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while most collegiate athlete Try to maintain an unwavering focus on the immediate challenge, avoiding thoughts of future opponents, the scenario is markedly different for Army and Navy players.
“We say ‘Beat Navy’ 365 days a year,” Army linebacker Gavin Shields confirmed, echoing the widespread sentiment. “That’s our entire team motto.”
This enduring rivalry concludes Saturday in Baltimore, a fixture that has dominated players’ thoughts throughout the season and remains firmly on the coaches’ radar.
Army coach Jeff Monken explained this unique preparation: “There’s a lot more thought about this game than there has been in the past. Our academy opponents are different. It’s different to defend them. Because they know us so well, it’s different to try to come up with a game plan on offense. It’s a year-round effort.”
Despite the intense attention paid to this annual clash, both Army (6–5) and No. 22 Navy (9–2) have enjoyed successful seasons against other teams, each earning coveted bowl bids.
The Black Knights are headed to the Fenway Bowl, while the Midshipmen will compete in the Liberty Bowl, having finished first in the American Conference, only missing the league title game due to a tiebreaker.
Last year, Army celebrated its first conference title in the program’s illustrious history by winning the AAC, but ultimately lost to Navy 31–13. This year presents a significant opportunity for the Black Knights to reverse that result.
The magnetic attraction of the rivalry attracts spectators each December, yet football played in other months has also recently been of a high standard.
However, for players, the outcome of this particular game can overshadow the achievements of the entire season.
Navy receiver Nathan Kent echoed this sentiment: “If you don’t win your season, Army-Navy, it’s kind of a loss when you think about it.
“We have nine wins right now, and if we lose to Army, everything seems for naught. Army had the American win last year, Army had 11 wins last year. But they didn’t win the Army-Navy game, so it doesn’t feel like they had a winning season.”
For the second consecutive season, the game is being held at Navy’s home field, with Baltimore hosting the event for the first time since 2016.
CBS will air Saturday’s program, continuing a tradition dating back to 1996, and it will be the record 17th and final call for retiring analyst Gary Danielson. No other commentator has covered the Army-Navy games so extensively on television.
Apart from bragging rights, the match will also determine the winner of the Commander-in-Chief Trophy, which is awarded annually to the winner of the round-robin competition between the Army, Navy and Air Force.
With both Army and Navy picking up narrow wins over Air Force this season, this week’s game is a winner-take-all contest.
Historically, Army has not defeated an AP-ranked Navy team since 1955, although they did beat the Midshipmen in 2016 when Navy was in the CFP rankings but not in the AP top 25.
Adding to the prestige, Navy quarterback Blake Horvath and Army linebacker Andon Thomas were both finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, known as the Academic Heisman, an honor ultimately awarded to Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers.
Horvath notably stands out as the first FBS quarterback to gain 1,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in back-to-back seasons since Lamar Jackson and Quinton Flowers in 2016 and 2017.