The Sunday Afternoon Quarterback #15: All Streaks Eventually End

Since Penn State is off for a few weeks preparing for the Cotton Bowl on December 28, 2019, we are covering the Army-Navy game instead. Of course, we were cheering for Army, but unfortunately, we were left disappointed.

#23 Navy 31 – Army 7

It was fun while it lasted. But just like Navy’s 15 year winning streak against Army that was snapped in 2016, eventually Army’s winning streak against Navy would also come to an end.

I will point out that in 2016 when Army won against Navy, the team wore uniforms modeled after the 82nd Airborne Division. In 2017, when Army captured the Commander in Chief’s Trophy for the first time since 1996, they wore uniforms dedicated to the 10th Mountain Division. And in 2018, when they won the CiC Trophy in back to back seasons for the first time in school history, they wore uniforms honoring the 1st Infantry Division. Three consecutive years of beating their rival. Three consecutive years of inter-service bragging rights. Three consecutive years of wearing infantry division themed uniforms and winning.

Now I’m not saying that this particular streak-breaking loss was a direct result of their uniforms being modeled after the 1st Cavalry Division. But maybe I am saying that perhaps we should switch back to an Infantry Division uniform for next year’s game against Navy. After all, what football team doesn’t err on the side of superstition?

One main factor that didn’t help Army was they played their third string quarterback while Navy’s quarterback had a record setting day. Malcolm Perry rushed for 304 yards on the ground setting an Army-Navy game record along with setting the single season rushing mark for the Naval Academy.

The two teams traded punts on their first two drives before Army would have their only scoring drive of the game. Christian Anderson engineered an 18 play, 78 yard drive that would eat over ten minutes off the clock in the first quarter. Army converted five 3rd downs and one 4th down before Anderson scored himself from five yards out to give Army its only score and lead of the game. Army 7-0. 

It would take Navy four plays to even the score with Perry accounting for all 75 yards on the drive, including a 55 yard touchdown run. Tied 7-7. Navy would tack on one more score in the first half, going 91 yards and scoring with mere seconds to go by throwing their only pass of the game, a version of the famed “Philly Special”, to close out the half. Navy 14-7. 

The second half turned out to be all about Navy as Army produced zero first downs or yards of offense in the third quarter while Malcolm Perry and the Navy offense continued to chew up yardage, scoring two more times to increase the lead at the end of the third quarter. Navy 24-7. Navy would tally one final score in the fourth quarter to end the scoring for the day with a final score of Navy 31-7.

So for the next year, until our next match up, Navy owns all the bragging rights. Maybe a little reliance on some superstitious beliefs will return such bragging rights to Army.

Next up on The Sunday Afternoon Quarterback, we will be covering Penn State in the Cotton Bowl coming in two weeks.

Until then, we are…

Keeping it on the edge,

Jeff and Shelbee

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