3 takeaways: Snowball penalty, big second-half shift and No. 19 Air Force football beats CSU

Another top-25 loss.

The Colorado State football team had No. 19 Air Force on the ropes for most of the first half in a blowing snowstorm Saturday night at Canvas Stadium.

The snowstorm sustained, but CSU didn't and the Falcons won 30-13 for a seventh win in a row in the rivalry series.

Here are three thoughts on the game.

The snowball penalty

Well, this is one of the weirdest calls you will see. CSU (3-5, 1-3 Mountain West) was flagged for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike after the first play of the third quarter because of fans throwing snowballs.

The referee had made two public warnings to fans and CSU’s public address announcer had made several more during the first half warning fans CSU could be penalized if they continued to throw snowballs. It appeared to be happening on the side near the Air Force bench (where students are seated).

It gave Air Force (8-0, 5-0 MW) a free 15 yards on the first drive of the second half with the game tied.

Zac Larrier ended the drive with a 1-yard TD on a sneak to cap a 10-play, 75-yard drive. It’s impossible to say if the penalty swung the game, but the drive was surely important in changing things in Air Force’s favor.

The student section was pushed up more than a dozen rows shortly after the penalty.

Air Force controlled the game through the second half after the penalty.

Air Force takes advantage of opportunities

Mistakes are magnified against Air Force and in these conditions.

There weren’t many big ones in this game, but a huge shift came in the second quarter.

CSU led 10-7 with the ball and was dominating and stifling the option offense. Instead of a strong drive, Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi was loose holding the ball as he tried to evade a rush and had it plucked from his hand.

Air Force recovered at CSU’s 11 and scored a few plays later to take a 13-10 lead. In a game of few possessions and scoring chances this was a huge swing.

"That was a hard one because you just can't give these guys anything easy. It's very difficult to make up for possessions," CSU coach Jay Norvell said. "We put our defense in a tough position there."

The Falcons sealed the game in the fourth quarter when CSU felt it had to go for a fourth down (down 23-13 at the time) in its own territory. The Rams didn’t convert and three plays later Air Force scored to go up 30-13 and all but finish the game.

CSU led in yardage 226-100 at halftime, but it didn’t show on the scoreboard with a 13-13 game.

The Falcons didn’t play their vintage game, but the second half was what you expect from an unbeaten Air Force team as the Falcons outscored CSU 17-0 after the break and had 20 minutes of second-half possession.

Air Force ended up rushing for 260 yards as it continued its perfect season.

CSU had just 113 yards of offense in the second half as the snow continued to fall, the Falcons milked the clock and the Rams only had four possessions after halftime.

Four games to make a season

The final score ended up comfortable for Air Force. To be fair, it’s often what the Falcons do as they wear down opponents and kill games off late.

Still, this will have another dose of “what if” for CSU. If the Rams don’t have the big turnover and instead score on the drive. If the Rams get a stop on the first drive of the third quarter. If Tory Horton doesn’t go down hurt.

What ifs are the story of college football, but CSU has had an extra dose of them this season.

This team is far more competitive than most CSU teams over the past five years, but the Rams are still 3-5 overall.

There’s now a four-week stretch to make or break the season. CSU has a very difficult turn to a Friday game at rival Wyoming, followed by three seemingly winnable games (home vs. San Diego State and Nevada and at Hawaii) to finish the season.

Win three of them, make a bowl and the season is a success. It’s especially a win if bowl eligibility includes a win over Wyoming.

From 2016-22 CSU is 4-16 in November games. The Rams of the recent past meekly fade out.

It can’t happen again this season.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Snowball penalty, big second-half shift and No. 19 Air Force football beats Colorado State