We’ll answer the question in advance, because somebody’s going to ask it and some die-hard college football fan is going to roll his eyes over it: “What happens if they tie?” Short answer: Overtime. It’s never happened in the Army-Navy game. It’s only existed in big-time college ball since 1996 — a relative drop in the bucket for a century-plus-old rivalry. For those who only watch one game a year, and it’s this one, the rules are: Each team gets a chance to score from the opponent’s 25-yard-line. If the game’s still tied, they go again. Still tied? Keep going,…
Author Kevin Lilley
If you’re tuning in late, a quick recap: Yes, President Obama is in attendance at FedEx Field. And no, he didn’t sign an executive order banning the forward pass. Army tried one in the first quarter, with Trent Steelman throwing wildly to the opposite side of the field after faking a more-traditional option. Navy’s first real attempt went better, mostly because QB Kriss Proctor never bothered throwing the ball. Proctor dropped back early in the second quarter, took his time surveying his options, then did what he’s more accustomed to doing — tucking the ball and running. Behind the right…
The pagentary’s over. For a few hours, at least, it’s less about history and fancy new uniforms and more about job No. 1 for both teams: Stopping the option run attack. So far, both teams have prevented big gains — the key to slowing down misdirection offenses that can create open space in a hurry. That duty falls primarily to the linebackers, the defense’s “second level,” who have to sift through the fakes and counters in a split second, find the ball and attempt to separate it from the ball carrier. Navy senior outside linebacker Jarred Shannon introduced himself to…
Navy’s current nine-game win streak over Army is the longest for either school in the rivalry’s 111-game history. But the Midshipmen went winless in 10 games from 1922 to 1933, a span that featured two ties and two years (1928 and 1929) when no game was played. How do you end such a drought? With a field goal by a decorated World War II submarine commander, of course. On Dec. 1, 1934, on a wet Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Navy senior Slade Cutter lined up for a 20-yard first-quarter field goal that even the Navy coaches thought was going to…
At the start of the college football season, the Military Bowl had commitments from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Naval Academy, and a deal with Conference USA should the Midshipmen fall short of bowl eligibility. At the end of the season, the bowl has exactly zero teams from the ACC or C-USA, and Navy won’t be playing anywhere after this weekend. Yet, somehow, everybody’s happy. Frank Schwab of the Colorado Springs Gazette has the details behind the seemingly simple steps that put Air Force in the Dec. 28 bowl game at RFK Stadium in Washington, where the Falcons will…
Sure, the game’s more than a week away, but the trash talking has started on both sides and will be in full effect well before kickoff. It’s not always a good idea to let facts get in the way of a good rivalry game, but for those curious, here’s four quick hits: 1. QB question: Army’s official depth chart lends no hits on the health of junior quarterback Trent Steelman, who injured his knee in a 42-14 loss at Temple on Nov. 19. Steelman shares top billing with freshman Angel Santiago, who’s played in four games this season and completed…
Air Force ended its regular season with a 45-21 win at Colorado State, giving the Falcons a 7-5 record and a fifth-straight season of bowl eligibility. Which bowl? There’s at least three possibilities, and fans shouldn’t plan on booking any plane tickets until this weekend’s action wraps up. Frank Schwab of the Colorado Springs Gazette lays out a few of the scenarios here, with some words from the key players. Here are three key points for the Air Force faithful and armchair bowl projectors to consider. 1. Finish vs. value. The Mountain West Conference has agreements with four bowls –…
Your usual Friday drill — a look at the most recent installment of “A Game of Honor,” the online Army-Navy “docu-drama” from CBS, and then a quick scroll down for the basics on Saturday’s academy games. All times Eastern. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ0t88XIsbI[/youtube] Army (3-7) at Temple (6-4, 4-3 Mid-American Conference), 2 p.m. TV: None. But ESPN3 will carry the game online with Scott Graham and Rob Harley in the booth. Game-time decision: Junior quarterback Trent Steelman, who hasn’t played since leaving Army’s Oct. 22 loss to Vanderbilt with an ankle injury, could make the start against the Owls. The Black Knights rolled…
USA Today’s cover story on rising salaries for college football head coaches held few surprises: The heads of massive programs in the Big 12, Big Ten and Southeastern Conference make the most, while folks in the Sun Belt and other lower-level conferences are in the low six figures. Among the service academies, it’s no surprise that Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo leads the pack. After racking up 27 wins in his first three seasons — the best start for a coach in school history — Niumatalolo signed a contract extension in April. According to USA Today’s figures, he’ll make $1,538,190 in 2011.…
It’s been a few days since any NCAA teams played basketball on an aircraft carrier. Never too early to think about the next time, right? The inaugural Quicken Loans Carrier Classic appears to have gone off without a hitch, as an outdoor hoops arena went up from scratch, a president made a cross-country visit … and somewhere along the way, the top-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels managed a 67-55 win over Michigan State. So, what about 2012? This USA Today report outlines some of the details, including the proposed date (Nov. 9, apparently ending the play-on-Veterans Day streak at one),…
