In a strange kind of way, it all makes perfect sense.
Everything Army has accomplished this season on the football field–the 11 wins in 12 games, the conference championship in its first year in a new league where some felt they would not be competitive, the upcoming bowl appearance and even the amazing exploits of its senior quarterback—is at risk if the Black Knights cannot defeat Navy Saturday in Landover, Md.
With all the great things that have happened this year, it still comes down to whether this Army team, perhaps the best squad at West Point in nearly 70 years, can beat Navy for the third straight year. The game, being played at Northwest Stadium, home of the NFL’s Washington Commanders, is slated for a 3 p.m. kickoff and broadcasted nationally on CBS.
A victory would allow Army to maintain possession of the coveted Commander in Chief’s Trophy for a second straight year, give the Black Knights an unprecedented 12 wins in a season, with a bowl game to play, and, of course, those vital bragging rights over its academy rivals for the next year.
“There is no bigger game in the world than this one,” said Army coach Jeff Monken, who has a 6-4 record against Navy in his 10 previous games. “Our guys, as they have done all year, will put all they have done behind us, and I have a pretty good idea they will, and move on and get prepared for Navy. Navy has a very talented football, well coached and they have had a great year. It is going to be a huge battle and a tremendous challenge.”
On paper, this game has all the makings of the slugfest that Monken said is quite likely. No. 18 ranked Army, which has won six of the last eight games with Navy, is 11-1 this season, while the Midshipmen are 8-3, the most combined wins by the two teams in the 125-year history of the game.
The two teams both average around 32 points per game in scoring and their total offense generated is also close, with the Black Knights compiling about 398 yards per game compared to 376 yards per contest for the Midshipmen. Most of those yards also come on the ground, with Army rushing for a nation-leading 314.4 yards per game and Navy running for 247.7 yards per game.
“This game rolls around each year and we have an opportunity to talk about this rivalry and talk about this game and just want it is like,” said Monken. “It is almost indescribable. Just the intensity of each play of this game and I am certain that this Saturday will be no different. This will be my 11th year at Army and every one of these games have been a slugfest. There have been some great battles and some really close games. I am anticipating another game very much like that, blow for blow, with one team standing at the end.”
Interestingly, both teams come into the game with an array of talented offensive athletes. Both are led by a dominant quarterback, who is a great runner and a more than adequate passer. Army senior Bryson Daily has 1,460 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns along with 877 passing yards and nine touchdown passes. Navy junior Blake Horvath, who told the local media in Annapolis that he is good to play in the game despite some injuries, passed for 1,154 yards, 13 rushing touchdowns as well as rushing for 895 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Besides Daily, Army will need strong efforts from sophomore running back Kanye Udoh, who has collected 1,064 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns this season, and junior slotback Noah Short, who has 533 yards and two rushing scores. Short also has 313 receiving yards and three scores, while senior Casey Reynolds has 418 yards and three touchdowns for the Black Knights.
Navy’s running game features Alex Tecza, who has run for 489 yards and seven touchdowns, and Eli Heidenreich, who has tallied 402 yards and three touchdowns. Heidenreich has caught 36 passes for 597 yards and has five receiving touchdowns.
The journey to the game has been similar, with several key differences. Both teams got hammered by Notre Dame, with Navy losing 51-14 at MetLife Stadium in October and Army losing 49-14 at Yankee Stadium in November. And, they both easily defeated common American Athletic Conference opponents in Temple and UAB. But, Navy was shocked by Rice 24-10 in early November and had no chance against Tulane, losing to the Green Wave in mid-November, 35-0.
Army easily beat Rice, 37-14, in September and knocked off Tulane, 35-14, to win the AAC championship last Friday. In that game, Army committed no turnovers or penalties and did not have to punt.
The difference in the game may come from Army’s big, veteran offensive line and a Black Knights defense that seems to rise to adversity in tough situations and is only giving up an average of 15 points per game. Navy’s defense is a bit more porous, allowing 23 points a game to its opponents.
Paul Smolarcik
December 16, 2024 at 2:49 PM
What I like the most are the grafs where you describe what was at stake for Army, which was an awful lot. In that way, you captured the drama of the game.