Navy Midshipmen vs. Army Black Knights Pick & Prediction DECEMBER 14th 2024
Preview and Prediction
The 125th clash between No. 22 Army and Navy will hold greater significance for both teams when they meet on Saturday in Landover, Md.
For the first time in seven years, the victor of this game will also claim the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, the annual award given to the academy with the best record in inter-service play.
The Midshipmen (8-3) took the initial step towards securing the trophy on Oct. 5, when they dominated Air Force 34-7 on the road. The Black Knights (11-1) followed suit on Nov. 2, securing a 20-3 victory over Air Force at home despite playing without their star quarterback Bryson Daily.
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Army won the trophy last year and has had a historically successful season, their first in the American Athletic Conference.
The Black Knights marched to a 9-0 start, their first since 1996, and won all eight of their conference games before defeating Tulane 35-14 in the AAC title game last Friday in West Point, N.Y.
Army has already matched their program record with 11 wins and is set to face Marshall in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28, but their season largely depends on the outcome of Saturday's game.
"No matter how successful our season has been, losing this game would be a disappointment," said Army coach Jeff Monken.
Monken's team has excelled behind Daily, who leads the nation's top rushing attack with 1,480 yards (averaging 314.4 yards per game). Daily's 29 rushing touchdowns are tied with Boise State running back and Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty for the most in college football.
The Black Knights have stifled their opponents, allowing only 15.0 points per game, the seventh-lowest in the nation. Linebacker Andon Thomas leads the team in tackles (83), while fellow linebacker Kalib Fortner has recorded 8.5 tackles for loss.
Army will face a new-look Navy offense that has been the driving force behind the program's turnaround after four consecutive losing seasons.
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Like the Black Knights, the Midshipmen still rely on the triple option, but first-year offensive coordinator Drew Cronic has added a modern twist by incorporating more passing plays and spread-out formations.
Navy has thrived under this new system, averaging 32.3 points per game this season compared to 17.7 last season.
Quarterback Blake Horvath leads the Midshipmen with 895 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, along with 1,154 passing yards and 11 scores. He missed Navy's last regular-season game against East Carolina due to a back injury but has confirmed he will play on Saturday.
Although Horvath has never started an Army-Navy game, the junior quarterback understands the importance of treating it like any other game.
"Don't put too much pressure on yourself," he said. "It's a big game, but don't psych yourself out."
A victory for the Midshipmen would end their two-game losing streak against the Black Knights and bring the Commander-in-Chief's trophy back to Annapolis, Md. for the first time since 2019.
"It would bring a whole new level of pride to our style of football that we've been striving to get back to this season," Horvath stated.
Regardless of the outcome on Saturday, Navy will finish with their first winning record since going 11-2 in 2019. They will also make their first bowl appearance since that year when they face Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 27.