Yes, the Army-Navy game was a classic, with the outcome in doubt well into the fourth quarter. Navy’s win streak continued, a new stadium was welcomed into the rivalry, and the end zones were left intact for Sunday’s Redskins-Patriots NFL game as part of the Redskins’ military appreciation week, which they apparently forgot to tell anyone about.
Instead of looking back, let’s look forward: In nine months, the Midshipmen will be back in the national spotlight, taking on Notre Dame. It’s another storied rivalry, but with a twist: The Irish fans in the stands will be Irish.
On Sept. 1, Navy and Notre Dame square off in Aviva Stadium in Dublin. It’ll be the second time the rivalry has crossed the Atlantic; in 1996, Notre Dame thumped the Mids 54-27 at Dublin’s Croke Park.
Missed that one? Head here to read a thorough Sports Illustrated account of the experience. Don’t want to miss this one? One option would be to go through the academy’s official travel partner, which is offering a number of tour packages to expand your Irish getaway beyond the game.
The trip could also be good news for Army fans — it’s not much of a trend, but the Mids are 0-1 in Army-Navy games in years when they play Notre Dame in Dublin. Hey, when you’ve lost 10 straight, you take what you can get.
Better news for Army fans? Forget Ireland — the Black Knights open next year in sunny San Diego, scheduled to take on San Diego State on Sept. 8 at Qualcomm Stadium.
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