The Air Force defense wasn’t snubbed this time around.

The Falcons landed three defensive players – defensive end PJ Ramsey, outside linebacker Bo Richter and safety Trey Taylor – on the All-Mountain West first-team list Tuesday. This came a year after the unit was snubbed of any first-team selections despite defensive numbers that ranked among the nation’s best.

Center Thor Paglialong was also a first-team selection.

Air Force safety Trey Taylor among three finalists for Thorpe Award as nation’s best defensive back

Only Colorado State matched Air Force’s four first-team selections on offense and defense. Wide receiver Tory Horton, tight end Dallin Holker, defensive lineman Mohamed Kamara and defensive back Jack Howell earn the honors for the Rams. Boise State, San Jose State, UNLV and Utah State all had three-first team picks. With special teams mixed in, UNLV led the way with six first-team selections and Boise State matches the Falcons and Rams with four.

Kamara was also the choice for Defensive Player of the Year.

UNLV (9-3, 6-2 Mountain West) and Boise State (7-5, 6-2) will play for the conference title this weekend. The Rebels featured Mountain West Coach of the Year Barry Odom, Freshman of the Year quarterback Jayden Maiava and Special Teams Player of the Year kicker Jose Pizzano. The Broncos had Offensive Player of the Year running back Ashton Jeanty.

This year’s defense for Air Force (8-4, 5-3) hasn’t quite matched the standard from 2022 – from first to fifth nationally in total defense and third to 15th in scoring defense – but the unit easily led the conference in both categories and this time reaped the benefits when it comes to individual accolades.

Ramsey ranked third in the conference with 7.5 sacks, with Richter right behind in fourth with four. Richter’s 15 tackles for loss tied for third in the Mountain West. Taylor had three interceptions (fifth in the league) to go with 71 tackles (fifth among safeties) for a defense that had far fewer opportunities as it has played 686 snaps. Every other defense in the Mountain West played at least 727 plays, with the average of the other 11 defenses at 807. This points to the effectiveness of the Air Force defense, which ranks fifth in the nation in opponents first downs, and the offense that ranks second in rushing and eighth in time of possession.

Those numbers, which have become more-or-less standard for Air Force, have hurt the defense when it comes to individual accolades because statistics like tackles, sacks and interceptions come down with fewer opportunities. The last first-team All-Mountain West selection from the Air Force defense prior to the three announced Tuesday was defensive tackle Mosese Fifita in 2019. Fifita was the only first-team pick from the Air Force defense from 2017-2022.

Air Force also placed running back Emmanuel Michel, offensive tackle Adam Karas and linebacker Alec Mock on the All-Mountain West second team and quarterback Zac Larrier, defensive back Jayden Goodwin and kicker Matthew Dapore received honorable mention.

The Falcons started the season 8-0 before closing the regular-season with a four-game losing streak. They will learn their bowl destination on Sunday.

Colorado Springs native and Pine Creek graduate Wyatt Wieland was an honorable mention selection as a receiver from Wyoming. Air Force transfer Micah Davis, now with Utah State, also received honorable mention as a receiver and returner.

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2023 All-Mountain West Football Team

Offensive Player of the Year: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Defensive Player of the Year: Mohamed Kamara, DL, Colorado State

