If you were sitting in M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore this past December, you felt it. That specific, vibrating tension that only happens when the clock is winding down on "America’s Game." Navy had the ball. Fourth-and-goal from the 8-yard line. They were down by six.
The stadium went quiet, then erupted.
Blake Horvath, the Navy quarterback who had been battling through a shaky afternoon of turnovers, took the snap. He scanned. He fired. Eli Heidenreich caught it over the middle for a touchdown. Just like that, the scoreboard flipped to 17-16.
Navy won. Again.
This 126th meeting wasn't just another game for the history books; it was a gritty, chippy, and fundamentally "service academy" style of football that reminded everyone why we watch. Honestly, if you’re looking for high-flying 50-point blowouts, go watch the Big 12. You come to army vs navy football results for the 8-minute drives, the "tush pushes," and the defensive stands that feel like actual trench warfare.
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The Heartbreak in Baltimore: Breaking Down the 2025 Score
For three quarters, it looked like West Point was going to walk away with the win. Army led 16-7 deep into the third. They were playing classic Black Knights football—stifling defense and capitalizing on every mistake Navy made. Dawson Jones was a machine, kicking field goals of 20, 45, and a career-long 48 yards.
But Navy didn't flinch.
They won the time of possession battle by nearly ten minutes (34:35 to 25:25). That wears a defense down. When Phillip Hamilton snagged an interception in the fourth quarter, the momentum shifted so fast you could practically hear the Army side of the stadium deflate.
By the Numbers: How it Went Down
- Final Score: Navy 17, Army 16.
- The Difference: Navy converted 11 of 18 third downs. That’s absurdly high.
- The Ground War: Horvath rushed 34 times for 107 yards. He was the engine.
- The Series Lead: After this 2025 victory, Navy now leads the all-time series 64-55-7.
The drama didn't end with the whistle. There was some shoving at midfield after the final kneel-down. Chippy? Yeah. But that’s the rivalry. They’ll be brothers-in-arms in six months, but on that turf, they wanted to tear each other’s heads off.
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The All-Time Record and Why the Lead Matters
People always ask who has the edge. If you look at the army vs navy football results over the last century, it’s a game of eras.
Navy currently holds the upper hand with 64 wins to Army's 55. A lot of that lead was built during the legendary 14-game winning streak Navy pulled off between 2002 and 2015. Imagine being a cadet at West Point for four years and never seeing a win. Brutal.
Army finally broke that curse in 2016, and they’ve actually been the more dominant force recently, winning six of the last ten. But Navy’s back-to-back wins in 2024 and 2025 have stabilized things for the Midshipmen. They also took home the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the second straight year, which, let’s be real, is the only trophy these schools truly care about.
Why This Rivalry Feels Different in 2026
We’re in a weird era of college football. NIL money is flying around, and the transfer portal is basically a free-agency frenzy every six months. But the Army-Navy game stays the same.
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These guys aren't playing for a Nike contract. They’re playing for the patch on their shoulder.
In the 2025 game, both teams were actually good—not just "good for an academy" good. Navy came in ranked No. 22 with a 10-2 record. Army was 6-6 but had played one of the toughest schedules in years. When both teams have winning records, the intensity triples. Since 1963, that's only happened a handful of times, including the last two years.
Surprising Stats You Might Have Missed
- Opening Drives: For the first time since 2021, both teams scored touchdowns on their very first possession.
- The Tush Push: Navy almost blew the game on a goal-line fumble during a "tush push" attempt, but Heidenreich recovered his own teammate's mess.
- The Viewership: 7.84 million people watched the 2025 game. That’s more than most Power 5 conference championships.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for the Series?
If you missed the 2025 clash, you've got time to prep for the next one. The 127th meeting is already set for December 12, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
If history tells us anything, it’ll be close. The last four games have been decided by an average of about 5 points. It’s almost never a blowout. It’s almost always a heart-attack-inducing finish in the freezing cold.
Basically, keep an eye on the quarterback health. Horvath is the real deal for Navy, and Army is going to be looking for a new identity under center after Cale Hellums' graduation.
Actionable Steps for Fans
- Check the 2026 Schedule: Mark December 12. It’s the only game on that day for a reason.
- Watch the Commander-in-Chief Games: Follow the Air Force vs. Army and Air Force vs. Navy games earlier in the fall. They set the stage for who has the tiebreaker.
- Review the Box Scores: Go back and look at the 2025 stats. Navy’s ability to convert on 4th down (2-for-2) was the secret sauce.
The record books show Navy is up, but the momentum in this rivalry swings like a pendulum. You can bet West Point is already stewing over that one-point loss.