Army vs. Navy 2014: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More
The Army-Navy game is one of the most highly anticipated events of the year, as this historic rivalry bursts with patriotism and captivates the nation. This year marks the 115th meeting between the Black Knights and Midshipmen, with Navy holding the series lead at 58-49-7.
While this is one of the most traditional matchups in college football history—the first meeting between these teams took place in 1890—there will be a bit of a modern twist this year. Navy will be sporting some new Under Armour uniforms featuring a "Don't Tread on Me" motto with a First Navy Jack theme. Take a look, courtesy of the Baltimore Ravens' official Twitter account:
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The Midshipmen finished the regular season with a 6-5 record, earning a berth in the Poinsettia Bowl against San Diego State. While the Black Knights missed out on a bowl opportunity with a 4-7 record, they ended the regular season by defeating Fordham 42-31. With no bowl game forthcoming, Army will be looking to end its year on a high note.
Ground and Pound
It's pretty safe to say neither of these teams are keen on taking to the air, as Navy's Keenan Reynolds attempted 96 passes this season, while Army's Angel Santiago threw a total of just 68. Both of these squads love to pound the rock, and we'll see plenty of ground-and-pound action on Saturday.
The Black Knights feature a dual-headed monster out of the backfield with Santiago and running back Larry Dixon. While Santiago has been good on the ground, Dixon has been the team's workhorse, carrying 176 times for 1,012 yards, an average of 5.8 yards per rush, and scoring nine touchdowns. He ended the season with a brilliant 158-yard, three-touchdown performance against Fordham.
This duo will get plenty of opportunities to gain chunks of yards at a time against a Navy run defense that is allowing an average of 199.8 yards per game, an average of 4.95 yards per carry and a total of 17 rushing touchdowns this season.
While the Midshipmen have a two-headed attack of their own, it's a little more lopsided, as their dual-threat quarterback handles most of the rushing duties. Reynolds has carried 205 times this season, gaining 1,082 yards and 20 touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He's complemented nicely by the speedy Noah Copeland, who is averaging an impressive 8.2 yards per carry on the year.
Army may be ranked slightly better in the run defense category than Navy, coming in at 92nd in the nation and allowing an average of 191.9 yards per game; however, the Black Knights have allowed 5.54 yards per carry and 18 rushing touchdowns on the season, giving Navy's speedy duo a very favorable matchup.
Scoring Opportunities
While both of these teams specialize in the running game, it does make their offenses rather one-dimensional. This can create a lower percentage of big plays due to opposing defenses honing in on the run. This makes taking advantage of scoring opportunities within the red zone extremely important.
Army is at a severe disadvantage in this category. While the Black Knights rank 84th in the nation in points scored, averaging 26.3 per game, they also rank 103rd in red-zone offense, scoring just 75.7 percent of the time they get within the 20-yard line.
In 37 red-zone attempts this season, Army has rushed for 24 touchdowns, passed for two and kicked two field goals, coming away empty-handed nine times. That percentage must drastically improve against a Navy team that ranks 47th in the nation in red-zone defense, allowing scores 80.9 percent of the time.
The Midshipmen have done nicely when finding themselves within the 20-yard line this season, ranking 43rd in the nation while scoring on 86 percent of their trips to the red zone. In 50 attempts this year, Navy has converted 43 times, rushing for 32 touchdowns, passing for five and kicking six field goals.
A good scoring rate from within the red zone will go a long way for Navy against an Army team that has struggled in that department this season, ranking 112th in the nation, allowing scores on 88.9 percent of opponents' trips inside the 20.
When: Thursday, December 13
Where: M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Channel: CBS
Live Stream: CBSSports.com
Betting Lines (via Odds Shark):
- Over/Under: 57.5
- Spread: Navy -15
Team Injury Reports
| Geoffrey Bacon | S | 12/07/2014 | Questionable | ankle |
| Colby Enegren | G | 12/07/2014 | Questionable | undisclosed |
| Justin Gilbert | OL | 08/15/2014 | Out | knee |
| James Britton | LB | 09/23/2014 | Out | foot |
| Cam Henson | DL | 08/22/2014 | Out | undisclosed |
| Lonnie Richardson | S | 08/30/2014 | Out | head |
| William Tuider | LB | 12/07/2014 | Questionable | shoulder |
Injury reports per The Sports Network, via USA Today.
Prediction
In a game that will feature plenty of clock-killing runs, getting out to an early lead is crucial. Time will wind down rather quickly in this contest, giving the trailing team few opportunities to make up ground. In this instance, that team would have to begin relying on the pass, which isn't a strong suit for either competitor.
While both Army and Navy are sound running teams, the Midshipmen have been able to take far better advantage of red-zone situations. This has propelled the team to average 34.5 points per game this season, while Army has averaged 26.3. Expect that to be a huge difference-maker when these teams face off.
We're guaranteed a fantastic showdown featuring plenty of players who deserve a great deal of respect both on and off the field. Although, there can be only one victor, and Navy appears to be the more well-rounded squad.
Prediction: Navy 35, Army 28
All team statistics and rankings courtesy of NCAA.com and current as of December 10.
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