Army Edged by Navy, 17–16, in 126th Army-Navy Game

BALTIMORE, MD – Army West Point football (6-6, 4-4) fell 17-16 in the 126th Army-Navy Game presented by USAA to the Navy Midshipmen (10-2, 7-1) on Saturday.

While the Black Knights held the lead deep into the game, Navy would punch the ball into the end zone for the go-ahead score with 6:32 to play to take a 17-16 lead that stood until the clock hit zero. The Midshipmen faced a fourth-and-goal from the Army 8-yard line—just two plays after the Black Knights couldn’t secure a loose football on second down, which would have been a game-changing turnover—Navy quarterback Blake Horvath connected with Eli Heidenreich for an 8-yard touchdown.

With the win for Navy, Navy has won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for consecutive seasons. Horvath rushed 34 times for 107 yards and a touchdown.

While Army had a chance to answer, down just a point, the offense went three-and-out, and had to lean on its defense for one last opportunity to position themselves for a comeback

Navy appeared to give the Black Knights that chance on third-and-3 with 2:15 on the clock when an initial ruling of a Horvath fumble recovered by Army was overturned by a replay review, giving the Mids a fourth-and-1 coming out of the two-minute timeout.

Navy running back Alex Tecza gained two yards on the following play, sealing the result.

Navy opened the scoring on its first possession of the game, taking a 7-0 lead on a 5-yard rushing touchdown by quarterback Blake Horvath after a 75-yard, 13-play drive. Horvath rushed for 45 yards on the drive.

Facing a third down on its opening set of downs, Army quarterback Cale Hellums broke free for a 26-yard run to convert Army’s first third down of the game.

The Black Knights later faced a fourth-and-2 on Navy’s 23, but Monken did not hesitate to go for it as Hellums reached just beyond the sticks to move the chains to the Navy 21-yard line. The first quarter expired with Army threatening down to the Navy 2 as Hellums rushed for 46 yards in the opening period.

On the first play of the second quarter, Hellums scored on a quarterback sneak for his 16th rushing touchdown of the season and his eighth on a sneak, which leads the country, to tie the game at 7-7. It marked the first time since 2021 that Army and Navy both scored touchdowns on their opening drives. Army’s touchdown came on a 13-play, 75-yard drive that consumed 7:21.

Army’s defense then adjusted, forcing a three-and-out and quickly getting the ball back after a Navy 32-yard punt.

On third-and-8 on Army’s second drive, Hellums took a big hit but completed a 21-yard pass to Noah Short to get to the Navy 31 for a first down.

Monken was faced with another fourth down decision at the Navy 11, where the Black Knights once again needed two yards. Once again, Hellums moved the sticks with his feet, but the offense stalled inside the 10 on its next set of downs. Dawson Jones did give Army a 10-7 lead with a 20-yard field goal with 3:45 remaining in the first half, capping an 8:52 drive.

Army looked to maintain momentum as Navy took the ball back. Eric Ford and Jack Bousum combined to sack Horvath for a six-yard loss, but the Mids picked up a first down two plays later on a 21-yard completion to Eli Heidenreich, prompting the two-minute timeout.

Later in the drive, with Navy threatening at the Army 27 with 27 seconds left in the half, Army made its biggest defensive play of the period. Horvath fumbled under heavy pressure from Kalib Fortner, and Bousum, an Annapolis native, recovered at the Army 45.

One play later, with just 18 seconds remaining, Hellums connected with Brady Anderson along the boundary for a 24-yard gain to the Navy 31. An end zone attempt to Noah Short fell incomplete, and after a short second-down gain, Jones drilled a 45-yard field goal to give Army a 13-7 lead at halftime, matching his career-long kick.

Army outgained Navy 155-117 in the first half, including 102-61 in rushing yards.

Coming out of the locker room break, the Navy defense forced Army to punt as the Black Knights could not capitalize after a 29-yard completion to Short.

Army’s defense forced its second turnover of the game, as cornerback Justin Weaver intercepted Horvath at Navy’s own 32-yard line to give Army great field position.

That field position would be key, as despite not picking up a first down on the drive, Jones connected on a 48-yard field goal to put the Black Knights ahead by multiple possessions, 16-7, with 9:39 in the third quarter.

The Mids then mounted their best drive at that point since their opening possession, moving 72 yards over 13 plays , but the Army defense held the Midshipmen to three points after a third-down scramble by Blake Horvath was stopped at the Army 3-yard line.

Army avoided a potentially dangerous defensive situation later when Hellums was strip-sacked on third down, but Aden Self recovered the fumble. James Wagenseller’s ensuing punt flipped the field for the Black Knights.

Bousum recorded another big play when he sacked Horvath for a 10-yard loss at the Navy 26, with 13:39 remaining in the fourth quarter. Navy would be forced to punt two plays later, but Hellums threw an interception on the second play of Army’s drive when Navy defensive back Phillip Hamilton made a game-changing play, leading to Navy’s go-ahead touchdown under five minutes later.