COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Ticker) -- Neither Air Force nor single-digit temperatures could stop Cecil Sapp.
Despite freezing conditions, Sapp rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns as 24th-ranked Colorado State handed the Falcons their third straight defeat, 31-12 in a Mountain West Conference matchup.
It was the seventh 100-yard game this season for Sapp, the conference's leading rusher at 121.1 yards per contest.
After Sapp's second TD gave the Rams a 14-6 lead three minutes into the second quarter, Rashaan Sanders scored on an eight-yard run 2 1/2 minutes before halftime to open a 15-point cushion.
The Falcons (6-3, 3-2 MWC) got within 21-12 with 46 seconds left in the half on a 13-yard pass from Chance Harridge to Adam Strecker. But the Rams (8-2, 4-0) stuffed a run on the two-point conversion.
Air Force backup quarterback Bryce Blew fumbled the second-half kickoff, Rams kicker Jeff Babcock scooped it up and scampered 29 yards for a touchdown.
"That kickoff in the third quarter was huge for us," Rams coach Sonny Lubick said.
"The two turnovers we had were huge," Falcons coach Fisher DeBerry said. "They killed us."
Babcock kicked a 27-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to complete the scoring and seal the Rams' fourth straight victory. He became the first Colorado State player since Ron Kaanehe in 1961 to kick a field goal and an extra point and score a touchdown in the same game.
"I think this was our best game all year," Lubick said.
Colorado State moved one-half game ahead of San Diego State atop the conference. The Rams do not play again until November 16, when they visit the Aztecs.
The Falcons began the season 6-0 but lost at home to Notre Dame on October 19, then were shocked at Wyoming, a defeat that snapped their 17-game conference losing streak.
"I'm very optimistic that this team will still continue to compete," DeBerry said.
Colorado State had a full week to prepare for Air Force after a 37-10 rout of Brigham Young and avenged last season's 44-40 loss to the Falcons.
Bradlee Van Pelt completed 12-of-19 passes for 142 yards for the Rams, while Harridge was 3-for-8 for just 29 yards. Harridge also ran 26 times for 115 yards.
The Falcons entered the contest leading the conference in rushing, averaging just under 300 yards. But the Rams held them to 221. Colorado State also held the ball for more than 33 1/2 minutes.
"We got beat tonight by a better football team," DeBerry said.
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