WEST POINT, N.Y. — The first convention championship celebration in Army historical past was underway at midfield and Bryson Daily made clear it could be a quick one.
The Black Knights are going after one other trophy subsequent week.
“Beat Navy,” Daily stated.
He and the Black Knights must be a troublesome matchup for the Midshipmen — or simply about anybody.
Daily rushed for 4 touchdowns to tie the American Athletic Conference championship recreation file, and No. 24 Army accomplished an ideal first season within the league by beating Tulane 35-14 on Friday night time.
Kanye Udoh rushed for 158 yards, together with a 72-yarder to arrange a Daily TD, and a rating. Daily added 126 yards on the bottom for the Black Knights (11-1), who overwhelmed AAC opponents with their bruising, clock-eating speeding assault throughout their first across the league, then ran it to perfection within the championship recreation. Army gained the primary convention title in its 134-year historical past.
The Black Knights have one recreation left within the common season and it is they one they need most: towards Navy subsequent Saturday in Landover, Maryland, for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.
“Now we have got the largest recreation of the yr arising in eight days and we’re wanting ahead to that,” Army coach Jeff Monken stated.
Daily had runs of 5, 3, 4 and seven yards. The 221-pound quarterback’s 4 speeding scores gave him 29 this season, breaking the AAC file of 25 set by Navy QB Will Worth in 2016. The convention participant of the yr has rushed for a number of TDs in 10 consecutive video games.
Except for an unsuccessful stint in Conference USA from 1998-2004, the Black Knights had performed as an unbiased since their program started in 1890. Monken stated this week that Army felt that it wanted to be in a convention to have a pathway to varsity soccer’s expanded postseason.
As cadets poured out of the stands to hitch gamers in a midfield celebration, the Black Knights will need to have been loving the choice.
Darian Mensah threw two landing passes for Tulane (9-4), which was enjoying in its third straight AAC championship recreation and has misplaced the final two. The Green Wave had hopes of internet hosting earlier than dropping at residence to Memphis on Thanksgiving night time, ending their 17-game profitable streak in convention video games.
They have been even shakier Friday, botching area aim makes an attempt after their first two drives, then fumbling a kickoff and having a go intercepted in their very own territory on the subsequent two.
Then Tulane may barely get its arms on the ball within the second half, when Army had TD drives of 11 and 16 performs.
A temperature of 29 levels to start simply the third December recreation within the 101-season historical past of Michie Stadium demanded a powerful working assault, and no person does it higher than Army, which got here in main the nation with 312.5 speeding yards per recreation.
Army gained 335 on the bottom and went 4-for-5 on fourth down.
Daily did not even try a go till the second half — when he stored a scoring drive alive with a 9-yard completion on fourth-and-5.
The Green Wave have been requested in the course of the week about enjoying within the chilly situations alongside the Hudson River, and the climate might have been an element when Tulane tried a area aim after first drive. Holder Brice Busch dropped the snap on the Army 27.
Army promptly went 72 yards in 11 performs for Daily’s 5-yard rating. Tulane bought contained in the Army 20 once more on its second drive however needed to accept one other area aim try. The Green Wave dealt with the snap this time however Patrick Durkin‘s kick was extensive proper from 38 yards.
Daily’s 4-yard run made it 21-0 earlier than Tulane lastly bought on the board on Mensah’s 42-yard go to Mario Williams with 44 seconds left within the half.
But Army regained management with a 6½-minute drive to open the third quarter.
The Black Knights will prolong to a ninth straight week within the AP Top 25, their longest stretch since being ranked every week of the 1958 season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
