throttle stuck

i have a 1994 ranger with a 2.3 when i am shifting it feels as if i am keeping the throttle to the floor. when i come to a stop the rpm's stay up for a minute then slowly comes back down to idle speed. does not do this all the time but more and more as time goes on. no repetitive pattern such as only when engine is cold or hot. does it sometimes and sometimes it doesn't. have a idea it may be the idle air control not sure.

fords have a problem with the throttle cable stretching, the cheap permanent fix is to use zipties at the cable end on the pedal to take up the slack. might be worth your will to see if this is your problem