What had been expected for days is now a reality. Army has accepted an invitation Tuesday to play in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. The game will be played at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas on Dec. 30 and be broadcast on ESPN2. The start time is — ugh — 11 a.m.
Army will play a to-be-determined Conference USA school.
The Black Knights (6-5) haven’t played in a bowl since the 1996 Independence Bowl, where they lost 32-29 to Auburn. They haven’t won a bowl game since the 1985 Peach Bowl.
Of course, Army still has one regular season game left — their annual game with Navy. A win in that game will guarantee the first winning season for Army since 1996.