Photo Credit: Lynn Fern Photography
The goal every Army football season is to beat Navy. That’s the number one goal when you step on the campus of the United States Military Academy. Army-Navy game week is officially upon us as the Black Knights look to avenge their devastating loss to the Midshipmen in 2024.
Heading into the game a year ago, Army was 11-1, the #22-ranked team in the country, just coming off a victory in the American Conference Championship. Led by a Heisman hopeful in quarterback Bryson Daily, the Black Knights were clear favorites to cap off an almost perfect year at West Point. But Navy spoiled the party and kicked the Cadets in the teeth, beating Army 31-13 in the nation’s capital.
This year, the roles are reversed. Navy is 9-2, the #22-ranked team in the country, and boasts one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country in senior Blake Horvath.
With the week finally upon us, Army Head Coach Jeff Monken met with the media on Tuesday. Monken opened his media availability with what this specific game means to him and everyone involved.
“It’s Army-Navy week. Just the excitement of this game. The pageantry, the history. It’s an incredible rivalry. To be completely embedded in it, as we are, as competitors, coaches, players, and everybody associated. Just an awesome feeling to be a part of a game like this. It’s obviously a huge game. For both teams. It means so much to the… to the academies, to the graduates. To the men and women that serve in the respective branches, but none more than the guys that are going to be playing in the game. It’s exciting to be here, but we know that there’s so much to be done.”
To add to the stakes, the winner of this game will take home the Commander-in-Chief Trophy. The trophy Army had displayed it in the Kimsey Athletic Center for five of the last seven years before it lost to Navy last season. Jeff Monken had one last thing to say before he ended his media availability: “Beat Navy.”
How Army Got to this Point
After starting the season 1-3, Army turned its season around by winning five out of its last seven games. It wasn’t a pretty start for Jeff Monken and his team, but as they step onto the field in Baltimore, Maryland, they are playing their best football at the right time.
Following its 28-6 drumming on a Thursday Night in late September, Jeff Monken was able to right this ship. Army won back-to-back games against UAB and Charlotte, winning by a combined score of 55-20.
The Black Knights did follow that momentum up with a brutal 4th quarter loss to, now American Champions, Tulane. But once again, to their credit, Army rebounded and beat Air Force 20-17 in Colorado Springs, and a surging Temple 14-13 at Michie Stadium.
Aiming for its sixth win of the season, it would take two attempts at the apple. They should have beaten Tulsa on Senior Day, but another fourth-quarter collapse meant they would need to beat UTSA in San Antonio to become bowl-eligible.
In a back-and-forth game, Army would get the job done, with a 27-24 win over the Roadrunners and earn an extra game this season. It was recently announced that Army would take on UConn in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl on December 27th to close out the 2025 season.
Overall, it has been a bumpy season for Jeff Monken and his team, but all it takes is one win over Navy to make this a very successful year at West Point.
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Preparing for the Biggest Game on the Schedule
No question heading into this game against Navy, like Air Force, it will be a “different” kind of preparation, and everyone in the building recognizes that, including Jeff Monken.
“Certainly, from a mental and emotional standpoint, this game is thought about, bar, more than just the days leading up to it. We’ve often had multiple weeks to get ready for the game, and there’s certainly a huge emphasis during that time. It’s all about trying to beat Navy.”
Preparing for a triple option attack compared to a, let’s say, UTSA, is a much more tedious effort for the coaching staff and the players.
“You know, our academy opponents are different. Defending them is different, because they know us so well. Trying to have a game plan on offense is different. And so it’s an effort throughout the year. It’s not something that every single day of every single week is completely dedicated to this game, but there are moments in practice and times throughout each week that will have things sprinkled in. Because there’s nothing like playing in this game. The execution of assignments and fundamentals is what wins football games, and it’s the same in this case.”
A “Dream Come True” For Cale Hellums
This will be the first Army-Navy game that junior quarterback Cale Hellums will take a snap in. The past two years have been good experiences on the bench for Hellums, but now he’s ready to be the guy under center against Navy.
