Want to know every storyline for this year’s Army-Navy game? You’ve come to the right place. I’m going to break the main talking points my own lazy unique style, and you can feel free to use these facts to bore amaze your family and friends on Saturday!
- This game, with0ut question, is one of sports’ greatest rivalries. But …
- Navy has won the last eight Army-Navy games.
- Army has never been closer than 12 points those games.
- In the past three years, Army has failed to even score a touchdown. So some of the luster of rivalry is lost, whether folks admit it or not.
- However, there is hope.
- This is Army’s best season since 1996.
- The Black Knights have won six games and will play in the Armed Forces Bowl.
- Prior to this season, Army hasn’t been to a bowl game since 1996.
- Unfortunately for the Cadets, Navy is having another banner season.
- The Midshipmen are 8-3, and will be playing in a bowl game for a record seventh year in a row.
- If Navy beats Army and wins the Poinsettia Bowl, it will have back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history.
- Making things worse for Army, Navy comes into the game on a scoring tear, averaging 49 points in their last three victories of the season.
- Both Navy and Army use the triple option in their offensive systems, and each ranks among the top teams in the nation in rushing offense.
- But neither team uses the wishbone offense, so don’t embarrass yourself by saying that.
- Neither team is a force passing the ball, with Army ranking dead last in D-1 and Navy ranking third to last.
- Army is led offensively by sophomore quarterback Trent Steelman.
- Steelman is Army’s second-leading rusher, with 620 yards on the ground. He also has 837 yards passing.
- Steelman was the first freshman quarterback to start for the Cadets in the Army-Navy game.
- Army’s leading rusher, sophomore fullback Jared Hassin, is a transfer from Air Force.
- But the big offensive force in this game is Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs.
- Dobbs has a combined for 2,000 total yards and 23 touchdowns this season.
- Dobbs has proclaimed his desire to run for president in 2040.
- Last season Dobbs broke a record held by Tim Tebow, hallowed by thy name.
- Prior to the beginning of this season, Dobbs was mentioned as a long-shot contender for the Heisman Trophy.
- If Army is to stop Dobbs and Navy, a big game is needed from senior defensive end Josh McNary.
- McNary is tied for 15th in the nation in sacks.
- The son of a Marine officer, McNary holds just about every Army record for sacks. He became Army’s all-time sack leader as a junior, and holds records for most sacks in a game and a season.
- McNary only played one year of high school football.
- This guy is Army’s most legendary defensive end, but his heroism has nothing to do with football.
- Navy’s top tackler is senior linebacker Tyler Simmons.
- Simmons suffered a horrific skiing injury in the offseason.
- Navy is also led by four-year starter Wyatt Middleton, a senior captain. Navy coach Ken Niumatatolo said it “feels like Wyatt has been here eight years.”
- Navy did not bring back a single starting linebacker from last year’s team.
- Army’s leading tackler from a season ago, linebacker Andrew Rodriguez, missed the entire 2010 season with an injury.
- Army’s leading tackler this season, middle linebacker Stephen Anderson, missed last year’s Army-Navy game with a knee injury.
- Both Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo and Army coach Rich Ellerson are both graduates of the University of Hawaii, and each coached there.
- Army lost to Hawaii in their first game of the season.
- Army lost to Notre Dame 27-3 in their last game.
- Navy beat Notre Dame 35-17 on Oct. 23.
- Both Army and Navy played Duke this season. Army won at Duke, while Navy lost to Duke at home.
- The other common opponent the teams have is Air Force. Army lost at home to the Falcons, Navy lost on the road to the Falcons.
- This is the first year since 2002 that Navy has not won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.
- Army has not won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy since 1996.
- Navy has not lost to both Navy and Army in the same season since 2001, when Navy went 0-10.
- In 2002, Navy beat two teams: Army and SMU.
- After the Army-Navy game, the Black Knights will face SMU in the Armed Forces Bowl.
- Navy beat SMU 28-21 on Oct. 16.
- SMU is the only team in NCAA history to get the so-called “death penalty,” and has played in fewer bowls than Army in the last 25 years.
- You can watch an ESPN 30-for-30 documentary about SMU’s disaster on Saturday night, after Cam Newton gets screwed out of wins the Heisman Trophy.
- After Action will be live-blogging and live-tweeting from the Army-Navy game, so follow us for more awesome insight into this classic.
