Blake Hall
It’s often said in rivalries that you “throw out the records”. Even if one team is a juggernaut, and is clearly superior in talent or tact, things have a funny way of evening out when the history, tradition and familiarity go deep.
Saturday’s Army-Navy college football game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — that pitted the United States Military Academy against the United States Naval Academy — was “exhibit A” in regards to this phenomenon.
Going into the game, Vegas and its oddsmakers had Navy (9-2) as a 21-and-a-half favorite against the struggling Army team (2-9), with the Midshipmen boasting one of the finest players in the entire country in its record-breaking quarterback Keenan Reynolds.
But it was all forgotten very quickly, as Army jumped out to an early lead despite Reynolds and company flexing their finicky option offense in fine fashion.
The following tweets documented all of the big plays and turning points — in real time — yesterday.
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675765761433083905
"Army was the underdog in 1776."
The best @CollegeGameDay signs from Army-Navy: https://t.co/tdB0UyefZX pic.twitter.com/vDWsVUiIFV
— ESPN (@espn) December 12, 2015
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675766878917275648
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675767821519986688
Future @WestPoint_USMA cadet #GoArmyBeatNavy #ArmyNavy pic.twitter.com/rB7XNNz0pR
— U.S. Army Chief of Staff (@ArmyChiefStaff) December 12, 2015
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675768892199976960
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675769634784747520
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675770113631588352
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675770815691030529
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675771113503371265
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675772057825714177
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675773031277547520
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675773797711093761
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675774420108099584
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675775468231131137
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675776093236936705
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675776987135410176
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675777453663612928
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675778042199998464
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675778361868832768
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675780475835805697
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675782727640227840
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675782931508514816
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675783131602010113
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675785097870712832
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675785995552432132
@SITREPBlog impressed with Carter. Kid is a player
— Scott (@Scott_CPO) December 12, 2015
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675789433942220800
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675790015318872064
What. A. Play.
Carter connects with Edgar Poe for a 39-yard TD pass in this @USAA highlight. #ArmyNavy https://t.co/brmxyTmNtz
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 12, 2015
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675793539700293633
Army leads No. 21 Navy, 17-14, at halftime. It's the first time Army has had a halftime lead over Navy since 2009. pic.twitter.com/ZWfubvQ7Pq
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 12, 2015
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675799605418692610
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675801458655105024
Ken Niumatalolo has one thing on his mind…full speed ahead! #ArmyNavy pic.twitter.com/Qr90cq9fjH
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 12, 2015
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675803358972743680
Our Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter! #ArmyNavy @CBSSports pic.twitter.com/O0YvR8pqdz
— Allie LaForce (@ALaForce) December 12, 2015
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675806682497359873
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675809086101942273
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675811386920931332
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675812838053683200
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675813617346945024
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675814171896913921
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675814531474571264
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675816498884182017
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675817039957762048
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675817312503623680
Army WR Edgar Allan Poe gives dap to the pilots who flew the Apache helicopter flyover. pic.twitter.com/pDFAp0MEXN
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 12, 2015
Navy FB Chris Swain wears a Seal Team 3 patch in honor of a former team member killed in action. pic.twitter.com/ZLjIbedSdN
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 12, 2015
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675819146710511616
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675819430102847488
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675819590631481355
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675820052323704832
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675820769058938881
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675821418874060808
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675821671144677376
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675821776711102464
https://twitter.com/SITREPBlog/status/675822015190835200
14 straight wins! Navy defeats Army. 21-17.
Navy leads all-time series, 60-49-7. pic.twitter.com/6sENwVnxe4
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 12, 2015
With the win, Navy also regained possession of the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, which is awarded every year to the service academy with the best record (Air Force won it last year).
“We get to go to the White House this year and get our trophy back,” Reynolds said who, in his career at Annapolis, never lost a matchup to Army.
Navy beat Air Force earlier in the year, 33-11.
The Midshipmen finished the season with a record of 10-2. Inversely, Army ended with a mark of 2-10. Air Force? 8-5.