Air Force ends on winning note, but questions about future loom.(The Gazette)

SAN JOSE, Calif. _ Their season was done, and for most of Air Force's football players, their emotions were spent.

Now the Falcons were back at their team hotel after that roller-coaster, 37-34, victory over Fresno State in the Silicon Valley Classic, celebrating their 9-3 season as well as the arrival of 2001.

But as Sunday night turned into Monday morning, AFA players and coaches alike couldn't stop themselves from looking ahead - after sharing, one more time, their amazement at Fresno trying the fake field goal instead of kicking for overtime.

Even the departing seniors, who had just finished their careers as the academy's second-winningest class at 37-12, joined in the speculation.

After all, on the first day of this new year, Air Force had only 241 more days until the 2001 season opener Sept. 1 at Falcon Stadium against Southwest Texas State.

"You can be sure we'll all be paying attention, even in spring ball," senior fullback Scott Becker said. "It's such a great program, and we want it to keep going."

At first glance, however, one might assume the Falcons would be destined for a down year.