0) behind Penn State (233.1) and Michigan (193.7). Air Force is slated to finish the season without facing any ranked opponents, giving Calhoun's group a prime shot at not just capturing the Mountain West title, but earning the Group of Five's guaranteed New Year's Six bowl game bid. The latter of those feats would be a first by a service academy. 

[Oct 21, 2023 at 10:30 am ET · Dean Straka]

Air Force offense down a top weapon

The absence of quarterback Zac Larrier following his Week 7 knee injury is bound to have more impacts on the ground than it will through the air. Larrier is second on the team in rushing yards, which is significant considering Air Force owns the No. 1 rushing attack in the FBS. While the Falcons aren't ones to rely on the pass, Larrier is nonetheless the only player on the roster to have attempted a pass this season. Jensen Jones will start in place of Larrier against Navy after subbing in against Wyoming following Larrier's exit. 

Air Force vs. Navy live stream, watch online, TV channel, kickoff time, football game odds, prediction

Dean Straka

[Oct 21, 2023 at 10:03 am ET · Dean Straka]

Navy starting true freshman at QB

The Midshipmen will start true freshman quarterback Braxton Woodson against Air Force, according to ESPN, signaling Woodson's first collegiate start. He's only appeared in two games thus far, including the team's Week 7 win against Charlotte in which Tai Lavaitai exited early with a rib injury. The passing game is far from Navy's bread and butter, but Woodson did manage to complete a 69-yard touchdown pass in the victory against the 49ers. We'll see how his presence shapes the Mids' offense Saturday as they go for the upset at home. 

[Oct 21, 2023 at 9:30 am ET · Dean Straka]

A look at the past 

Air Force and Navy first met on the gridiron in 1960 and have squared off annually since 1972. The Falcons own a 33-22 all-time edge over the Mids, including victories in each of the past three meetings. The 2022 matchup was a tight one, however, with Air Force squeaking by for a 13-10 victory at home. Both academies have had their stretches of dominance in the series. The Falcons won all but twice from 1982-2002 before Navy then won seven straight from 2003-09, kicking off a stretch in which the Mids prevailed in 12 of 17 matchups. For now, the series has titled back in Air Force's favor, though Navy might have something to say about that today.