One of the most long-standing college football rivalries is set to kick-off once again on Saturday, December 14th with the Army Black Knights playing the Navy Midshipmen at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.
The two teams have been facing off with each other since 1890 and have played an annual game each football season since 1930.
With the two teams representing the two oldest military branches in the United States, the stakes for this game are always high for those who watch. For one day a year, normally on the last weekend of the normal college football season, service members and their affiliates will fly flags and make posters and shout their support from the rooftops “Go Army! Beat Navy!” or “Go Navy! Beat Army!”. For members of the armed services, whether they attended one of the service academies or not, the Army navy game is an opportunity to show their pride for their branch, their country, and their future leaders.
To fully understand the rivalry at its core, and what it means for those involved, we must first dive into the history of the schools themselves and how they have shaped this rivalry into the spectacle it is today.
The United States Military Academy (USMA): Home of the Army Black Knights
The USMA, also commonly called West Point, in West Point, New York, was established on March 16, 1802. It is the oldest of the United States Service Academies and has been training its students, called cadets, to become commissioned officers in the United States Army for 222 years.
Graduates from USMA are known as “The Long Gray Line” on account of the gray cadet uniforms that the students must endure during their four years of education. Many notable presidents and military leaders graduated from USMA, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Robert E. Lee, and General George Patton.
Every cadet that attends West Point receives a tuition free Bachelor of Science degree, but the schooling doesn’t exactly come for free. Every cadet agrees to sign a contract to fulfill an eight-year service obligation in the United States Army as commissioned second lieutenants. While attending their normal college education classes, the Army Corps of Cadets are simultaneously being trained to meet the Army standards of knowledge and fitness so that they are ready to begin their military careers upon graduation. One of the requirements that cadets must fulfil while attending school is playing a sport each semester, with one of the most notable sports being football.
The Army Black Knights are a division 1 football team in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the NCAA. The team competes in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) and has an all-time record of 738-546-51 (.572).
This season, Army has dominated the field in the AAC with a record of 11-1, only losing in an out-of-conference game against Notre Dame. Army won their conference championship against Tulane University 35-14 on December 6th of this year. They are currently also riding the high of a 2-year win streak against the Navy coming into Saturday’s matchup.
Serving looks AND the nation. 🫡🔥 #GoArmy #BeatNavy pic.twitter.com/8i84Gi3l4S
— U.S. Military Academy at West Point (@WestPoint_USMA) December 11, 2024
The United States Naval Academy (USNA): Port of Call for the Navy Midshipmen
Established on October 10, 1845, the United States Naval Academy, also called Annapolis, became the second Unites States Service Academy to begin training future officers. The USNA trains and educates its students, called midshipmen, for service as ensigns or second lieutenants in either the Unites States Navy or the United States Marine Corps respectively.
Much like the USMA, Annapolis boasts its fair share of notable graduates, including President Jimmy Carter, senator John McCain, and retired astronaut Wendy Lawrence. The USNA has produced a total of 55 astronauts throughout its history, as well as several Rhodes Scholars, Nobel Prize Winners, and Medal of Honor Recipients.
Annapolis is similar to West Point in many aspects. The midshipmen, like their cadet counterparts, receive a Bachelor of Science degree with no tuition costs for a commitment of five years active-duty service in either the Navy or the Marines. All midshipmen are required to play a sport every semester in order to meet the physical requirements for their future service obligations as well. All midshipmen are held to a high standard as they are the future leaders of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Much like the Army, the biggest sport for the USNA is their Football team.
The Midshipmen are also a division 1 football team in the FBS, playing as part of the AAC and boasting an all-time record of 741-600-57 (.550).
Navy has had their own incredible season this year, placing 3rd in the AAC with a record of 8-3. Their face off against Army will not be the last game of their season, though, as they are also slated to play the Oklahoma Sooners on December 27th in the Armed Forces Bowl.
On #ArmyNavy game day and every day -- never fear, the Navy Information Operations Command Pacific has got your back! #GoNavy #BEATARMY #Navy Spirit #armynavy pic.twitter.com/iaxzCy4BcK
— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) December 10, 2024
The Army-Navy Game: Best Football of the Season
While both service academies have dominated in their division this season, both of their focuses are only ever on each other. Navy’s halls are painted with the words “Beat Army”, with the freshman class required to repeat the call whenever possible, with the Army cadets sharing their own ongoing sentiments to “Beat Navy”.
Currently, Navy leads in all-time series wins with a record of 62-55-7, but Army has been determined to catch up and surpass them with every matchup. Considering the age of the schools and their service branches, it is no wonder the rivalry has endured for as long as it has. The game stands as a celebration of the honor and sacrifice of those servicing, and for the future sacrifices made by their students.
With the influence and national excitement of the game being what it is, the schools still honor long time traditions, such as a student “prisoner exchange” or singing of both teams’ school songs, while introducing new and interesting ways to honor the men and women that came before.
In recent years, the two schools have introduced special uniforms for the game, intended to honor their respective branches’ pasts. This year, the Army Black Knights are paying homage to the 101st Airborne Division, known also as the Screaming Eagles. Their helmets, pads, and jerseys have been specially made to reference the 101st’s “Rendezvous with Destiny” during the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne during WWII.
The Navy Midshipmen, in a similar fashion, have decided to honor the WWII VF-61 fighter squadron known as the Jolly Rogers. Their uniforms take on the iconic skull and crossbones design, while mimicking the colors and design of the VF-61.
Tickets for this event sold out almost as quickly as they went on sale, with many Americans planning to either watch in person, or stream it online. The environment around the game is nothing short of pure patriotism as the student sections are filled with cheering cadets and midshipmen and the stands are packed with dedicated fans. Even those that don’t normally care about college football suddenly have a dog in the fight.
The Army Navy game always proves to be an amazing night for football, whether one is a dedicated fan or not. For 60 minutes, the rivalry rocks the two academies before they both come back together in the end to show unity, respect, and support for each other and their missions.
I know that I will be watching the game with rapt attention on Saturday, excited to experience the best college football rivalry in America, and I know who I’m rooting for to win. Go Army! Beat Navy!
#GoArmy! pic.twitter.com/k0SvU5u5dF
— U.S. Army (@USArmy) December 13, 2024
