One of college football's most iconic rivalries is here and we’re pretty excited about the betting opportunities that come with it. Army Black Knights take on the Navy Midshipmen in the 125th edition of this storied clash and it’s going to be every bit as historic.
Game Time: Sat, Dec 14, 2:00pm CST
Where to Watch: CBS
Location: Northwest Stadium
While both teams have had ups and downs over the season, Saturday’s game is a bit more about pride and history than records.
Adding to the stakes and the storyline, the winner of the game gets the coveted Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.
Game Odds: Army -6.5 -115
Total (Over/Under): 39.5
Army enters the game as the clear favorite. They’re bolstered by their impressive performance this season which is good for ranking 22nd in the nation.
Quarterback Bryson Daily has been a dual-threat star crushing it in both the air and on the ground. He’s racked up 1,480 rushing yards, 877 passing yards, and a staggering 37 total TDs which pits him as one of the best Army QBs in history.
His 29 rushing touchdowns lead the nation, tied with Boise State's Ashton Jeanty. He’s having the best season of his NCAAF career and it doesn’t look like he’ll be slowing down for the Army/Navy game.
Navy’s offense, on the other hand, has struggled to maintain any amount of consistency. This is even more so in the passing game, where they rank 260th in the FBS and only tallied up 128 passing yards per game.
As for rushing, both teams are heavy run teams. Army ranks 2nd in the nation with 314 yards per game whereas Navy ranks 10th with 247 yards per game.
Defensively, Army has the edge in scoring defense. They’re ranked 55th by allowing only 180 points across the season. Navy isn’t far behind, ranking 98th while surrendering only 255 points.
Army enters the game on an absolute hot streak. They’ve won 4 of their last 5 games, including a convincing 35-14 victory over Tulane, with the bookmakers having Tulane as the 4.5-point favorite. This was the game that proved to the nation that Army was legit this year.
Navy, on the other hand, has stumbled quite a bit, dropping 3 of their last 5 games. While they did defeat East Carolina 34-20 to close out the 2024 season, their losses to Tulane and Rice showed the nation that they have their share of vulnerabilities.
The best bet for the game on Saturday is to take Army at -6.5. Just looking at these two teams side by side, it’s easy to see why.
Bryson Daily’s ability to dominate on the ground will be the game-changer and propel the Black Knights to another smooth win.
Navy’s defense, though it is fairly solid, hasn’t faced a rusher of Daily’s caliber all season long. On offense, Navy's passing game just doesn’t have the explosiveness they need to get past a fairly strong Army defense. This will limit Navy’s ability to mount quick comebacks if they fall behind early and they most likely will.
Army’s balanced offense, combined with a defense capable of keeping the big plays at bay, makes them a decent bet.
The Black Knights have also shown they can rise to the occasion in high-pressure games like this. Just take a look at their wins over Air Force and Tulane earlier this season.
Navy’s inconsistent form down the stretch only strengthens our decision to go with Army against the spread.
With the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy on the line Saturday night, we are expecting a physical, hard-fought game. It’s always one of the most exciting games of the year. But Army's playmakers, led by senior Bryson Daily, will deliver when it matters most.
Take Army to cover the spread and solidify their dominant season with another statement win.
Go Army. Beat Navy.