<p>BY DAVID RAMSEY, THE GAZETTE
September 14, 2007 - 12:23AM</p>
<p>Euphoria on fake grass.</p>
<p>Air Force players were dancing, shouting and, in the case of Carson Bird, weeping. They had conquered Texas Christian, 20-17, in overtime.</p>
<p>These are the same Horned Frogs who bombarded the Falcons 86-24 in the Teams past two meetings. But on a thrilling, if sometimes bizarre, night at Falcon Stadium, Jim Ollis and Bird helped Air Force stun the Frogs and the football nation.</p>
<p>Defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter was hugging everyone in sight. Receiver Chad Hall was leaping in the air while making strange, joyous sounds.</p>
<p>Bird, a cornerback, retreated from the party to savor the moment. Tears trickled down his cheeks, and he struggled to speak. He had watched Air Force rally from a 17-3 deficit. He had suffered through three losing seasons.</p>
<p>And now this. It was almost too much.</p>
<p>So much doubt, he said, his voice faltering. To come back. We made plays. I was able to make a play.</p>
<p>He sure did. With a little under a minute left in regulation, the Falcons were doomed, or so it seemed. TCU had powered to the Air Force 22 and a game-winning field goal appeared imminent.</p>
<p>But TCU offensive coordinator Mike Schultz made a shocking decision. He decided to go for a game-winning pass.</p>
<p>Bird hustled into perfect position at the goal line and overjoyed to see a pass floating in his direction. He stepped in front of Jimmy Young, intercepted the pass and started a party on Air Force¹s sideline.</p>
<p>The Falcons had sidestepped disaster. They had, thanks to Bird, another chance.</p>
<p>Last season, Bird squabbled with coaches and watched most of the season from the bench.</p>
<p>He was joined by Ollis, who spent three seasons as Shaun Carney¹s backup at quarterback. In one of the first days of spring practice, Ollis labored as backup and expected to spend his senior season once again watching.</p>
<p>Calhoun approached Ollis and made a short speech.</p>
<p>I see something in you, Calhoun said. You should be on the field.</p>
<p>He moved Ollis to tailback. During spring practices, Ollis ran with the rage and energy understood only by longtime residents of the bench. He hungered for a chance to - finally - make his mark.</p>
<p>With a little more than six minutes left, Ollis was blessed with his chance. Calhoun faced a fourth-and-half-yard at his 29. He trailed 17-10, and he didn¹t hesitate on a huge gamble. He called an option run right.</p>
<p>Carney pitched to Ollis and it was instantly obvious the Falcons would grab the first down, but Hall made two great blocks, first toppling Steven Coleman and then diving to drop David Roach.</p>
<p>Ollis turned the corner and saw nothing but strong safety Stephen Hodge and open field.</p>
<p>I¹ve always just waited for that one opportunity, Ollis said, and I finally got it tonight.</p>
<p>Ollis is fast, but hes hardly the second coming of Carl Lewis. It looked as if Hodge would catch him at the 15, but Ollis began talking to himself and reaching speeds that surprised even him.</p>
<p>It was like, I don¹t have too much longer to play this game, so lets go ahead and make the most of it, Ollis said to himself as he roared down the sideline.</p>
<p>Hodge didnt have a chance. He barely brushed Ollis at the 15. Hodge was the only Horned Frog who touched Ollis on the 71-yard run.</p>
<p>I surprised myself a little bit, Ollis said, laughing. I found a gear that I didn¹t know that I had.</p>
<p>A gear he didn¹t know he had. Ollis was speaking for himself, but he might as well have spoken for an entire team.</p>