Army-Navy Showdown Comes as Black Knights, Midshipmen Have Goals to Reach

The Army West Point Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen clash on Saturday in their annual showdown.

Dec 9, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Army Black Knights offensive lineman Brady Small (51) lines up at the line of scrimmage against the Navy Midshipmen during the second half of the Army-Navy Game at Gillette Stadium. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

It’s Army-Navy week and that’s all that really needs to be said.

The Black Knights (11-1) and the Midshipmen (8-3) square off at 3 p.m. eastern in Landover, Md., for the right to claim the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.

The Black Knights were conference rivals with the Midshipmen for the first time this season, as they joined the American Athletic Conference as affiliate members. But, to preserve their annual rivalry — the eighth-longest in college football — both schools and the AAC agreed to keep the game as a non-conference game and preserve the contest’s special date on the calendar.

With the conference title games complete and the College Football Playoff set to start next weekend, Army-Navy is, as always, the only show in town. Both the Black Knights and Midshipmen have things left to accomplish this season and, with both teams heading to bowl games, it should be a great game.

Here is a preview of the game.

Army West Point vs. Navy

Northwest Stadium, Landover, Md.

Time: 3 p.m., ET, Saturday

TV: CBS

Radio: Army: WKDT 89.3 FM (flagship), American Forces Network radio; Navy: WBAL 1090 AM / 101.5 FM (flagship), Navy Football Radio Network. National Radio: Westwood One, Sirius/XM Channel 84.

Coaches: Army — Jeff Monken (81-56 at Army, 117-72 overall); Navy: Brian Newberry (13-10 at Navy, overall).

Fun fact: Both Monken and Newberry were previously Navy assistants. Monken was with the program from 2002-07 as a special teams and running backs coach. Newberry was Navy’s defensive coordinator from 2019-22.   

All-Times Series: Navy leads series, 62-55-7 (this is the 125th playing of the game).

Last meeting: Army 17, Navy 11 (2023).

Series notes: Army has won the last two meetings. Navy won the only other game played at Northwest Stadium, which was in 2011.

Last Week: Army beat Tulane, 35-14; Navy was idle.

About Army: The Black Knights can make history if they keep winning. Army has never won 13 games in a season, but that’s where it is tracking if it beats Navy and wins its bowl game against Marshall.

Already accomplished is the program’s fourth 10-win season and second 11-win season. Three of those 10-win seasons and both 11-win seasons have come under Monken, who is drawing attention from schools that have open jobs.

Quarterback Bryson Daily is one of the best quarterbacks in the country and no passer has more rushing touchdowns nationally than he does. He fell short of being a Heisman finalist, so beating Navy will have to do.

About Navy: This season is a good jump for the Midshipmen under second-year head coach Brian Newberry, who took over for his old boss, Ken Niumatalolo. At one point he had the Middies undefeated after six games and ranked nationally. But a loss to Notre Dame started Navy on a 1-3 stretch that took them out of the AAC title game race.

Still, there are accomplishment ahead for the Midshipmen, who are shooting for just the program’s sixth 10-win season. But Navy needs to win both games to do it.

For any Army or Navy coach, this game is how their tenure is measured. Newberry is 0-1 so far. His job is to get the Midshipmen back to dominating the rivalry. Navy has lost six of the last eight games.

Next Up: Army faces Marshall in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28. Navy faces Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 27.