Navy Midshipmen Football Bowl Game History: A Look Back

As the Navy Midshipmen prepare for their next bowl game, here is a look back at their history, along with opponent the Oklahoma Sooners.

Dec 14, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen fullback Logan Point (38) and teammates celebrate a 31-13 win against the Army Black Knights in the the 125th Army-Navy game at Northwest Stadium. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The Navy Midshipmen are probably still filled with joy after upsetting their rival, the Army West Point Black Knights, in the annual Army-Navy game on Saturday.

But, the Midshipmen (9-3) still have one more game left to play as the get two weeks to prepare to face the Oklahoma Sooners in the Armed Forces Bowl.

This will be the first time the Midshipmen and the Sooners have faced each other in a bowl game. In fact, it will be just the second time the two teams have squared off in their histories. Navy made a trip to Norman, Okla., in 1965 for a regular-season game, with the Middies winning, 10-0.

Here is a look back at Navy’s bowl game history, along with that of its opponent, Oklahoma.

Navy Bowl History

The Midshipmen are 12-11-1 in bowl games and will be play in their first bowl game since 2019. It will be their first bowl game under second-year coach Brian Newberry.

Navy’s first bowl game was in 1923 under coach Bob Folwell, as he led the Midshipmen to Pasadena, Calif., for the Rose Bowl against Washington. That is the only tied game in Navy’s bowl history, as the Midshipmen and the Huskies played a 14-14 tie.

New Year’s Bowl Games

Navy hasn’t played in a New Year’s Six bowl game since the 1963 Cotton Bowl, here Navy lost to Texas, 28-6, with quarterback Roger Staubach leading the Midshipmen. Navy’s first five bowl games were at traditional New Year’s bowl games, with two appearances at the Cotton Bowl and one each at the Rose, Sugar and Orange bowls. Navy’s combined record in those games is 2-2-1.

Other Bowl Games

The rest of Navy’s bowl games have been outside the NY6, starting with their trip to the 1978 Holiday Bowl, where the Midshipmen beat BYU.

In addition to the NY6 and the Holiday Bowl, Navy has appeared in the following bowls: Liberty, Aloha, Houston, Emerald, Poinsietta, Meineke Car Care, Texas, Fight Hunger and Armed Forces.

This appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl will be the second for Navy. The Midshipmen have also appeared in the Liberty Bowl twice. Navy has appearance in the Military Bowl three times, which it hosts at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

But, Navy has appeared in the Poinsietta Bowl four times, its most appearances in any bowl game. That bowl game is no longer played.

About Oklahoma

The Sooners are one of the most successful college football programs of all-time and have a 31-25-1 record in bowl games.

Most recently, the Sooners lost to Arizona in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio at the end of the 2023 season.

Oklahoma is 0-2 in bowl games under third-year head coach Brent Venables. The Sooners have never played a service academy in a bowl game.