Max DiDomenico and most of Army football teammates are making their first trip to Yankee Stadium this season Saturday.
Army athletic director Mike Buddie, a former Yankees pitcher, bussed the team down for Yankees baseball games this summer.
Army will play No. 6 Notre Dame in its first Yankee Stadium game since defeating UConn 35-21 on Nov. 8 2014.
“It will be a bit different playing in the actual stadium than watching the game,” said DiDomenico, a senior captain and safety. “It’s close to home even though we are the away team I still think it’s pretty cool. It’s an hour down the street. People are always in the city. It should be a really exciting game.”
Army is a 14-point underdog against the Irish (9-1). The Black Knights look to break a 15-game losing streak to Notre Dame that dates back to 1958 and their last win in South Bend with Heisman Trophy winner Pete Dawkins.
This is Army’s biggest non-service academy game since the 1958 14-2 victory over the Irish considering what’s on the line – the Black Knights undefeated season and the potential of a jump in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Notre Dame blasted Navy 51-14, taking advantage of six Midshipmen turnovers less than a month ago. So, the Irish have experience against an option-based offense. Will Army mix things up offensively? Coordinator Cody Worley hinted that the Black Knights would probably run what’s got them to a 9-0 record?
Remember Notre Dame’s only loss was to Northern Illinois 16-14 at home early in the season. The Irish’s closet game since was a 31-27 win over then No. 15 Louisville.
Army is playing as a ranked team against another ranked team for the first team since a 24-10 loss to No. 14 Cincinnati on Sept. 26, 2020.
Sal Interdonato (Black Knight Nation): Notre Dame 27, Army 20. The script for Army to keep this game close is simple -play turnover-free football, own time of possession, don’t have any empty possessions (if Army goes for it fourth down, it’s got to convert to keep drives alive) and avoid the big plays from Notre Dame’s offense. If everything follows script, the Black Knights can be in the game in the fourth quarter and have a chance to pull it out.
Steve Anderson (Black Knight Nation): Army 31, Notre Dame 22. Army outrushes Notre Dame 312-226.
Seth Mendelson (Black Knight Nation): Notre Dame 38, Army 17. Anything can happen but the Irish just seem too big and fast for the Black Knights. Army needs to win the turnover battle and ball possession to win this game. A tall order.
Predictions from across the college football universe
Stuckey (Action Network): Army + 14.5
Howie Kussoy (New York Post): Army +14.5
Pete Sampson (The Athletic): Notre Dame 28, Army 13
Will Helms (College Football Network): Notre Dame 23, Army 17
Pete Fiutak (College Football News): Notre Dame 38, Army 14
David Kenyon (Bleacher Report): Notre Dame 28, Army 19
Bryan Driskell (Athlon Sports): Notre Dame 31, Army 14
Max Chadwick (Pro Football Focus): Notre Dame 31, Army 14
Jeff Feyerer (Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Sports Illustrated): Notre Dame 41, Army 13
Nathan Erbach (Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Sports Illustrated): Notre Dame 38, Army 10
Mason Plummer (Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Sports Illustrated): Notre Dame 35, Army 13
John Kennedy (Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Sports Illustrated): Notre Dame 38, Army 17