Special Teams Player of the Year: Jose Pizano, PK, UNLV

Freshman of the Year: Jayden Maiava, QB, UNLV

Coach of the Year: Barry Odom, UNLV

FIRST TEAM

Offense

QB Chevan Cordeiro, sr., San José State

WR Tory Horton, sr., Colorado State

WR Ricky White III, jr., UNLV

WR Jalen Royals, jr., Utah State

RB Ashton Jeanty, so., Boise State

RB Kairee Robinson, so., San Jose State

TE Dallin Holker, jr., Colorado State

OL Thor Paglialong, sr., Air Force

OL Cade Beresford, sr., Boise State

OL JC Davis, jr., New Mexico

OL Tiger Shanks, jr., UNLV

OL Frank Crum, gr., Wyoming

PK Jose Pizano, sr., UNLV

KR Jacob De Jesus, jr., UNLV

Defense

DL PJ Ramsey, sr., Air Force

DL Ahmed Hassanein, jr., Boise State

DL Mohamed Kamara, gr., Colorado State

DL Tre Smith, so., San Jose State

LB Bo Richter, sr., Air Force

LB Jackson Woodard, jr., UNLV

LB MJ Tafisi Jr., sr., Utah State

LB Easton Gibbs, jr., Wyoming

DB Trey Taylor, sr., Air Force

DB Jack Howell, jr. Colorado State

DB Emany Johnson, sr., Nevada

DB Ike Larsen, so., Utah State

P James Ferguson-Reynolds, so., Boise State

PR Jacob De Jesus, jr., UNLV

SECOND TEAM

Offense

QB Jayden Maiava, fr., UNLV

WR Steven McBride, sr., Hawaii

WR Nick Nash, jr., San Jose State

WR Terrell Vaughn, sr., Utah State

RB Emmanuel Michel, sr., Air Force

RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, sr., New Mexico

TE Mark Redman, sr., San Diego State

OL Adam Karas, sr., Air Force

OL Kage Casey, fr., Boise State

OL Jacob Gardner, sr., Colorado State

OL Mose Vavao, sr., Fresno State

OL Cade Bennett, jr., San Diego State

PK Jonah Dalmas, sr., Boise State

KR Terrell Vaughn, sr., Utah State

Defense

DL Jalen Dixon, jr. UNLV

DL Devo Bridges, sr., Fresno State

DL Soane Toia, jr., San Jose State

DL Jordan Bertagnole, jr., Wyoming

LB Alec Mock, sr., Air Force

LB Andrew Simpson, so., Boise State

LB Chase Wilson, jr., Colorado State

LB Levelle Bailey, sr., Fresno State

DB Carlton Johnson, sr., Fresno State

DB Morice Norris Jr., sr., Fresno State

DB Noah Tumblin, sr., San Diego State

DB Cameron Oliver, jr., UNLV

P Jack Browning, sr., San Diego State

PR Tory Horton, sr., Colorado State

Computers make final determination as Mountain West football title game matchup is set

HONORABLE MENTION

Air Force: Matthew Dapore, PK; Jayden Goodwin, DB; Zac Larrier, QB

Boise State: Garrett Curran, OL; A’Marion McCoy, CB; Marco Notarainni, LB; Seyi Oladipo, DB; Alexander Teubner, S

Colorado State: Chigozie Anusiem, CB; Henry Blackburn, S; Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, QB; Drew Moss, OL; Justus Ross-Simmons, WR

Fresno State: Erik Brooks, WR; Mikey Keene, QB; Malik Sherrod, RB; Jacob Spomer, OL; Tre Watson, TE

Hawaii: Pofele Ashlock, WR; Peter Manuma, DB; Brayden Schager, QB; Matthew Shipley, PK; Cam Stone, DB

Nevada: Dalevon Campbell, WR; Tongiaki Mateialona, LB; Brandon Talton, PK; Drue Watts, LB; Isaiah World, OL

New Mexico: Dylan Hopkins, QB; Alec Mareno, LB; Donte Martin, CB; Caleb Medford, WR; Zach Morris, CB

San Diego State: Kenan Christon, KR; Zyrus Fiaseu, LB; Dez Malone, CB; Jalen Mayden, QB; Mekhi Shaw, WR/PR

San Jose State: Fernando Carmona Jr., OT; Jay’Vion Cole, CB; Tre Jenkins, S; Anthony Pardue, C; Bryun Parham, LB

UNLV: Vincent Davis Jr., RB; Donavyn Lester, RB; Marsel McDuffie, LB ; Marshall Nichols, P; Jaxen Turner, S

Utah State: Micah Davis, WR/PR; Devin Dye, S; Broc Lane, TE; Hale Motu’apuaka, DL; Anthony Switzer, LB

Wyoming: Wyett Ekeler, S; Andrew Peasley, QB; Harrison Waylee, RB; Treyton Welch, TE; Wyatt Wieland, WR