Over 130 years of tradition came together on Saturday, as the annual Army-Navy classic drew tremendous interest from fans
There is perhaps no grander tradition in all of college football than when the two academies square off in the annual Army-Navy classic. This year’s contest – played at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, had all the pageantry and hype of years past. But it also had a whole lot of eyes on it, as well.
As the only major college football game of the weekend following the conference title games, the onfield battle between servicemen took center stage. And it certainly lived up to the hype, as Patriots owner Robert Kraft acted as the host of the event. Both he and coach Bill Belichick took part in the pre-game broadcast. During this, Kraft referred to the longtime tradition of Army vs. Navy as ‘America’s game’.
In an era where every school seemingly has a player or two who’s part of the NIL program or is a future draft pick, the service academies are filled with players who are committed to the United States military for the next few years.
There will be no shoe contracts or TV interviews. So, in many ways, this game is like their Super Bowl… the pinnacle of their athletic achievements before they begin their careers serving this country.
That passion carried over to this year’s viewing audience, as well. The game averaged 7.183 million viewers and peaked with nearly nine million viewers on CBS. It was also the most streamed Army/Navy game in the history of the rivalry.
Army was able to defeat Navy, 17-11, bringing the all-time series record to 62-55-7 in favor of the Midshipmen. The Cadets’ Bryson Daly threw for a ‘whopping’ 54 yards and one touchdown to lead his squad to victory.
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