ShareThisBy JIM BENTON
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Beau Morgan and Steve Pipes know what is going through the minds of Air Force football players this week.
The Falcons (4-4) are 11 1/2-point underdogs heading into Saturday's sold-out game against No. 9 Notre Dame at Falcon Stadium.
Morgan and Pipes have been there before.
They were members of the 1996 team that went to South Bend, Ind., and upset the No. 8 Irish 20-17 in overtime.
The 1996 Falcons team, which finished 6-5, had lost 20-17 to Navy the week before and was a 21-point underdog to the Irish.
"No one was giving us much of a shot," said Morgan, the quarterback for the Falcons in 1996 who rushed for 183 yards against the Irish. "Looking at everything on paper, we didn't look like we could stay on the field with those guys.
"We weren't focused on winning the game, but we were focused on what we needed to do to play well. We had a little chip on our shoulder. We were able to keep things loose. It was a huge win. They still had national championship hopes."
Pipes, a center on the 1996 team who now is the defensive coordinator at the Air Force prep school, said the Falcons learned from losses to the Irish in 1994 at home and 1995 at Falcon Stadium.
"That whole team had pretty much been to Notre Dame before," he said. "We went out to Notre Dame in 1994, and I remember after that game (42-30 loss), everybody was talking about how star-struck we were, being at Notre Dame and the history of that program.
"We didn't go out there to play. We were happy to be on Notre Dame's field on that hallowed ground."
Air Force's win in 1996 was the last time the Irish have lost to a service academy team. The Irish have won 14 straight games against Army, Navy and Air Force since losing to the Falcons 10 years ago.
Morgan sees similarities between this year's Air Force team and the 1996 squad.
"There are comparisons," Morgan said. "This year's team can be a little inconsistent. It's a great opportunity for them to go out and play well.
"Can they beat Notre Dame? I don't know. If they can focus on the right things, I think they can play well. If Air Force brings its 'A' game and Notre Dame is a little off, it'll be a great game."
Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry hasn't asked anybody from the 1996 squad to talk with the Falcons.
"This is a different team and a different year," DeBerry said. "I think our players are aware of that game (1996). It was great. We are just focused now on what this year's team is capable of doing.
"We don't have anything to lose and everything in the world to gain, and I know our players relish that type of environment."
IRISH FANS: DeBerry knows Notre Dame gets good support no matter where it is playing and expects there will be as many Irish fans as Falcons fans for Saturday's game.
"They have a tremendous advantage wherever they play," he said. "It doesn't make any difference if they play in Baltimore, Southern Cal, if they play here or down in Florida. Everybody identifies with Notre Dame football."
DeBerry told about two workers at the academy, one wearing a Notre Dame shirt and the other a Notre Dame cap.
"I said, 'What's wrong with you guys? You're here and we're paying you all this money to do this job and you ought to have an Air Force hat or Air Force shirt on or something to identify who's paying for your lunch.' They laughed and said, 'They've always been my team, coach.'"
DeBerry gives credit to Notre Dame for Saturday's game being a sellout.
"They have a great following on the road and we are very appreciative at the academy for those Notre Dame fans who bought season tickets this year just for this game," he said.
Notre Dame at Air Force
_ The game: 2 p.m. (MT) Saturday, Falcon Stadium (46,692 capacity), Air Force Academy.
_ The records: Air Force is 4-4; Notre Dame is 8-1.
_ The series: Notre Dame leads 21-5.
_ Who's favored: Notre Dame by 11 1/2.
