Photo Courtesy: CDT Steve Litterini
By DaVince “Dino” Wright
Game Info
Army Black Knights vs Navy Midshipmen
Saturday – December 11 – 2:00 p.m.
TV: CBS
MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, NJ
Records Before the Game
Army Black Knights (8-3)
Navy Midshipmen (3-8)
Well, the season for college football is over! Well, not officially because the Army-Navy is being played Saturday. After this game is played, the season is over, and then the bowl games begin. The first game played between these two teams happened in 1890. Last year the Black Knights shut out the Midshipmen 15-0. The Midshipmen hold a 61-53-7 edge over the Black Knights in the series (121 games). Let’s take a closer look at this year’s military matchup.
What’s At Stake?
Army is 8-3 and it’s basically their game to lose. Their last game of the season is the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl against Missouri. A loss will change the dynamic heading into a bowl game. Navy on the other hand is looking to play spoilers in this one. This game will be one to watch.
Army Black Knights
This Army offense has put up major points this season. The offense averages 35.5 points per game. The key for the Black Knights is their running game. They average 301.2 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Christian Anderson has passed for 545 yards through the air with five touchdowns and no interceptions. Running back Tyrell Robinson is averaging 9.9 yards per carry on 59 attempts with 582 yards and three touchdowns. Look for Robinson to get the ball early and often.
Navy Midshipmen
Navy has struggled this year on defense. The defense gives up an average of 2 point per game. They struggle with passing teams. Army doesn’t pass much… so this game Navy will concentrate on stopping the run. Applying pressure on the defensive line will be key. Navy will need to score some points as well. They too live and die by the run. They set up in the “pistol offense” and run from a stacked backfield. They will need to pass the ball in order to move the ball down field.
Prediction
ESPN has the Black Knights with a 82.3% chance of winning Saturday. The team that attempts more than 12 passes will win! I’m taking Army by 13!
Final Score
Army – 27
Navy – 14
