Air Force 2026 Preview
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 138 college football team preview series with the Air Force Falcons 2026 Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) & Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) are joined by Air Force super fan Rick Baum (@Falcon8Fan) to break down the 2026 Air Force roster and what to expect in the Mountain West this season. Can Troy Calhoun cool a 3-out-of-10 hot seat after a 4-8 finish and a 1-4 mark in one-score games? And is junior Liam Szarka the answer at quarterback after playing in 10 games and starting seven a year ago?
Can an offense that ranked 3rd in rushing but 128th through the air get more balanced under Mike Thiessen? Does Steve Russ fix a defense that finished 118th in total defense and 109th in scoring last year? Do running back Owen Allen, linebackers Isaac Hubert and Blake Fletcher and safety Roger Jones anchor the two-deep? How does the rebuilt Mountain West break for the Falcons? Which games decide the season on a slate from Duquesne through Wyoming, Army and a New Mexico finale? What does a Saturday feel like at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs? And where’s the betting value on the Air Force win total, Mountain West odds and College Football Playoff chances? We talk it all and more on this episode of The College Football Experience.
Calhoun On The Hot Seat After A 4-8 Year
This Air Force 2026 preview starts with a coach under real pressure. Troy Calhoun enters the season with a 139-97 career record in Colorado Springs. The deck still rates his seat a 3 out of 10. First, Air Force finished 4-8 a season ago, its roughest mark in years. Then the damage came in tight spots, with the Falcons going just 1-4 in one-score games. Because of that stretch, 2026 reads like a bounce-back season for a program used to bowling every winter.
Liam Szarka And An Option Offense Looking For Balance
Air Force’s offense ranked 3rd in rushing in 2025, but the passing game sat 128th and the total landed 46th. Mike Thiessen calls the plays as offensive coordinator, so the triple-option identity carries straight over. First, junior Liam Szarka takes the keys after playing in 10 games and starting seven a season ago. Then running back Owen Allen returns to headline a deep backfield. Also back is a veteran offensive line to anchor the run game up front. Meanwhile the scoring offense finished 48th, so Thiessen wants more punch through the air to keep defenses honest.
Steve Russ And A Defense That Has To Improve
Steve Russ is back running the Air Force defense, and the numbers give him plenty to fix. First, the unit ranked 118th nationally in total defense a year ago. Then the scoring defense finished 109th and the pass defense sat 128th, the softest marks on the roster. Because youth showed up in all those close losses, Russ needs faster development in 2026. Linebackers Isaac Hubert and Blake Fletcher return to lead the front seven, and safety Roger Jones anchors the secondary. So the pieces are there, but the production has to climb in a rebuilt Mountain West.
The Schedule, Falcon Stadium And The Win Total
Air Force opens at home against Duquesne before a Week 2 showdown with North Dakota State. First, the Mountain West slate rolls in with Nevada, Navy, Northern Illinois and UNLV through the middle of the year. Then the road turns tricky with a Wyoming trap in Laramie and an Army clash before a New Mexico finale. From there, the season could hinge on a San Jose State trip and how the Falcons handle a UConn crossover. What does a Saturday feel like at Falcon Stadium when the flyover roars over Colorado Springs? The deck sets the Air Force win total at 6.5. So the Falcons sit plus 550 to win the Mountain West and plus 4000 for the College Football Playoff. Now the hosts weigh the over against Calhoun’s hot seat.
College Football Previews
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Mountain West
Air Force Falcons
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
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San Jose State Spartans
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Umass Minutemen
Western Michigan Broncos
Conference USA
Jacksonville State Gamecocks
Liberty Flames
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Independents
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
UConn Huskies
Podcast Chapters
00:00 Show Intro and Promos
01:34 Hosts and Guest Welcome
06:29 Recapping the 4-8 Season
10:39 Troy Calhoun Legacy
16:09 Continuity and Roster Outlook
20:37 Offense and Szarka Breakout
23:58 O-Line and Skill Players
27:18 Defensive Overhaul and Russ
34:24 Program Meter and Fan Food
37:50 Gameday, Tailgates and Falcon Stadium
40:08 Calhoun In A Jet
42:35 Schedule: Duquesne and North Dakota State
46:28 Bye Week and the Nevada-Navy Stretch
50:18 NIU, UNLV and the Wyoming Trap
54:58 UConn, Army and San Jose State
59:46 UTEP and New Mexico Finale
1:03:16 Win Totals and Futures
1:08:50 Wrap Up and Air Force Tribute
