It was cold. That’s the first thing anyone who was at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, on December 14, 2024, will tell you. But the weather didn't matter once the ball was kicked. If you’re looking for the short answer to who won the Army versus Navy game, the Army Black Knights walked away with a gritty 17-10 victory over the Navy Midshipmen. They didn't just win a football game; they secured the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the second year in a row. It was ugly. It was beautiful. It was exactly what triple-option football is supposed to look like when the stakes are high enough to make grown men cry.
Army came into the 125th meeting of these academies with a chip on their shoulder. They were 10-2. They were headed to the AAC Championship. People were actually talking about them in the context of the College Football Playoff. Navy, on the other hand, was looking for redemption. They wanted to break that streak. They almost did.
The Grind: How Army Secured the 17-10 Win
Football at the academies isn't like the NFL. You won't see 500 passing yards. You’ll see blood. You’ll see guys weighing 240 pounds blocking guys who weigh 290 until their legs give out. The game started with a tension you could feel through the television screen.
Bryson Daily is a name you should know. The Army quarterback is basically a linebacker playing under center. He finished the game with two rushing touchdowns, including the one that ultimately sealed the deal in the fourth quarter. It wasn't flashy. It was a series of four-yard gains, bruised shoulders, and sheer will. Army’s defense was the real MVP, though. They held Navy to just 10 points, stifling a Midshipmen offense that had shown flashes of brilliance earlier in the season under Blake Horvath.
Navy had their chances. Man, did they have chances. Horvath is fast—scary fast. But every time Navy seemed to get a rhythm going, the Black Knights’ front seven would tighten up. It felt like watching a boa constrictor. Slow. Methodical. Suffocating. When the clock hit zero, the scoreboard read 17-10, and the Army side of the stadium erupted into a sea of gray and gold.
Why the 125th Meeting Was Different
Most people think this game is just about tradition. The uniforms. The "Prisoner Exchange." The singing of the second alma mater. While that’s all great for the pregame show, the 2024 matchup had massive postseason implications. Army wasn't just playing for bragging rights; they were playing to maintain their status as the top Group of Five program in the country at that moment.
Honestly, the pressure was visible. You saw it in the uncharacteristic penalties. You saw it in the dropped pitches. Triple-option football relies on "pitch-perfect" timing—literally. One bobble and the game is over. Navy had a crucial fumble in the second half that gave Army the field position they needed. That’s the margin of error. It’s thin. Like, paper-thin.
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Breaking Down the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy
Winning the game is one thing. Taking home the trophy is another. To understand who won the Army versus Navy game is to understand the hardware involved. The Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy is awarded to the winner of the triangular series between Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Army had already beaten Air Force 20-3 earlier in November. By beating Navy, they completed the sweep. This is the first time since the late 2010s that Army has truly looked like the dominant force among the three academies. Jeff Monken has built a machine at West Point. It’s a machine that values possession and physical punishment over explosive plays.
- Army vs. Air Force: 20-3 (Army Win)
- Navy vs. Air Force: 34-7 (Navy Win)
- Army vs. Navy: 17-10 (Army Win)
Because Army went 2-0 in the round-robin, the trophy stays at West Point. If Navy had won, we would have had a three-way tie since Navy beat Air Force and Air Force... well, Air Force struggled this year. In a tie, the previous winner retains the trophy. But Army didn't want a "retention" win. They wanted the outright title. They got it.
The Strategy: Why the Triple Option Still Works (Sorta)
Critics love to say the triple option is dead. They say with the new scholarship rules and the transfer portal, the service academies are falling behind. Tell that to the 10 wins Army put up this season.
The strategy is simple: Keep the other team's offense on the sideline. If you can run the ball 50 times and milk the clock, the opponent only gets 6 or 7 possessions. It turns every possession into a high-pressure situation for the opponent. Navy tried to beat Army at their own game, but the Black Knights’ execution was just a notch higher.
Interestingly, both teams have started incorporating more "modern" looks. You'll see shotgun formations. You'll see some RPO (Run-Pass Option) elements. But at the end of the day, when it’s 3rd and 2 with the game on the line, they’re putting their heads down and running into a pile of bodies. It’s throwback football. It’s glorious.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Rivalry
People think these guys hate each other. They don't. Not really.
Don't get me wrong, they want to tear each other’s heads off for 60 minutes. But the moment the whistle blows, they’re all on the same team. These are the future leaders of the U.S. military. In six months, the guy who made the game-winning tackle and the guy who got tackled might be serving in the same theater of operations.
That’s why the post-game ceremony is the most moving thing in sports. They stand together. They sing Navy’s "Blue and Gold." Then they sing Army’s "The Alma Mater." The winner sings second. It’s a sign of respect. This year, Navy had to stand and listen to Army sing second. It’s a bitter pill, but one they swallow with dignity every single year.
The Impact of the 2024 Outcome
This win catapulted Army into the national conversation in a way we haven't seen in decades. Being 11-2 (after the Navy game and the AAC title run) meant they were a legitimate threat. It changed the recruiting pitch. It changed how the CFP committee looked at service academy football.
For Navy, the loss was a gut punch, but Brian Newberry has the program moving in the right direction. They are no longer the pushovers they were for a couple of seasons post-Ken Niumatalolo. The gap is closing.
Looking Ahead: How to Prepare for the Next Army-Navy Game
If you missed the 2024 thriller, you’ve got to start planning for 2025. This isn't a game you just "turn on." It's an event.
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Watch the "March On"
The Midshipmen and the Corps of Cadets march onto the field hours before kickoff. It is the most disciplined thing you will ever see in a sports stadium. It sets the tone for the entire afternoon.
Understand the Uniforms
Every year, both teams release custom uniforms that honor specific divisions or historical events. In 2024, Army honored the 101st Airborne Division, while Navy paid tribute to the "Silent Service"—the submarine force. These aren't just jerseys; they are history lessons. If you want to appreciate the game, read the stories behind the patches.
Get Your Tickets Early
Seriously. The 2025 game is headed to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It will sell out. It always does. If you aren't an alum or active duty, your best bet is the secondary market, and prices usually spike about three weeks before the game once the season's trajectory is clear.
What You Should Do Now
The 2024 game is in the history books, but the ripple effects are still being felt. If you're a college football fan, or just someone who appreciates the intensity of this rivalry, here is how you can stay engaged before the next kickoff:
- Check the Bowl Results: Go back and look at how Army performed in their bowl game following the Navy win. It provides a lot of context on how "real" their 2024 success actually was against non-option teams.
- Study the 101st Airborne & Submarine Force: Since the 2024 uniforms were so specific, taking ten minutes to read about the "Screaming Eagles" or the history of U.S. sub warfare makes the highlights much more meaningful.
- Follow the Transfer Portal (Carefully): While service academies don't "lose" players to the portal in the traditional sense due to their service commitments, they are impacted by how their opponents in the AAC are reloading.
- Mark Your Calendar: December 13, 2025. That is the next time these two giants meet. Clear the schedule.
Army won the 125th Army-Navy game because they played mistake-free football when it mattered most. They won because Bryson Daily is a force of nature. And they won because, for 60 minutes, they were the slightly more disciplined version of an already incredibly disciplined group of people. Go Army. Beat Navy. (Or vice versa, if you’re pulling for the Mids next year).
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