Here’s how the Baltimore Sun Media staff views the outcome of Saturday’s 125th Army-Navy Game between the Midshipmen (8-3) and Black Knights (11-1) at Northwest Stadium in Landover:
Bill Wagner, reporter
Navy 24, Army 21: No opponent defends the Black Knights and their version of triple-option offense better than the Midshipmen. Navy has held Army to an average of 16 points over the past four meetings. This is a veteran Navy defense led by a pair of four-year starters in safety Rayuan Lane and inside linebacker Colin Ramos. The Midshipmen have five defenders who were named All-American Athletic Conference. Navy has a defensive front that is equipped to handle Army’s between-the-tackles, power rushing game. Nose guard Landon Robinson and end Justin Reed join Ramos and fellow inside linebacker Kyle Jacob as key figures for the Mids. Lack of offense is the reason Navy has lost six of its past eight meetings with Army; the Mids averaged 12 points per game in those six defeats. First-year coordinator Drew Cronic and first-year starting quarterback Blake Horvath are going to be the difference-makers as Navy finally scores enough points to beat Army.
Sam Cohn, reporter
Army 28, Navy 20: One team is ranked No. 19 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll with a quarterback, Bryson Daily, having rushed for an FBS-leading 29 touchdowns — which is tied with Boise State running back and Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty. The other team got off to a strong 6-0 start and then unraveled a bit in the back half of its schedule. This matchup should come down to whether Navy — ranked 83rd in rushing yards allowed — can plug holes and slow down the Black Knights in the ground game. That said, eight of the past 10 meetings have been decided by one score, so resumes mean less in this annual matchup.
Matt Weyrich, reporter
Army 35, Navy 21: Army and Navy played seven of the same opponents in 2024 and posted the same results against all but two: Rice and Tulane, both of whom lost to Army and beat Navy. Horvath was hurt during the game against the Green Wave, but even if you give the Midshipmen a pass there, Army dominated both teams, including a 35-14 win over Tulane in the AAC championship game last week. The Black Knights will go as far as Daily can take them, and that’s pretty far based on what the senior quarterback has shown this season.
Anthony Maluso, editor
Navy 23, Army 21: This game is never a high-scoring affair and is most of the time kept pretty close. A big issue will be the status of Navy quarterback Blake Horvath. When Horvath was 100%, Navy’s offense was nearly impossible to stop. Having nearly a month to recover from injury, I think Horvath and the Navy offense can get back to where it was during the first half of the season. Army takes a late lead, but Horvath engineers a late drive capped by a game-winning field goal.
C.J. Doon, editor
Army 20, Navy 17: Through 12 games, Army quarterback Bryson Daily has rushed for 1,480 yards. Through 13 games, Ravens running back Derrick Henry has rushed for 1,407. Let that sink in for a second. Led by coach Jeff Monken, the Black Knights have bludgeoned opponents, averaging 32.9 points per game while giving up just 15. They lead the nation with 314.4 rushing yards per game, nearly 50 yards more than No. 2 Jacksonville State. If the College Football Playoff had expanded to 14 or 16 teams (which it inevitably will soon enough), Army would probably be playing in it next weekend. The Mids and coach Brian Newberry will keep it close, because that’s how this game always goes, but it’s hard to envision Navy’s defense being able to plug the dam long enough to pull the upset.
Tim Schwartz, editor
Army 24, Navy 21: It’s always a treat when these rivals meet on the field, but this year’s matchup is the most exciting in years because they’re both good, exciting teams. It’s rare for the stars to align that way. We always say to throw the numbers out for this game, but it’s hard to overlook how impressive these two quarterbacks have been this season. Both the Black Knights’ Bryson Daily and the Midshipmen’s Blake Horvath received some Heisman Trophy buzz at one point this fall, but Daily’s numbers — 1,480 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground — are eye-popping. Army’s defense is the difference-maker for me, though. In true fashion for this epic rivalry, a tie game late gets decided by a field goal.
Bennett Conlin, editor
Army 28, Navy 21: Both offenses, led by star quarterbacks Bryson Daily and Blake Horvath, present unique challenges to defenses. Each team should score its fair share of points, but it’s Daily and the Knights who will ultimately prevail. Army won the AAC for a reason, as the Knights aren’t just a good team, they’re one of the 25 best in the country. Horvath will keep it close, but Army will outlast Navy.