Army beats Navy behind Hopkins’ two touchdowns

Murray wins Heisman Trophy

PHILADELPHIA, Dec 9, (AP): Army had the corps bouncing in front of the president and kept the Commander-inChief’s Trophy.

The No. 22 Black Knights recovered two fumbles in the fourth quarter, Kelvin Hopkins Jr had two rushing touchdowns and Army beat Navy 17-10 on Saturday to win its third straight game in the series.

President Donald Trump attended the 119th game between the rivals and flipped the coin before spending a half on each side in a show of impartiality. No matter his view, Army (10-2) always had the edge.

Army retained the CIC Trophy – awarded to the team with the best record in games among the three service academies – after winning it for the first time in 22 years last season and snuffed a late Navy (3-10) rally to retain possession of the patriotic prize.

With Navy down 10-7, quarterback Zach Abey lost a fumble on fourthand-12 “March On” and drumline battles, among them – perhaps none is more engrained than the running game. Last year’s game had a combined three pass attempts and quarterbacks for each team are usually the leading rushers. But Army and Navy passed on the rush and tried to throw, with mixed results. Army safety Jaylon McClinton had an interception in the first half. Army also dropped a key third-down pass that led to John Abercrombie’s missed 33-yard field goal in the second quarter.

Abercrombie rebounded to kick a 33-yarder in the third for a 10-0 lead.

Last season’s game was an instant classic and was decided by a field goal: Bennett Moehring narrowly missed a 48-yarder in the snow on the final play and Army held off Navy 14-13.

Moehring made the extra point on Lewis’ score and he kicked a 45-yard field goal with 29 seconds left. Malcom Perry’s 43-yard run to the 5 set up Garret Lewis’ 1-yard rushing TD with 7:10 left in the game that pulled Navy to 10-7.

There were reminders all around the Linc, home of the Super Bowl champions Eagles, that this was no ordinary game. The Navy “Leap Frogs” parachute team earned a roar from the crowd with each safe landing on the field. Bill the Goat, Navy’s mascot, was safely leashed and secured from a possible abduction attempt from overzealous cadets. And each side safely returned “captives” in the Prisoner Exchange – when seven midshipmen and seven cadets swap service academies for a semester. The Army prisoners spelled out “3-PEAT on the back of their uniforms.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray has won the Heisman Trophy, edging Alabama’s Tua Tagvailoa and setting up a College Football Playoff matchup of Heisman winners and runners-up.

The fourth-ranked Sooners play the top-ranked Crimson Tide in the Orange Bowl semifinal Dec 29 in the seventh bowl matchup of Heisman winners and runners-up, and first since second-place finisher Vince Young and Texas beat Reggie Bush and Southern California in the 2006 Rose Bowl.

Kelvin Hopkins Jr #8 of the Army Black Knights carries the ball as Sean Williams #6 of the Navy Midshipmen makes the tackle at Lincoln Financial

Field on Dec 8 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (AFP)