The annual Army-Navy game is set for Saturday, December 14, at 3:00 pm ET on CBS. Army is fresh off an American Athletic Conference Championship and ranked in the top 25. Meanwhile, Navy had been ranked earlier in the year but is currently 8-3 after losing three of their last five games.
Army has all the momentum. Yet, that doesn’t mean much when it comes to this game. Last year’s matchup finished in favor of Army, 17-11. The game before that finished in Army’s favor, 20-17. In 2021, Army lost to Navy, 17-13.
These games are typically close.
What does this year’s game have in store for us?
Let’s check out what our computers have to say and discuss it all below. And don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel for more betting advice.
Picks Summary
- Army -7 (-110)
- Under 40 (-110)
*All odds from Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
Navy Midshipmen vs. Army Black Knights
Saturday, December 14, 2024 – 03:01 PM ET at Northwest Stadium
Army’s Insane Season
There’s an argument for Army to play in the College Football Playoff. While it won’t happen, Army finished the regular season 11-1 with the lone loss against Notre Dame.
Granted, Army was dominated in that game. However, Army won all its other games. Because Army joined the AAC this season, they didn’t have an independent schedule. That might’ve ruined their chance at a College Football Playoff berth.
Yet. Army still took care of business against Tulane in the AAC Championship and has a couple more games left on the schedule, including this one against Navy.
Navy’s Offensive Leader
Navy is led by Bryson Daily, who does it all. The senior leader has eight passing touchdowns but also 29 rushing touchdowns. He’s earned 1,480 yards on the ground and another 877 yards in the air. He’d be a Heisman candidate if he played in a more difficult conference.
With Daily, Army has scored nearly 33 points per game. The Black Knights have also recorded 312.55 rushing yards per game, with another 89.18 yards in the air.
They’ll take on a Navy defense that is typically really fundamentally sound. They’ve allowed 161.09 yards per game on the ground and will likely give up way more than that against Army. Still, the run defense is very good, and the secondary is also significant.
The secondary doesn’t matter as much, but despite what the stats show, Navy has the better run defense.
Can You Trust Navy?
The answer is no. Navy has lost three of their last five games, including taking a 35-0 loss to Tulane. This was the same team Army beat, 35-14, for example.
Like Army, Navy is led by its quarterback, Blake Horvath. He’s added 11 passing touchdowns and another 13 rushing touchdowns. Horvath has helped lead the group to 32.27 points per game. They’ve also averaged more passing yards than Army but aren’t anywhere close to Army’s rushing yard total.
That said, Army has had more trouble tackling than Navy, which is very important in triple-option sets. The run defense, as I acknowledged earlier, also hasn’t been on par with Navy’s. Still, Army has only allowed 103 yards on the ground per game this season.
Of course, that should change against Navy. But as long as Army keeps Navy from earning big plays down the field, the Black Knights should hold the Midshipmen to a limited amount of points in this game.
The Picks
We haven’t had this much hype in an Army-Navy game. Army and Navy were both ranked inside the top 25 earlier this year. Army is back inside the top 25. Navy isn’t. But still, these are two quality, well-disciplined teams playing in an exciting rivalry this weekend.
From historical data, these games typically go under the total. I’d be surprised if this game went differently. While both teams have very good offensive players, the defenses are still good enough. With a lot of running, this game will see the clock tick fast.
Therefore, the best bet for this game is the under 40. I don’t think either team will even get to 20 points. That said, Army is the better team overall. The offense for the Black Knights is more well-rounded with more stars. That should help Army get the cover against the spread and win outright.
NCAAF Pick: Army -7 (-110) at Bet365
NCAAF Pick: Under 40 (-110) at Bet365
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
