The atmosphere was weird. Not bad-weird, just different. When you walk into Yankee Stadium for a football game, there is this strange sensory overlap where the smell of overpriced Bronx hot dogs meets the crisp, biting air of late-season college football. That was the scene for Notre Dame Army 2024, a game that, on paper, looked like a classic mismatch but carried the weight of College Football Playoff (CFP) lives and a century of history.
People forget that for a huge chunk of the 20th century, this wasn't just a game; it was the game.
Notre Dame came into the November 23 matchup ranked No. 6 in the nation. They were humming. Marcus Freeman had his guys playing a brand of defense that felt like a swarm of bees in gold helmets. But Army? Army was the story. Jeff Monken had the Black Knights at 9-0. It was their best start since 1949. They weren't just winning; they were suffocating teams with a revamped hybrid triple-option that actually involved—wait for it—forward passes.
Why the 2024 Matchup Wasn't Your Grandpa’s Option Football
Going into the Bronx, the narrative was all about the "ticking clock." If you’ve ever watched Army play, you know the feeling. You look up, it’s the second quarter, and your team has only had the ball once. It’s stressful. It makes coaches do stupid things.
But the Notre Dame Army 2024 game didn't follow that script.
Riley Leonard, the Duke transfer who had spent most of the season being scrutinized for his deep ball, looked like he finally owned the Irish offense. He wasn't just a runner anymore. While Army's Bryson Daily was the engine for the Black Knights, Notre Dame’s sheer depth on the lines began to show by the middle of the second quarter.
The Irish won 49-14.
It sounds like a blowout because it was, but the score hides how tense that first fifteen minutes felt. Army’s defense was disciplined. They didn't beat themselves. They just eventually ran out of athletes who could run stride-for-stride with guys like Jeremiyah Love. Love is a lightning bolt. Every time he touches the ball, you hold your breath. In this game, he was the difference-maker that turned a gritty service-academy battle into a highlight reel for the CFP committee.
The Shamrock Series Factor and the Yankee Stadium Mystique
There is always a lot of grumbling when Notre Dame moves a home game to a neutral site. Fans want to be in South Bend. They want the "Touchdown Jesus" backdrop and the specific vibe of the house that Rockne built.
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I get it.
But the Shamrock Series is a different beast. For the Notre Dame Army 2024 edition, the Irish wore these "Gothic" inspired uniforms—all navy with gold accents that looked incredible under the stadium lights. It’s marketing, sure, but it’s also about presence. Playing in New York matters for recruiting. It matters for the brand.
Army fans showed up too.
There is nothing quite like the "March On" where the Cadets take the field. It’s the one time in sports where even the opposing fans shut up and show some genuine respect. You’ve got 80,000 people in the Bronx, a place usually reserved for Derek Jeter legacies and Aaron Judge home runs, standing in silence for the Long Gray Line.
Breaking Down the X’s and O’s: How the Irish Solved the Option
Al Golden, Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator, deserves a statue or at least a very expensive steak dinner for how he handled the 2024 season. Defending the Army option is a nightmare. It requires "assignment football," which is basically code for "do your job and don't try to be a hero."
If one linebacker peeks into the backfield to see where the ball is, Army is gone.
In Notre Dame Army 2024, Golden used a "mirror" technique that neutralized Bryson Daily. The Irish didn't just crash the line; they played laterally. By forcing Army to pitch the ball early, they utilized their superior speed on the edges. Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills were absolute menaces in the interior. They weren't just holding blocks; they were resetting the line of scrimmage three yards into the Army backfield.
It’s hard to run a triple option when the "mesh point" (where the QB decides to give or pull the ball) is being invaded by a 300-pound defensive tackle before the play even develops.
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On the other side, Riley Leonard’s efficiency was the nail in the coffin. He didn't force things. He took the check-downs. He used his legs when the lanes opened up. It was a mature performance that proved Notre Dame was a legitimate title contender and not just a team beating up on a soft schedule.
The Playoff Implications That No One Expected
Before the game, everyone was talking about "What if Army wins?"
If Army had pulled the upset, the College Football Playoff would have been in absolute shambles. A 10-0 Army team would have been a lock for the Group of Five spot, potentially bumping out a powerhouse from the SEC or Big 10.
But the loss didn't ruin Army's season. Honestly, it probably helped them focus for the Navy game. For Notre Dame, this was a "style points" game. The committee doesn't just want to see you win; they want to see you dominate teams you’re supposed to dominate. By hanging 49 points on a top-25 ranked Army squad, the Irish solidified their spot as a home-field seed in the first round of the expanded playoff.
Real Talk: The Talent Gap is Still a Thing
We like to pretend that "grit" and "discipline" can overcome everything in college football. We love the underdog story. We want the service academies to take down the giants.
But Notre Dame Army 2024 was a stark reminder of the gap created by the transfer portal and NIL.
Notre Dame’s roster is a collection of four and five-star athletes who are essentially semi-pros. Army’s roster is a collection of future officers who have to pull guard duty and study engineering. When you put them on a field together in 2024, the physicality eventually reaches a breaking point.
Army hung around for a half. They played beautiful, crisp football. But by the fourth quarter, their defensive backs looked like they were running through sand trying to keep up with Notre Dame’s fresh rotation of receivers.
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It wasn't a lack of heart. It was just physics.
Looking Back at the Legacy of the Rivalry
This was the 52nd meeting between these two programs. Think about that.
The first time they played was 1913. That was the game where Knute Rockne and Gus Dorais basically "invented" the forward pass as a primary weapon, shocking the world and changing football forever.
While Notre Dame Army 2024 didn't reinvent the sport, it honored that history. It was a clean game. Very few penalties. No trash talking. Just two programs that genuinely respect what the other represents. Even in a blowout, there was a sense of occasion that you just don't get when Notre Dame plays a random ACC school on a Tuesday night in October.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Analysts
If you are looking back at this game to understand the current trajectory of either program, keep these points in mind:
- Don't ignore the trenches: Notre Dame’s success in 2024 was built on defensive line depth. If you’re scouting them for future matchups, look at the rotation, not just the starters.
- The "New" Army is here to stay: Despite the loss, Jeff Monken’s shift toward a more modern offense (while keeping the option roots) makes Army a terrifying opponent for anyone without elite speed.
- Weather and Venue Matter: Neutral site games like the Shamrock Series affect rhythm. Notre Dame has mastered the "traveling circus" aspect of modern football, which gives them an edge in playoff scenarios where they aren't playing in South Bend.
- Schedule Strength Nuance: Beating an undefeated Army team counts for more in the eyes of the CFP committee than a win over a struggling "Power 4" school.
The 2024 meeting proved that while the "Game of the Century" days are over, the relevance of this matchup isn't. It’s a measuring stick for the Irish and a spotlight for the Black Knights.
If you're betting on future meetings, never take the points blindly. Look at the defensive interior. That’s where this game—and most like it—is actually won. The scoreboard in the Bronx said 49-14, but the real story was written in the three yards of dirt directly in front of the center.