“Yeah, it’s going to be awesome. You know, I grew up watching this game a little bit. And then, you know, being behind Bryson Daily, my freshman and sophomore year, and just watching it from the sidelines and soaking it all in. But now, being a part of this as the guy, I’m looking forward to it. And it’s just a dream come true. I’m happy to be in the position I’m in.”
For Hellums, he already has the experience of playing and winning in a service academy game. Earlier this season, Hellums and his teammates went into a hostile environment and left with a 20-17 victory over Air Force. In that game against the Falcons, Hellums ran the ball 28 times for 98 yards and a touchdown, while passing for 102 yards and another score through the air.
But to be blunt, the Air Force game isn’t the same as playing against Navy. Asked about how he’s preparing his quarterback for Navy, Jeff Monken says he doesn’t need to tell Hellums how big a game this is.
“I just let him be. Let him get prepared. He doesn’t need me to tell him what a big game it is or anything like that. It’s a big game. But he’s got to do his job. Just as all of his teammates do. So. Everybody plays in their first Army-Navy game at some point, and this will be his. And now. Coach Worley’s doing a great job of having him prepared. The game itself doesn’t change the job that he has to do. And so, we’re just going to try to have him and his teammates prepared to play their very best, as best as they possibly can.”
Army Athletics News:
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- JJ Cataldo Shuts Out Sacred Heart to Earn Army Its First Series Win of the Season
- Four Black Knights Earn American Conference Football Honors
Navy Scouting Report: The Offense
The biggest question heading into this game is, can Army stop this Navy offense? Last year, the answer was no. Now with the same group returning, the Midshipmen have only gotten better.
Navy this year has been a juggernaut with the ball, scoring 32.5 points and averaging 434.7 yards per game this season. Jeff Monken knows the danger this offense presents and the challenge it will be to hold them out of the endzone for 60 minutes.
“You know, can’t say enough for the skill that they have in that unit. Starting with their quarterback Blake Horvath, the slot [Eli Heidenreich], and Alex Tesca the running back. They’ve got really good speed, and they’re the nation’s leading rushing unit.”
For the first time since 2019, the Midshipmen lead the country in rushing. Navy averages 298.4 yards per game, and a big reason for that is quarterback Horvath.
The Hilliard, Ohio, native is the backbone, leading the team in rush attempts (174), yards (1,040), and touchdowns (14) this season. Horvath ran all over Army last year, with 204 yards and two scores. But it’s his passing ability that presents the biggest challenge to Jeff Monken and defensive coordinator Nate Woody.
“They’re just not satisfied with running the football. They’re going to run the football for a purpose,” Woody said. “They want to get those safeties down in the box to be able to come back and throw some deep balls, some crossing patterns, and then some screens. The play action stuff is good. So I think they got quite a few guys at the skill position that can run, block, and catch the football. And the quarterback is good enough, to where, he can get it to the spot for them, and they make plays. We talk about stopping the run and trying to make them one-dimensional, but we’re also cognizant of the fact that he wants to get enough guys down into the box for you to stop the run so that he can throw the football. It’s a good scheme, and we’ll just have to do a good job in our coverage.”
The biggest difference between the teams lies in their passing attacks. Navy averages 136.4 yards to Army’s measly 78.3. Horvath has almost 1,400 yards passing to go along with his nine touchdowns. Compare that to Army, which has only thrown the ball for 861 yards and five scores when you had Dewayne Coleman and Cale Hellums’ stats.
Army, to its credit, is in the top half of the country when it comes to passing defense, allowing just 209.9 yards a game. If guys like senior safeties Casey Larkin and Gavin Shields, alongside junior cornerback Jaydan Mayes (five interceptions combined), can make plays and make Navy one-dimensional with the ball, Army has a real shot at an upset. Shields was clear in saying what the key to the game is on Saturday afternoon.
“Playing tough and running to the ball. That’s what we need to do. That’s been our motto for the last two weeks. You know, we had a bye week, so we had more preparation for this. So, you know, just running to the football, getting 11 hats to the football is our end goal, and that’s what we’re going to do every single down”
Navy Scouting Report: The Defense
On the other side of the ball, Navy’s defense is mediocre at best. In the American Conference, Navy allows 398.7 total yards per game (5th worst), 255.5 passing yards per game (2nd worst), and 26.9 points per game (7th). But Jeff Monken isn’t looking to give anyone at the Naval Academy bulletin board material this year.
