The Army Black Knights take on the Navy Midshipmen today in college football action. The game is scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on CBS. Currently the odds for the game have the Midshipmen laying two touchdowns to pick up the win.
Navy currently holds the longest winning streak between these two service academies of all time, claiming 13 straight wins over Army. The Midshipmen are going bowling once again under head coach Ken Niumatalolo, so their season will continue. Navy has qualified for the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl once again, this time traveling to the West Coast to take on the Aztecs of San Diego State.
Both teams obviously love to run the football with their old-school offensive ways. The Naval Academy ranks second best in the country at better than 357 yards on the ground per game this year. Army, at 4-7 and not making a bowl game this season, can hold their own coming out of the backfield, ranking sixth nationally at better than 305 yards per game on the ground.
Larry Dixon leads the Black Knights coming out of the backfield, totaling better than 1,000 yards on the ground this season with nine touchdowns. Dual threat quarterback Angel Santiago is second on the team in rushing yards this year with 793 yards on the ground, posting a team-high 10 touchdowns as well. Army doesn't throw the football much at all and Santiago isn't the most accurate of passers, completing just 51.5 percent of his throws this season. Navy will need to force Army into obvious passing downs to create tough situations for the Black Knights.
Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds has accounted for 25 touchdowns this year, throwing for 749 yards and running for 1,082 more. The Midshipmen also have a bruising back in Noah Copeland, who has rushed for better than 850 yards this season. Navy has some depth at the backfield positions as well, with the four next leading rushers on the team averaging at least 6.6 yards per carry this season.
Both Army and Navy stand for tradition, for honor and obviously live to play in this game. The athletes aren't at their respective academies to further their playing careers, but to serve their country and play football on the side. Yet, every year this tends to be one of the best spectacles in sports. Navy has been winning quite frequently and that should continue in this one as they are just a little bit better on both sides of the football.
But for Army, this is their bowl game. Historically good teams on both sides have fallen to "lesser" opponents in this game, which gives Army a very solid chance. The odds aren't in their favor, but in this game anything is possible.
Free Pick: Navy 31, Army 27
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