While the College Football Playoff is set to begin next week, this weekend’s college football slate is highlighted by one of the sport’s most historic rivalries: the Army Black Knights (6–5) and the Navy Midshipmen (9–2).
The game, set to kick off at 3:00 p.m. ET on CBS, will be played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Navy, which entered last year’s matchup as the underdog and came away with the win, is favored this time around by 6.5 points, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
Still, this rivalry has a long history of close, hard-fought games regardless of record. Dating back to 1890, Navy holds a slim 63–55–1 edge in the all-time series entering Saturday.
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Despite Navy’s superior record this season — and arguably the best player on the field in quarterback Blake Horvath — legendary college football coach Urban Meyer believes Army, led by head coach Jeff Monken, will pull off the upset.
“This is one of the best versions of Navy… and then Army caught fire, man. Army is playing its best ball of the year,” Meyer said during Friday’s live episode of The Triple Option podcast. “So I’m letting my bias take over a little bit here because I love the coach, I love Army. I’m saying 28–26. That ball goes through the uprights… Army 28–26.”
Last year’s meeting ended in a 31–13 win for Navy, and while the Midshipmen could once again impose a similar style of play with Horvath under center, Army is playing its best football of the season, as Meyer pointed out.
The Black Knights went 3–1 in November and are once again bowl eligible. Still, for both teams, this matchup means more than any other on the schedule.
Leading Army’s offense will be quarterback Cale Hellums, who thrives in the run-heavy attack that has long defined this rivalry. The Black Knights will also look to get wide receiver Noah Short involved out of the backfield as part of their offensive approach.
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