Army vs. Navy Prediction, Game Preview

It’s the final regular season game of the college football season and then it’s on to the bowls. Army (2-9) might have had a wildly disappointing season, but it can make up for the problems if it can finally get a win over Navy (9-2). Check out the Army vs. Navy prediction and game preview.

Army vs. Navy Game Preview

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, Dec. 12
Game Time: 3:30 pm
Venue: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

Network: CBS

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Why You Need To Care

December 1st, 2001. That was the last time Army beat Navy with a 26-17 victory to finish off the Midshipmen’s 0-10 season. 13 years later, Navy is stronger than ever while Army is still trying to figure out the formula. The Black Knights come in on a four-game losing streak and with the lone win over an FBS team coming against Eastern Michigan. The running game works, but not much else does.

Navy missed out on playing for the American Athletic championship after losing to Houston two weeks ago, and head coach Ken Niumatalolo is supposedly a prime candidate for the BYU job, but it’s been a fantastic season, QB Keenan Reynolds has been special, and after this it’s off to the Military Bowl against Pitt. A win would mean the first ten-win season since 2009 and with a shot at the school’s first 11-win campaign with a bowl victory.

Why Army Will Win

Can the Black Knight offense keep the chains moving? The Navy run defense has been strong all year, but it couldn’t handle Greg Ward Jr. and the Houston running game, allowing 218 yards and three scores a week after allowing three touchdowns to Tulsa. Air Force doesn’t run the same type of offense as Army, but it was able to run for 204 yards. For all of Army’s issues, it’s great on third downs converting 45% of its chances, while Navy is 121st in the nation in third down D, allowing teams to convert 47% of the time. However …

Why Navy Will Win

The Midshipmen are unstoppable on third downs, ranking third in the nation converting 51% of their chances. The Army run defense is good enough to come up with a few stops here and there to get Reynolds and the Navy offense from going wild, but the offense doesn’t do enough to control games. Army is decent at time of possession, but it doesn’t make the most of its scoring drives and doesn’t manufacture points with big takeaways. Navy does. Navy does almost everything Army is trying to do, only far better.

Player Who Matters

It’s the last game in the brilliant career of Keenan Reynolds, who holds the NCAA record with 83 rushing scores to go along with 4,279 yards – he’s working on his third straight 1,000-yard season, while his passing has improved averaging a career-high 11.5 yards per attempt with six scores and just one pick. With 279 yards and five touchdowns in his three games against Army – all wins – he knows how to take over this game.

What’s Going To Happen?

Records aside, Army has provided a fight four times in the last five years despite being overmatched. This time around, the Black Knights have way too much work to do to keep up the pace. This won’t get out of hand, but the Navy defense will come up with enough early stops to make this easy.