Army Holds Off Western Kentucky In Home Opener

WEST POINT – Army West Point football opened Michie Stadium with a 38-35 win over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Saturday afternoon. The Black Knights are 2-0 for the fourth time in the Jeff Monken era.

The Hilltoppers (1-1) found their rhythm early until Marquel Broughton picked off a pass for his third career interception. It was the team’s second consecutive game forcing a turnover on its opponent’s opening possession. The stop shut down a seven-play, 39-yard drive by Western Kentucky. Christian Anderson got the start under center looking to help the Cadets find their groove. He threw his first of five completed passes to Brandon Walters, but the drive came to a halt when the Cadets fumbled the ball. The first quarter ended scoreless after another Western Kentucky drive was cut short by the Army defense.

Tyrell Robinson came out energetic in the second quarter, rushing for 24 yards on the first play of the second quarter to get Army on the board first. Robinson recorded his third career touchdown and his longest rush since the 2020 season when he had a 50-yard run against Abilene Christian. Cole Talley secured the extra point for the Black Knights to make the score 7-0. The defense went to work on their side of the ball holding the Hilltoppers to two yards on their next drive forcing Western Kentucky to punt.

Back under center, Anderson found Braheam Murphy and connected for a 40-yard touchdown pass, his second 40-yard pass of the season. Army jumped ahead to a 14-0 lead over Western Kentucky, but the Hilltoppers found their way to the endzone with a 73-yard touchdown pass on the following possession.

The Black Knights’ offense responded quickly compiling a 16-play, 75-yard drive that was completed by a one-yard touchdown run by Jakobi Buchanan to extend Army’s lead to 21-7 with 2:07 left in the first half. However, Western Kentucky’s offense drove 75 yards in under two minutes to cut Army’s lead to 21-14 heading into the break.

Army, which received the ball to start the second half, scored on its first drive of the half.

Anthony Adkins rushed for a three-yard touchdown, becoming the fourth Cadet to score, giving Army a 28-14 lead. The defense kept that momentum going on the other side of the ball, shutting down the Hilltoppers fourth down pass attempt on the Army 29-yard line to get the ball back in the Cadets’ possession.

Army strung together a 14-play, 71-yard drive to get on the board first in the fourth quarter. Anderson was taken down during the drive but bounced back to inch the Cadets closer and closer to the endzone. Buchanan sealed the deal by rushing for a three-yard touchdown to lift Army to a 35-14 lead with 10 minutes remaining. The Hilltoppers fought back with a 21-yard touchdown pass to cut Army’s lead to 35-21.

The offense worked on stringing together a drive to close out the game but was stopped on fourth down, giving the ball back to the Hilltoppers. In six plays, Western Kentucky had cut Army’s lead to 35-28 with five minutes left. The Cadets kept fighting on the offensive side of the ball, with Anderson rushing for 30 yards during the series to get Army to the Western Kentucky’s 14-yard line.

Cole Talley connected on a 31-yard field goal to add cushion to Army’s lead, 38-28, with three minutes on the clock. Western Kentucky made one last push, scoring on a two-yard run with 22 seconds left.

The Black Knights welcome the Huskies of University of Connecticut on Saturday, Sept. 18. The game will kick off at noon.