COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Lafayette opened the 2021 season with a hard-fought 35-14 loss to FBS foe Air Force on Saturday at Falcon Stadium.
 
The Falcons, who led the nation in rushing in 2020, ran for 370 yards. Air Force QB Haaziq Daniels had 19 carries for 72 yards and three scores while running back Brad Roberts finished with 25-111. Wide receiver Micah Davis added two rushing scores for the Falcons who threw just five passes.
 
The Leopards used three quarterbacks but primarily split the snaps between sophomores Rent Montie and Aaron Angelos. Montie finished the afternoon 7-for-11 for 86 yards with a TD and an INT while Angelos was 11-for-17 for 157 yards. Junior wide receiver Julius Young had a career game, making nine catches for 146 yards and a TD.
 
Defensively for the Leopards, senior linebacker Major Jordan had a career-high 15 tackles while junior Marco Olivas added 11, Billy Shaeffer nine and Colin Hurlbrink a career-high eight.  
 
Air Force's running attack broke through seven minutes into the game. Davis ran in a 10-yard score to cap a 10-play drive that covered 59 yards. Air Force led 7-0 at 8:01.
 
On the next possession, Lafayette put together a solid drive that included Angelos hitting Zach Saturn (9 yards) and Young (23 yards) to move the ball to the Air Force 38. The drive stalled and the Leopards went for it on fourth down. Coming out of a timeout, Angelos zipped a ball across the middle that would have been enough for the first down, but it was dropped. Air Force took over on downs.
 
A 36-yard run by Davis to the Lafayette 25-yard line led to the Falcons' next score. Nine plays later with the Leopards' defense spread wide, Air Force ran a QB draw up the middle for a seven-yard score and a 14-0 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
 
The Lafayette offense got things going on the first drive of the second quarter. Garrett used two quarterbacks, Montie and Shane Davis. Montie took the bulk of the snaps on the drive. On the scoring play, he eluded pressure and tossed a 23-yard pass to Young for his fourth career touchdown. On the drive, Lafayette converted a 3rd-and-7 from its own 20 with a 24-yard run by Jaden Sutton and a 4th and-11 from its own 43 with a 15-yard pass to Young.
 
Air Force continued to move the ball at the end of the half, adding a score with 3:09 left. Davis had a 16-yard score, his second of the half, around the left end for the 20-7 advantage.
 
The Leopards went three-and-out and Jakob Trestik was forced to punt from the end zone. Air Force took over at the Lafayette 40 after a 27-yard punt. The hosts punched in another score on a QB sneak and Air Force led 28-7.
 
Coming out of intermission, the Leopard defense made its first stop of the game, forcing a three-and-out and a punt to set up the offense at the Lafayette 32-yard line. Angelos was under center for the drive and moved the ball, completing passes to Mason Gilbert of 15, 7 and 20 yards sandwiched around a 17-yard connection with Young. Gilbert's final catch of the drive took the ball to the Air Force eight-yard line. After two short rushes by freshman Michael Hayes, senior captain Selwyn Simpson rammed his way into the end zone for a score. Micah Pettit added the PAT to cut the deficit to 28-14.
 
Air Force put away the game with six minutes left in the fourth quarter. Daniels' third score of the afternoon was a 19-yard scoring run around the right end.
 
The Leopards stay on the road for week two, traveling to Williamsburg, Va. to face William and Mary at 6 p.m. on Sept. 11.
 
NOTES: The Leopards used three quarterbacks in the game with Angelos getting the start. Montie came in on the opening drive of the second quarter and played most of the quarter. Senior Shane Davis also received reps on that drive.
 
Gilbert had three catches for 42 yards, both career highs.