Prediction time: Air Force

Playing the role of underdog against Air Force is nothing new for Army.

Army will take the Empower Field in Denver as an underdog for the fifth straight time against its service-Academy rival.

However, this season’s leg of Commander in Chief’s trophy may be Army’s biggest challenge in the series recently. The Black Knights are an 18-point underdog against No. 17 Air Force. Its largest point spread in an Army-Air Force game since 26.5 points (Air Force) in 2003, per Brett McMurphy of Action Network.

Army enters the game with its third five-game losing streak under Jeff Monken. The Black Knights have never lost six straight games in a season in the Monken era.

Air Force’s 13-game winning streak (dating back to last season) ranks fourth in the nation behind Florida State (14), Washington (15) and Georgia (25).

Since Monken took over at West Point in 2014, the teams have combined for more than 40 points just once (Air Force 31-12, 2016).

Army has lost 52 straight games to Associated Press-ranked teams with its last win coming against Air Force in 1972.

Prediction time
Sal Interdonato (Black Knight Nation): Air Force 24, Army 14. Army is tied for the most turnovers (20) in the nation. If the Black Knights value the football, they could stay in the game. If not, it could turn into a runaway win for Air Force.

Seth Mendelson (Black Knight Nation): Air Force 35, Army 10. Army needs this game and the Black Knights will be focused. But, Air Force is very good on both sides of the ball. Hard to keep up with a veteran Falcon squad.

Predictions from across the college football universe

David Kenyon (Bleacher Report): Air Force 24, Army 14. Kenyon writes on Bleacher Report, “Saturday afternoon in Denver, Air Force is aiming for the service academy sweep to retain the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. Rivalry games can always get strange, and six-loss Army might hang around longer than expected. After watching the Black Knights lose to Massachusetts, though, an upset feels improbable.”

Pete Fiutak (College Football News): Air Force 23, Army 3

Tony Sink (Doc’s Sports): Army + 18