The Army vs. Navy game holds a special but unique place on the college football calendar.
Given the history, intensity and glamor of the rivalry, its importance is undeniable. This game literally stands on its own as the only game to be held on the Saturday after December's conference championship weekend. But the stakes in the games usually didn't matter in terms of rankings or national championship races.
This year is complicated.
Service Academy is undefeated and ranked. And the 12-team College Football Playoff means the 23rd-ranked Black Knights (7-0) and 24th-ranked Midshipmen (6-0) are legitimate playoff contenders — either If only they could win the American Athletic Conference.
But the playoffs are set for Dec. 8, six days before the annual Army-Navy game begins in Landover, Maryland. And since Army and Navy are now conference mates in the AAC, the Dec. 14 matchup could be the deciding game. The second meeting between the teams in one season.
Now let's see how things change.
How did we get here?
Army QB Bryson Daley leads all FBS players with 19 rushing touchdowns. (Lucas Borland/Imagine Images)
This is the first time since 1926 that both Army and Navy have started the season 6-0.
The Black Knights are 7-0 but have yet to trail by a game. Unsurprisingly, they lead the nation in rushing offense, led by quarterback Bryson Daley, who has scored 26 total touchdowns. Army is already 6-0 in AAC play, meaning they only have two conference games left (North Texas, UTSA).
The Midshipmen enter the big game against No. 12 Notre Dame at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., 6-0 and 4-0 in the AAC. It's already their best season since 2019, when they won 11 games.
Currently, the Army and Navy occupy the top two spots in the AAC rankings.
Does that mean…you can play it twice?
Yes, for several weeks in a row. They will meet in the conference championship game on Dec. 6 and could potentially meet again as an annual rivalry on Dec. 14.
But Tulane is right behind them with a 3-0 conference record and will play Navy on Nov. 16. A loss could derail Navy's bid to clinch a conference championship and end the Mids' playoff hopes.
Does the Army-Navy game count towards CFP?
There is a possibility they will face each other in the AAC Championship. However, this is not the case for the annual neutral ground match.
Selection day for the playoffs is Sunday, Dec. 8, and the annual Army-Navy game will be played the following Saturday. During the four-team playoff era, the selection committee had a protocol that allowed it to wait for Army and Navy selections if it would affect the field. But this time they couldn't wait to see the results, as the 12-team playoffs begin on the weekend of December 20-21.
This means there is a scenario where a service academy wins the AAC, qualifies for the CFP, and then loses in the final regular season game to the same opponent they beat to advance to the playoffs. .
Of course, bragging rights still exist.
Will Army and Navy have less time to prepare for their playoff games?
Given that no other team will play the week of Dec. 14, if either service academy qualifies for the playoffs, they will have less time to prepare for their postseason opponents. Dew.
What are the chances that Army or Navy will make the playoffs?
Army or Navy have a 29.6% chance of making the playoffs, but the individual percentages for both teams look a little different depending on the outcome of their next game.
If Navy beats Notre Dame on Saturday, the Midshipmen's chance of making the playoffs increases to 10 percent, according to its predictive model. The AthleticAustin Mock. If a loss occurs, that percentage drops to 5%.
Army has an easier opponent than Air Force, so the cadet percentages are high: 30 percent for wins and 14 percent for losses. Army has to play Notre Dame on Nov. 23 at Yankee Stadium.
According to Mock's model, Army has a 63% chance of winning the AAC, compared to Navy's 15%.
even deeper
What does Army and Navy's historic starts mean for the AAC Championship? CFP?
What else needs to happen for either team to make the playoffs?
Two things need to happen. First, the obvious thing is that either Army or Navy will continue to win and win the AAC. It is unlikely that either of them will be able to make it to the playoffs as a large team.
Second, they likely need the Mountain West to beat each other. Boise State (5-1) is currently ranked ahead of Army and Navy, with the Broncos' only blemish being a road loss at Oregon State.
Another team to be concerned about in the Mountain West is UNLV (6-1). Boise State plays at UNLV on Friday, which will have a big impact on their chances of qualifying for the Group of 5 playoffs.
If you want a rooting guide to getting Army or Navy into the CFP, I'd probably root for UNLV to pull off an upset this weekend, then continue rooting for the two teams that lose late. — austin mock
Has Army or Navy ever won a national championship?
Led by 1946 Heisman Trophy winner Glenn Davis, Army won national titles in 1944, 1945 and 1946. (Bettman, via Getty Images)
Yes, but the details are a little complicated because college football doesn't always have a national championship game.
Army won five national championships (1914, 1916, 1944, 1945, 1946), but in four of those years more than one program won the title. Similarly, the Navy claims a share of the 1926 national title.
The last time either team finished in the AP Top 10 was in 1964, when Navy peaked at No. 6.
What's next?
Army finished the regular season with Air Force (1-6), North Texas (5-2), Notre Dame (6-1), UTSA (3-4) and Navy.
Navy finished with Notre Dame, Rice (2-5), South Florida (3-4), Tulane (5-2), East Carolina (3-4) and Army.
(Top photo: Barry Chin / The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
