While most collegiate athletes strive to maintain an unwavering focus on the immediate challenge, deferring thoughts of future opponents, the landscape is distinctly different for the players of Army and Navy.
“We say ‘Beat Navy’ for 365 days of the year,” affirmed Army linebacker Gavin Shields, encapsulating the pervasive sentiment. “It’s the whole motto of our team.”
This enduring rivalry culminates on Saturday in Baltimore, a fixture that dominates players’ thoughts throughout the season and remains firmly on coaches’ radars.
Army coach Jeff Monken elaborated on this unique preparation: “This game is thought about far more than just the days leading up to it. Our academy opponents are different. Defending them is different. Because they know us so well, trying to have a game plan prepared on offense is different. It’s an effort throughout the year.”
Despite the intense focus on this annual clash, both Army (6-5) and No. 22 Navy (9-2) have enjoyed successful seasons against other teams, each securing coveted bowl bids.
The Black Knights are headed to the Fenway Bowl, while the Midshipmen will compete in the Liberty Bowl, having finished tied for first in the American Conference, only missing out on the league title game due to tiebreakers.
Last year, Army celebrated their first conference title in the programme’s illustrious history, winning the AAC, but ultimately fell 31-13 to Navy. This year presents a significant opportunity for the Black Knights to reverse that outcome.
The rivalry’s magnetic pull draws viewers each December, yet the football played in other months has also been of a high standard recently.
However, for the players, the outcome of this particular game can overshadow an entire season’s achievements.
Navy receiver Nathan Kent articulated this sentiment: “If you don’t win Army-Navy, your season, it’s considered kind of a loss when you think about it.
“We have nine wins right now, and if we lose to Army, it kind of seems all for naught. Army won the American last year, Army had 11 wins last year. But they didn’t win the Army-Navy game, so it doesn’t seem like they had a winning season.”
For the second consecutive season, the game is being held in Navy’s home territory, with Baltimore hosting the event for the first time since 2016.
CBS will broadcast Saturday’s fixture, continuing a tradition since 1996, and marking a record 17th and final call for analyst Gary Danielson, who is retiring. No other commentator has covered more Army-Navy games on television.
Beyond bragging rights, the match will also determine the winner of the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, awarded annually to the victor of the round-robin competition between Army, Navy, and Air Force.
With both Army and Navy securing 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, though they did overcome the Midshipmen in 2016 when Navy was in the CFP rankings but not 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 honour ultimately bestowed upon Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers.
Horvath notably stands as the first FBS quarterback since Lamar Jackson and Quinton Flowers in 2016 and 2017 to achieve 1,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in back-to-back seasons.
