Military Force Joined American Forces, Straightforwardly Advancing Through the Meeting
Not too long ago, the gridiron at West Point was often grim, with losses piling up frequently. The corps of cadets even celebrated the end of their miseries by discarding a goalpost into Lusk Reservoir after Army beat Cincinnati, 48-29, in 2004. This triumph marked the end of a 19-match losing streak that had begun with a victory over Tulane in 2002. Additionally, Army managed to halt a 15-game home losing streak that year, a skid that included a loss to Holy Cross in the 2002 season opener. The last time Army had won at home prior to this was against Tulane in 2001.
The 2004 season was Army's last as a member of Conference USA. Throughout their seven years in the league (1998-2004), the Black Knights could only manage three victories, and they lost 94% of their conference matches. Their worst season was 2003, when they ended with an 0-13 record. Four coaches led Army during this period: Bob Sutton, Todd Berry, John Mumford (interim), and Bobby Ross, whose stint marked the team's departure from the conference.
Despite the gloom, Army eventually had a winning season in 2010. Coach Rich Ellerson led the team to a 7-6 campaign, and they clinched this with a victory against SMU in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Twenty years later, Coach Jeff Monken, who guided Army through the 19-game dry spell stated above, was hoisting the American Conference championship trophy following a 35-14 victorious clash against – you guessed it – Tulane.
Welcome To The American Conference
Maintaining independence in the rapidly evolving collegiate landscape, especially in football, is a challenge that has only become more complex since Army departed from Conference USA twenty years ago. Recent advancements in television rights, conference realignment, and similar matters have presented formidable challenges.
With fewer non-conference dates available due to multiple conferences now playing nine league games, rejoining a league was a logical move for West Point football. Non-football athletic teams remained in the Patriot League, while Army decided to join the American Conference, home to Navy, an institution that has been a football-only member since 2015.
Army, much like other military academies, does not rely on transfer students or financial incentives to assemble its teams. After joining the league, the team triumphantly won all nine of their conference matches, including the championship game. They outscored their opponents 319-121 and won six matches by at least 17 points. Their closest encounter was a 29-24 victory against UTSA in the regular-season finale.
The championship game against Tulane was so overwhelming that the final score did not fully capture Army's dominance. They managed 57 rush attempts without surrendering any tackles for loss against a team that averaged 6.5 tackles for loss per game. Defensively, there were no turnovers, and Army converted 4 out of 5 opportunities on fourth down. Punter James Wagenseller was not required to make an appearance during the game.
"(The championship game) was an embodiment of what this entire season has been for this team," said Monken afterwards.
Monken, who has been with the Black Knights for 14 seasons and is a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, subsequently elaborated on the ethos of West Point football.
"The determination, the effort, the toughness, the discipline, the brotherhood, the love for each other, the grittiness that these guys have displayed from day one, from game one, showed up," he said.
The team's only loss for the season was a 49-14 drubbing at the hands of No. 5 Notre Dame in Yankee Stadium. Nevertheless, they entered the 125th iteration of the Army/Navy game with an 11-1 record. This annual rivalry, which remains a non-conference game, will take place Saturday (3:00 ET | CBS) in Landover, Md. Following this, Army will face Sun Belt Conference champion Marshall in the Independence Bowl on December 28th.
West Point's Star Quarterback
During the celebration of their championship victory, Monken proposed that the Downtown Athletic Club should invite Bryson Daily. Regrettably, Daily is not among the four finalists.
"I don't know that there is anybody in the country that would balk at the idea of the starting quarterback of the Army Black Knights, who has rushed for 100 yards in a game ten times on an 11-1 team that just won a conference championship, being invited," said Monken. "Why doesn't that guy belong there? There are a lot of great football players in the country, but there isn't one that means more to his team than Daily."
Daily, who was sidelined for the initial encounter against Air Force in October due to an injury, has churned out 29 touchdowns in only 11 matches. This tally is at par with Boise State's Ashton Jeanty (over 13 games as a Heisman contender) and shares the sixth spot in the country for a single season. Navy's Keenan Reynolds still holds the record for a quarterback in a season with 31 touchdowns, achieved in 2013, three of which were scored against Army.
Running with the support of an accomplished offensive line that has been in sync all season and has fostered the nation's top ground attack, delivering 314 yards per game, Daily has managed at least two touchdowns in nine consecutive games. This streak includes four against the Green Wave in the title game, a fond farewell to Michie Stadium for him. As Monken pointed out, Daily has also managed at least 100 yards rushing in 10 consecutive games (126 against Tulane). Furthermore, Daily's 134 yards rushing per game stand fourth in the country, and his season total of 1,480 yards position him ninth.
What's Next for Army?
Upon wrapping up his post-game press conference after clinching the American, Monken had a simple yet powerful message: "Beat Navy."
- Army will be playing their annual rivalry game against Navy in the Army/Navy game, which is scheduled for Saturday at 3:00 ET in Landover, Md. on CBS.
- After their victory in the AAC football championship, Army qualified for the Independence Bowl, where they will face Sun Belt Conference champion Marshall on December 28th.
- Michie Stadium, the home ground of Army football, witnessed a triumphant send-off for Bryson Daily, their star quarterback, as they clinched the American Athletic Conference (AAC) title.
- Army Black Knights' head coach Jeff Monken proposed that Bryson Daily, their standout quarterback, should be invited to the Downtown Athletic Club, but unfortunately, Daily did not make it as one of the finalists.
- The Army/Navy game at Michie Stadium used to be a grim affair for the Army football team, but in 2022, they will be entering the game with an 11-1 record, hoping to add another win to their victories and championships.
