LANDOVER, Md. — This was an Army–Navy recreation in contrast to any earlier than it. The groups had mixed for 19 victories this season earlier than their annual conflict, a report for the rivalry.
Of course, solely one in all them could be chargeable for No. 20 — the most important win of all of them.
“I believe they’re like us: We wish to be vital,” Navy coach Brian Newberry stated. “I believe we each have been this 12 months, and I believe due to that possibly there was slightly extra significance, slightly extra curiosity possibly on this recreation.”
Blake Horvath outplayed Bryson Daily at quarterback, accounting for 311 yards and 4 touchdowns to assist Navy beat No. 19 Army 31-13 on Saturday. Horvath threw for 107 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 204 yards and two TDs.
Navy (9-3) snapped a two-game dropping streak within the sequence.
Daily, who completed sixth within the Heisman Trophy vote this 12 months, threw a landing move of his personal, however he was intercepted thrice. Army (11-2) fell behind 14-0 within the second quarter and by no means fully recovered. The Black Knights have been coming off a victory over Tulane within the American Athletic Conference title recreation — the primary league championship in program historical past.
Navy, which gained its first six video games this season and likewise hung out within the AP Top 25, accomplished a sweep of Air Force and Army to win the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the primary time since 2019.
“As excited and proud we have been eight days in the past, we’re as disillusioned as we have ever been,” Army coach Jeff Monken stated. “It’s laborious to lose that recreation. That one hurts rather a lot, particularly when the trophy’s on the road and we have an opportunity to maintain that trophy at West Point. We did not do it.”
In entrance of a crowd that included President-elect Donald Trump on the Washington Commanders’ house stadium in Landover, Navy took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards, reaching the tip zone on a 1-yard run by Horvath.
Daily, who had been intercepted solely as soon as all season, had a move picked off within the second quarter by Dashaun Peele. The Midshipmen took benefit of a brief discipline, going forward 14-0 on an 18-yard move from Horvath to Brandon Chatman. Daily answered with a TD move of his personal — 23 yards to Hayden Reed.
Both groups have been run-heavy as anticipated, however they did mix for 25 move makes an attempt — together with what was in all probability the most important play of the sport within the third quarter. After a discipline objective made the rating 14-10, Horvath linked with Eli Heidenreich, who broke unencumber the left sideline for a 52-yard landing.
That was Horvath’s thirteenth landing move of the season and Heidenreich’s sixth TD reception — each tying faculty data.
Daily missed an open Casey Reynolds in the long run zone early within the fourth, and Army settled for a discipline objective.
Navy then confronted fourth down close to midfield, however Landon Robinson — usually a nostril guard — ran 29 yards on a faux punt. Although Robinson fumbled on the finish of the play, the Midshipmen have been capable of recuperate.
Horvath’s 1-yard scoring run made it 28-13, and Daily was intercepted twice extra earlier than the tip of the sport.
This was the primary of two straight Army-Navy video games in Navy’s house state of Maryland. Next 12 months’s version is in Baltimore.
It has been a historic season for the Black Knights, however anybody who follows this rivalry is aware of how empty the dropping crew feels. Daily threw for 65 yards and ran for under 52.
“It’s been a great season. When you lose this recreation there’s nothing nice, large, excellent or stupendous about it,” Monken stated. “It frankly makes the season a little bit of a disappointment. That’s simply the reality of this recreation.”
The Midshipmen earn the final word bragging rights. It’s a defining second for Newberry in his second season as Navy’s coach.
“It’s laborious these days, with the adjustments in faculty soccer, to actually construct a tradition that is constructed on love and belief. Those issues take time,” Newberry stated. “We nonetheless have these right here on the academies. That’s why I believe I bought probably the greatest jobs within the nation.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
