Memorable Moments: Rams Stage Historic Comeback at Academy

Over the course of the past 129 years of Colorado State football there have been many great come-from-behind victories for both the Aggies and the Rams. When it comes to the modern era, fans will of course remember the 2013 New Mexico Bowl game when Washington State "Couged it" and the Rams won a thrilling victory in Albuquerque. However, many fans may argue no comeback victory has seen as many points scored in such a short period of time as the 1996 Air Force game at Falcon Stadium.

It was a cold November 2 night at Falcon Stadium, nestled against the mountains of the Air Force Academy. Sonny Lubick's Rams arrived in Colorado Springs with a 5-4 overall record with only one conference loss on their mark. They knew beating Air Force and coach Fisher DeBerry was extremely important for their run toward a third WAC title in as many years. Facing DeBerry's Falcons was never an easy task, especially in the Springs, so this was going to be a fight.

Unfortunately, the Rams fell hard and fast early in the nationally televised game on ESPN, back when the Rams had become one of the network's favorite teams. At halftime the Rams were down 28-14, and Air Force quarterback Beau Morgan dominated the Falcon Stadium turf passing, and especially running all over the Rams. Morgan nearly beat the Rams all on his own with a career night.

With 5:48 left in the third quarter, CSU trailed 41-14, the only blemish by AFA was a missed extra point kick by the Falcons' Dallas Thompson; all hope seemed to be lost for the Rams. Ram fans, located in the northwest corner of the stadium, felt colder than it was simply because they had nothing to cheer about.

Then, something happened which 25 years later is still being talked about by the Rams faithful who stayed in their cold aluminum bleacher seats that night. Rams quarterback Moses Moreno, a future CSU Hall of Famer, calmly and professionally kept his team in the game. He led a drive to set up a 2-yard run by Calvin Branch for the first touchdown since the second quarter. The comeback was on when CSU opened the fourth quarter with another touchdown, this time by way of a Moreno pass to Ronald Antoine covering 15 yards.

The CSU fans started to warm up with the Rams scoring at the endzone near their seats. Two quick touchdowns lifted their spirits and those of Lubick's players. The Rams again stopped Air Force and turned the ball back toward the north end zone. The third unanswered touchdown came on an 11-yard run by Branch. Within what seemed to be a blink of an eye, CSU had scored 21 points in less than a quarter's time and the score stood at 41-25 as the clock ticked down.

A key interception by Erik Olson, a tough play by the defense and the now-rocking CSU fans at Falcon Stadium energized the Rams to get the win. It was not going to be easy; time was ticking away and while the Falcons felt dejected, they were not quitting either. It all boiled down to the final drive of the game.

With less than a minute left of the clock and the Rams on the Falcon 20-yard line, they needed a first down on fourth-and-10 to keep the comeback alive. Rather than go for the first down, Moses Moreno went for it all, passing to wide receiver Jeremy Calhoun to the end zone. The ball seemed almost as if it may have been thrown too far, but Calhoun stretched out his arms and caught it in the end zone for the touchdown. Calhoun said after the game, "As soon as I looked up for it, the ball was right there. It just fell perfectly right into my hands."

The Rams all rushed to celebrate with Calhoun as the CSU fans jumped up and down so vigorously they were falling off the bleachers in excitement. The Rams had completed a seemingly impossibly comeback … almost. The game had been tied at 41 on Calhoun's catch, and CSU needed the PAT to win the game. Referees, not liking the jubilant celebration, hit the Rams with a 15-yard penalty, and Matt McDougal was forced to kick from the 35. McDougal, who had been perfect all night, split the center of the uprights and with 45 seconds left on the clock, the Rams were ahead 42-41, the difference being that missed PAT by the Falcons.

When the game ended, fans were stunned, just like the Rams players. They had witnessed 28 unanswered points in 20 minutes of football for a rivalry upset of the ages. The players ran to the CSU section and thanked their faithful for cheering them on through the night. Those at home who turned off their televisions, woke up the next morning feeling massive regret, some wouldn't admit they missed the comeback after CSU had been behind so badly.

The Rams went on to beat Fresno State, but lost in the season finale in one of the toughest Border War battles of all time at Hughes Stadium. CSU finished the season 7-5, but in the days before a winning record gave a team an automatic bowl bid, Lubick's team went home for the holidays for the first time in three years. The stage was set for the 1997 season, one of the greatest in school history.

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