UH linebacker Jerrol Garcia-Williams set a career high for tackles for the second time this season with 17, including 10 solo stops.

Garcia-Williams’ previous best was 15 tackles in a win against UC Davis on Sept. 19. Safety Daniel Lewis also set a career high with 11 tackles.

"I think it was more so us not sticking to our game plan," Garcia-Williams said. "Not being disciplined, not tackling, not believing in what our coaches told us. I give them all the credit, they played a great game. I thought it was more so us."

Ewaliko breaks through

After a few close calls the past two seasons, Keelan Ewaliko broke loose for a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 5:56 left in the game.

"It’s always been one tackle, one shoelace," Ewaliko said. "To finally break through and score it’s awesome. I can’t really take full credit, because I wouldn’t be able to do what I do if it wasn’t for the boys up front making that sacrifice."

Ewaliko’s touchdown was UH’s first on a kickoff return since Mike Edwards went 100 yards against Boise State in 2012. It also kept UH from setting a dubious record, averting the Rainbows’ fourth shutout of the season, which would have passed the school record set in 1964 and tied in 1966.

Sanchez does his job

UH punter Rigo Sanchez set a season long with a 73-yard punt in the fourth quarter, passing his previous high of 58 set at Wisconsin. Sanchez’s kick is tied for the fifth-longest in school history, matching 73-yarders kicked by Greg Cummins (1977), Mat McBriar (2002) and Alex Dunnachie (2012). He averaged 52 yards on seven punts on Saturday.

The UH record is 80, set by John Morse in 1925.

Controlling the clock

Air Force’s option attack held the ball for more than three quarters on Saturday, logging a staggering 45 minutes, 6 seconds of time of possession. The Falcons ran the ball on 83 of their 92 plays, generating 496 of their 576 yards on the ground.

The rushing total was the fourth-most against UH and the highest total since Wisconsin ran for 499 in 1996.

"That’s a physical football team," UH defensive coordinator Tom Mason said. "The first couple drives you have to take that as getting used to the timing and all that. I didn’t like the way we ended it. I know we put a lot of young kids in, a lot of reserves, but to give up two long runs at the end, that was crazy. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth."

The Falcons converted on nine of 17 third-down situations, including three on a 15-play, 90-yard drive on their opening possession of the game.

UH finished with minus-2 yards rushing in 12 attempts, its lowest mark since losing 7 yards against Louisiana Tech in 2009. Turnovers shortened four UH drives to four plays or fewer in the first half.

Painful reviews for UH

Three on-field rulings that favored UH were overturned after replay reviews.

UH began its third possession with a long completion to Quinton Pedroza up the seam and he was initially ruled down before the ball came loose at the end of the 43-yard gain. But the review showed Jesse Washington knocked the ball free before Pedroza hit the ground and Weston Steelhammer was credited with the fumble recovery.

Early in the second quarter, Air Force punt returner Garrett Brown lost the ball inside the Falcons 10 and UH recovered. But the ruling was reversed when Brown was ruled down before the fumble.

Pedroza was involved in another review early in the third quarter, when his 28-yard catch along the sideline was overturned when the replay official ruled he juggled the ball before going out of bounds.

Falcons retain Kuter Trophy

Air Force kept possession of the Kuter Trophy with Saturday’s win.

UH last owned the trophy, instituted in 1980, after a win in 2001 and Air Force claimed it with a 21-7 victory in 2012 in Colorado Springs. Saturday’s margin was the largest in the series since Air Force won the first meeting between the schools 54-0 in 1966.

The 51-point gap was also the largest in a conference home game in UH history, surpassing 45-point defeats to Boise State in 2009 and Nevada in 2012.

Saturday’s loss assured UH of a fifth consecutive sub-.500 season, tying the program record set from 1994 to 1998. UH had three losing seasons from 1999 to 2010, and didn’t go back-to-back in that span.

Clarke back in the middle

UH senior Ben Clarke extended his starting streak with a move to his old position.

The senior started at center for the first time this season, moving back to the position he played his first two years in the program. Clarke shifted to left tackle as a junior and made 21 consecutive starts there prior to Saturday’s game. Asotui Eli, who started the first eight games at center, moved to right guard and Leo Koloamatangi started at left tackle.

"Coach just wanted to try something out, just to see how it looked," Clarke said.

Clarke, who has started all 46 games of coach Norm Chow’s tenure, and Eli moved back to tackle and center in the second quarter.