AFA FALCONS FACE UNCERTAIN FUTURE

The shutdown may alter Mountain West football schedules.

Commissioner Craig Thompson and the presidents of Mountain West schools could face a tangled mess over the Air Force Academy’s ability to play its intercollegiate sports schedules because of the partial shutdown of the federal government.

Air Force is playing its scheduled game Saturday at Navy after a decision Wednesday night to grant a one-game reprieve of a government mandate that all intercollegiate competition at the service academies be suspended.

But now the conference may face a problem, with Air Force scheduled to return to conference play Thursday night at home against San Diego State.

Air Force Academy superintendent Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson said Thursday that after Saturday, all Air Force intercollegiate sports activity is suspended until further notice.

Air Force’s remaining football games besides San Diego State are against Notre Dame and Army in nonconference and against New Mexico, UNLV and Colorado State in league.

A Mountain West spokesperson noted there might be an easy remedy if Thursday’s game isn’t played. Both Air Force and San Diego State have a bye Oct. 19.

However any other disruptions in the schedule would be difficult to make up.

Air Force made the trip to Annapolis, Md., to play Navy because of a private donor who covered the travel costs.

Government money also wouldn’t be available to cover costs of home games.

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun didn’t return calls Friday. He is expected to have his team practicing next week— as he did last week — with expectations of playing Thursday night.