The 125th meeting between the Cadets and the Midshipmen is shaping up to be a classic. Navy leads the series 62-55-7, but Army has won the last 2 meetings. Army is 10-1 and just captured the American Conference Championship by blasting Tulane last Friday Night in West Point, 35-14, in a terrifically impressive performance by the great Jeff Monken’s Black Knights team in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game. Army will play Marshall in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport on Saturday, 12/28, at 8:15 PM CT on ESPN.

The Naval Academy finished its season at 8-3 overall and 6-2 in the American and will play Oklahoma in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth at Amon G. Carter Stadium on Friday, 12/27, at 11 AM CT on ESPN. The Midshipmen were cookin’ at 6-0 when they met up for Playoff bound Notre Dame on Saturday, October 26th, and were shellacked, 51-14 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. But they still put together a nice season under second year head coach Brian Newberry. Army was 9-0 when they met up with the Fighting Irish in Yankee Stadium on Saturday, 11/23, but suffered a similar fate to the Midshipmen, losing to the Fighting Irish, 49-14.

But you throw out the record books here if you don’t mind redundance. When Coach Monken was interviewed last Friday Night by Taylor McGregor of ESPN after the Tulane game, he said he was pumped his team had won for sure, but said there was also the most important game on the calendar coming up; the most important game 365 days of the year coming up for both Academies. Monken finished off the interview with a signature “Beat Navy.” I’m sure both academies have been saying it all week. Every one of those guys in both academies along with their respective alumni bases have been saying it every day this year. “Beat Army!.” Beat Navy!.”

Here’s a look at this patriotic classic and which team I like to emerge victorious, along with the bowl season kicking off Saturday. I know Alabama fans are disappointed that they aren’t in the Playoff. Tough deal in Tuscaloosa not making the tournament, and I’m sorry for all my friends who bleed Crimson, including my wife and sister. That doesn’t happen much in Tuscaloosa. Alabama is usually playing for the national championship this time of year. Maybe a growing year this season. The Auburn Tigers have done well in the portal and the Tide did well with their 2025 recruiting class as did the Tigers. The Tide was second in the 247 Sports recruiting rankings and Auburn was sixth, so that’s good stuff from both programs. The transfer portal is kind of obnoxious, but you CAN pick up some nice players in that mechanism.

Should be an entertaining playoff. I’ll have several bowl games, and, of course, playoff predictions forthcoming in the next several weeks. Can Georgia get back to the promised land once again? Texas could be a factor. Of course, Oregon believes they can win it all. Ohio State, Notre Dame, Arizona State, believe in them, Penn State, and Tennessee is a big factor. That Tennesee-Ohio State game will be a classic Saturday, December 21st at 7 PM CT on ABC. I’ll have more coverage coming up.

Here’s a prediction for Army-Navy game and the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery on Saturday featuring South Alabama versus Western Michigan.

Last Week, Championship Week, SU: 3-3, 152-55, 73%. ATS: 3-3, 108-97, 53%

Saturday

Army (10-1) vs. Navy (8-3)

Northwest Stadium, Landover, MD., 62,000

2 PM CT

CBS

Brad, Gary, Jenny, good to see them on a national scale again.

Army by 6 1/2

It’s a battle of signal callers as Army’s Bryson Daily has rushed for 1,480 yards and 29 TDs and completed 45-of-78 passes, 58%, for 877 yards, 8 TDs against only one interception. Why is he not in New York along with Cam Skattebo of Arizona State? Skattebo has rushed for 1,568 yards and 19 TDs and caught 37 passes for 506 yards and 3 TDs. The finalists are Travis Hunter, Ashton Jeanty, Cam Ward and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel. I agree with Gabriel and Jeanty, but I’d take Skattebo over Cam Ward. Team performance and that player’s role in his team’s performance has to matter. I’m not opposed to putting Daily ahead of Hunter either. Team results should matter along with the player’s performance for their respective teams, and Daily and Skattebo were invaluable to their respective team’s success. Army went 10-1. ‘Zona State went 11-2, won the Big 12, and is in the playoff. Hunter and Colorado finished 9-3 and Ward and Miami finished 10-2, but lost when it mattered and came extremely close to losing about 3 or 4 more games. Give me Skattebo, Daily, Gabriel and Jeanty. I’d take any one of those guys, but if I’d have to pick, I’d take Gabriel because Oregon has been so good this season. Gabriel has completed 297 of 406, 73%, for 3,558 yards, 28 TDs against 6 ints. He’s also rushed for 7 TDs. That and the fact that his team is the top ranked team in the playoff rankings should be the difference maker. Hunter is the favorite to win it and probably will unless Jeanty can edge him out. But that’s not likely. Hunter’s had a great season, but they’re a bunch of show offs at Colorado. It’s quite obnoxious. And his team is 9-3, not nearly as stellar as the other players’ teams.

Back to the game, Navy quarterback Blake Horvuth has been terrific as well rushing for 895 yards and 13 TDs. He’s completed 69 of 118 passes, 58%, for 1,154 yards, 11 TDs against 4 ints. He had a little bit of a breakdown against Notre Dame, which cost him and his team the game. Several turnovers against that Irish that sealed the Midshipmen’s fate in that game.

Final Analysis and Prediction

Army coach Jeff Monken is a winning machine. He’s taken his program to unprecedented heights and the future looks extremely bright with major renovations going on at Michie Stadium, a football building being built, and a big investment in the program to make it even more appealing and elite. There have been rumors about Monken and other head coaching openings, but nothing substantiated. He has said he would change his offense from the triple option to a more pro style if he were to go some place else. But he’s pretty committed to Army right now. This game is always a classic. The patriotism on display before, during and after the game is spectacular.

My father was a Lieutenant and Navy Fighter Pilot in WWII fighting the Japanese Zero pilots in the Pacific theater. My uncle, Derrick’s dad, was a lieutenant in the Navy in charge of ship repair in Pearl Harbor after December 7th, 1941. My grandfather was an Annapolis grad and a captain in WWI. They were accomplished and dedicated to their missions. Charles B. Perkins’ dad, Ham, was a Lieutenant Commander serving in the Korean War and hunting German subs in the summers during WWII as he was a Naval Academy graduate. So they’d all be mad at me with this prediction, including CBP. I know Bama, Derrick, Excedrin, Walt and Brombey don’t like it when I pick against their Crimson Tide. Brownie and EHS ‘80 aren’t happy when I pick against their Tigers. My lovely wife and passionate sister are also not happy when I pick against their Tide. I don’t like myself much when I pick against Vanderbilt. That’s the life of a sportswriter in a nutshell. As has been said, if you’re a sportswriter and you want a friend during football season, buy a dog.

Army 21, Navy 14

Saturday Night

IS$S Salute to Veterans Bowl

South Alabama (6-6) vs. Western Michigan (6-6)

Cramton Bowl, Montgomery

8 CT

ESPN

Wes Durham, Lugues, Dana Boyle

Referees: Mountain West, Lead, Cal McNeill

USA by 8

The most interesting storyline for Alabamians is this game features South and the game is being played in Montgomery. Give me the Jaguars to get’er done and finish a nice season off with an above .500 record, always a nice accomplishment for some programs.

South Alabama 31, Western Michigan 21