“They play really fast. They’re skilled and very physical on defense,” Monken said. “Very impressive unit, well coached, and you watch him play against other people. Good teams have a difficult time moving the football against them. You know those… the last game they played against Memphis. That’s a high-powered offense. I saw where they had held them to under 20 points for the first time in 52 games or something like that. It’s pretty impressive.”
As Monken said, Navy only allowed Memphis, who average 34.6 points per game, to score 17 points on its Senior Day. However, the Midshipmen have allowed six of their opponents to score 30 or more points, and will likely be susceptible to giving up big points on Saturday.
One player Cody Worley and Cale Hellums will have to identify on every play is senior defensive tackle Landon Robinson. Jeff Monken calls Robinson one of the best in the country.
“They got the American Conference Player of the Year, [Landon] Robinson, who’s a terrific player, and had a great game against us a year ago. He’s one of the best interior defensive linemen in the country.”
Robinson is having a career season for the Midshipmen, recording 54 total tackles (24 solo) and 6.5 sacks, surpassing his career high of four. One of Army’s favorite plays is a quarterback follow behind the fullback, which has generated a ton of offense this season. If not blocked correctly, Robinson will be a pain in the neck for the Black Knights all game long.
Keys to Victory
This game is not just for the players on the field or the fans watching in the stands or all around the world. It’s for all the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice to give us our freedom in this country.
With that said, here are some of the keys to the game for Jeff Monken and the Black Knights:
1. Cody Worley Needs to Be Aggressive
Both defenses are designed to stop the option, which means the offenses must rely on play-action or trickery to gain big yardage. Worley must pick his spots perfectly to deploy a deep play-action pass or a trick play. Because Army runs so much, these plays can create massive gains. If Army hits one such play for 40+ yards and a score, it could be a game-breaking moment. Navy’s defense has struggled to defend outside zone and play-action at times this season, giving Army an opening to exploit a specific defensive tendency.
2. Converting in the Redzone
In a low-scoring game, settling for three is often a loss. If Army gets any goal-to-goal situations, they must be aggressive. Scoring touchdowns instead of field goals could be the difference in signing second and leaving M&T Bank Stadium with the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy Saturday.
3. Discipline Eyes on Defense Against the Option
Both teams run the triple-option, but Navy’s offense, led by veteran quarterback Blake Horvath, has been more explosive this season. Army’s defense, which relies on being a “bend-but-don’t-break” unit, must minimize its opponent’s highly efficient rushing attack and prevent big passing plays.
4. Control Your In-Game Emotions
This is the last game of the year, a standalone game played with incredible pressure in front of millions of people on National Television. The mental toll of the rivalry is immense. The team that commits the first turnover, drops a sure interception, or gets a long touchdown run against them often struggles to rebound. Army needs to show immediate composure if they face early adversity. If Navy jumps out to a 7-0 or 10-0 lead, Army must stick to its game plan and not panic.
5. The Hidden Field Position
Army needs punter James Wagenseller to win the hidden field position battle. Everyone talks about offense and defense, but punting is an underrated factor in this kind of game because every possession is so valuable. A 5-yard difference in net punting can be the difference between Navy starting inside their 20 and starting near the 30. Given the low-scoring nature of this game, those 10 yards can keep Navy off the board or even set up Army with a short field.
Betting Lines & Final Score Predictions
Now that the game is just days away, here are Bad Dawg Sports’ score predictions and the betting lines (as of 12/11/25). Kickoff between the Army Black Knights (6-5, 4-4 American Conference) and the Navy Midshipmen (9-2, 7-1 American Conference) at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, is scheduled for 3:00 pm.
Betting Lines
- Spread: Navy -6
- Total: 38.5
- Money Line: Navy (-258) & Army (+210)
Staff Predictions
- JJ Pavlick: Navy 25 – Army 28
- Daniel Rebain: Navy 26 – Army 27
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