Bowl-bound Army looks to beat Navy for 5th time in 6 games
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Cadets and Midshipmen who play in Saturday’s Armynavy game were no more than toddlers during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Still, they understand the significance of remembering that day when they meet this weekend at Metlife Stadium in the 122nd renewal of one of college football’s biggest rivalries.
“It is awesome to be here to honor those firemen and policemen and people that were there,” Navy senior linebacker Diego Fagot said. “To play in such an environment at Metlife, it’s so very humbling and I am honored to be a part of it.”
Army (8-3) has put together a run in the series since Jeff Monken took over as coach in 2014 and started to rebuild a program that ended up losing 14 in a row to Navy. The Black Knights have won four of the last five, including a 15-0 win last year when the game was played at West Point because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most of the games have been close.
Monken was an assistant at
Navy under Paul Johnson from 2002-07. He said returning to the game in ‘14 was an experience.
“You walk out and there’s just this feeling like ‘This is it,’ ” said Monken, who is headed to the Armed Forces Bowl with the Black Knightstofacemissouriondec.22.
Beating Navy is the only goal this week. Losing?
“Devastating! Terrible season!” Monken said.
This will be the final game of the season for Navy (3-8). Ken Niumatalolo’s team is facing its 11th bowl-bound team, a group that includes Cincinnati and Notre Dame.
“This will be the legacy we will leave with the program,” Navy senior Chance Warren said.
Fagot, playing in his fourth Army-navy game, said the one feeling he has always had is that everyone in the country is rooting for the game.
“I don’t know if it is specific to Army or Navy but they are watching the game, they are encouraging and it’s very patriotic,” he said. “You can definitely feel the love and the honor for that game. Ultimately we play on the gridiron and then we serve with each other, so it is special.”