After 2OT thriller in 2022, Army looks for sixth win over Navy since 2016

Nick Bromberg
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 10: A general view of the Army Navy logo prior to the 123rd Army Navy game on December 10, 2022 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Army has won five of its last seven meetings against Navy. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

What can Army and Navy do for an encore after a thriller in 2022?

The two schools played the first overtime contest in the 123-game history of the series a season ago as the Black Knights got a 20-17 win in two extra periods. Army simply needed a field goal in the second overtime after Navy fumbled the ball a yard from the goal line at the start of the second overtime.

Army is looking for its sixth win of the past eight seasons after finally snapping a long Navy win streak in 2016. The Midshipmen won 14 consecutive games from 2002-15 before Army got a 21-17 win seven seasons ago.

Both teams are looking for their sixth win of the season and a .500 finish Saturday. However, neither will go to a bowl game. Navy needed to have six wins before facing Army to be bowl eligible, and the Black Knights have two wins over FCS opponents this season.

Here’s a quick look at both teams ahead of Saturday’s matchup (3 p.m. ET, CBS). The Black Knights enter the game as 2.5-point favorites.

Army (5-6)

  • Best win: 23-3 over Air Force (Week 10)

  • Key player: QB Bryson Daily (859 pass yards, 817 rush yards, 13 total TDs)

The Black Knights enter the annual rivalry game on a three-game win streak. After moving to 2-1 with a Week 3 win over UTSA, Army lost five consecutive games. Three were to Power Five opponents in that span and another was to Sun Belt champion Troy. However, the fifth and final loss of that streak was a 21-14 defeat to UMass.

Army rebounded immediately after that game to beat Air Force by 20 and then finish the season with wins over Holy Cross and Coastal Carolina. Daily is the team’s primary rusher and the only player to have more than 100 carries this season. Keep an eye on what the playbook has in store for wide receiver Ay’Juan Marshall. He has 15 carries for 162 yards this season and had seven carries for 64 yards and a score in Army’s most recent game.

Navy (5-6)

  • Best win: 31-6 over UAB (Week 11)

  • Key player: FB Alex Tecza (724 rush yards, 5 TDs)

The Midshipmen enter this game without a victory over a team with a winning record. Navy went 4-4 in the AAC but its wins were over North Texas, Charlotte, UAB and East Carolina. Navy lost by 14 to basement-dweller Temple and was blown out by SMU in Week 13 as it needed a win to make a bowl game.

Four different quarterbacks have played in at least four games for Navy as Xavier Arline and Braxton Woodson split time against SMU. Eight different players also have at least 27 carries for the Midshipmen as Tecza is the only player with over 300 rushing yards. Navy has been gashed by the pass this year (240 yards per game) but that's of limited impact entering this game. The two teams still run a heavy option-based offense and combined to throw 15 passes a season ago.

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