Navy Debuts Fresh Uniforms in Anticipation of Army-Navy Rivalry Game

The highly anticipated matchup isn't until mid -December, but the Navy Midshipmen have just sparked some excitement.

Navy Athletics

Each year, both teams in the historic matchup between the Navy Midshipmen and the Army West Point Black Knights debut special edition jerseys ahead of the game.

This season, the Midshipmen are in partnership with Under Armour to pay homage to the "Jolly Roger" flag; a symbol first established in 1943 by the most lethal Navy Aviation squadron in history.

Per the release:

"Flying over nine different types of fighter aircraft in the past 63 years, the Skull and Crossbones have become the most recognized and feared insignia in the world.  The Skull and Crossbones first flew in January 1943 on the F4U Corsairs assigned to VF-17, the most lethal Navy fighter squadron of World War II.  By the end of the war, the original Jolly Rogers had racked up over 150 kills in the skies over the Pacific."

The rich history backing the symbol carries deep meaning for the Midshipmen, as the Jolly Roger represents many squadrons and fighters throughout the history of Naval aviation.

Along with a rich military history, the Jolly Rogesr has made its way onto the field before. In the 1962 matchup, quarterback Roger Staubach and the Mids sported Jolly Rogers-inspired helmets to lead them to their 34-14 victory. With its return to the turf, the Jolly Rogers will make itself known on the jerseys of each player.

In the official release, the detailed history of the symbol and its meaning was given. One piece noted the everlasting legacy of the symbol, and why it is relevant to the upcoming matchup.

"The Jolly Rogers of VFA-103 continue to exemplify the Naval Aviation traditions of excellence and professionalism.  With the Jolly Rogers emblem proudly emblazoned on the tails of the most lethal and history-rich fighter squadron in all of Naval Aviation, the legacy of "The Bones" promises to endure for many years to come."

"Fear the Bones" will echo through the Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. come Dec. 14 in the historic 125th matchup. The game will be presented by USAA and televised nationally by CBS.

With the Navy having the winning edge in this longtime matchup (62-55-7), Army will look to use last year's momentum from their first OT victory. The hard-fought and low-scoring game was won by Army in Boston.

Army has not had the upper hand in the series since 2003, when the record weighed in the Black Knights' favor at 49-48-7. The conclusion of that game resulted in an overall tied record, and Navy has had the upper hand ever since.

The full history of the Jolly Rogers can be learned from the release here, as well as a full description of the new jerseys. Army revealed its jerseys earlier this week.