Air Force captures Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy while Navy edges Temple
For the service academies, Week 10 was filled with dramatic finishes and historic moments. Air Force captured the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy with a thrilling victory against Army on the road. Meanwhile, Navy survived a furious comeback by Temple in Annapolis, Maryland, to earn its third win of the season.
Air Force Defeats Army on Road
The Air Force Falcons (7-2, 3-2 Mountain West) captured the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy by defeating the Army Black Knights (5-4, 4-2 American) 24-21. An announced crowd of 33,000 fans at Michie Stadium witnessed a classic in the latest installment of the historic rivalry that dates to Halloween 1959.
Army wore black jerseys, pants, and helmets featuring the white skull-and-crossbones insignia associated with the program’s Black Flag. The flag, carried out of the tunnel before each game, symbolizes toughness, tenacity, camaraderie, and accountability. The Black Knights also honored the 4th Infantry Division, known as the “Steadfast and Loyal,” during the game. Air Force wore white jerseys, pants, and helmets emblazoned with blue lightning bolts.
On a soggy night at West Point, Air Force outgained Army 344-220, including a 260-182 advantage on the ground. The Falcons held a narrow advantage in time of possession, 30:23 to 29:37.
Army and Air Force each had one sustained possession during a scoreless first quarter. The Black Knights’ Dawson Jones missed a 46-yard, field-goal attempt with 6 minutes, 30 seconds left in the quarter, while Carter Cremascoli converted a 21-yard attempt to put the Falcons up 3-0 early in the second quarter.
Air Force utilized the one-two punch of quarterbacks Evan Medders and Kemper Hodges. Medders returned from a turf toe injury.
Trailing 21-17 entering the fourth quarter, Air Force regained the lead for good when Medders connected with tight end Simon Kibbee for a 24-yard touchdown pass with 14:25 remaining. The sophomore completed six of eight passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Medders added 59 rushing yards and a second-quarter touchdown run. Hodges led Air Force in rushing with 119 yards and a second-quarter touchdown.
On defense, junior defensive back Korey Johnson had seven tackles. Johnson also intercepted Army quarterback Cale Hellums in Air Force territory at the 12:18 mark of the fourth quarter, helping preserve the Falcons’ lead.
Army’s defense later stopped Air Force on fourth down near the goal line, but the Falcons forced a three-and-out and ran out the clock to secure the victory.
Quarterbacks Hellums and Bryson Luter both saw action for the Black Knights on Saturday. Hellums rushed for 34 yards and a third-quarter touchdown. The senior, who started and saw most of the playing time behind center, completed five of 10 passes for 38 yards and an interception.
Luter, a sophomore, was inserted to provide a spark for Army’s offense. He responded with 81 rushing yards, including a 19-yard touchdown run with 2:40 left in the third quarter that put Army ahead 21-17.
Running back Godspower Nwawuihe led the Black Knights in rushing with 82 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. His 21-yard, second-quarter score got Army on the board and cut the Falcons’ lead to 10-7 at the 3:23 mark.
Brady Small, Army’s senior center and team captain, left the game with an injury in the second half. No further details on his injury or status have been announced.
Army now enters its second bye week of the season before facing the East Carolina Pirates (5-4, 3-2 American) at Michie Stadium on Saturday, November 21, at noon ET on CBS Sports Network.
The victory marked Air Force’s first Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy since 2022 and the first for the Falcons’ current senior class. Following the game, Air Force celebrated the accomplishment by singing their alma mater second, a tradition reserved for the winning team in service academy football rivalries.
As noted on the shirts of several Air Force fans in attendance, Army and Navy will now play for second place in the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy series on December 12 when they meet at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Air Force returns to action at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 14, when they host the San Jose State Spartans (5-5, 3-3 Mountain West) at Falcon Stadium. CBS Sports Network will broadcast the game.
Quarterback Luke Weaver, a senior who has thrown for 1,810 yards and 11 touchdowns, leads the Spartans’ offense. He has also rushed for 58 yards and a touchdown.
San Jose State junior linebacker Dylan Lee ranks 10th nationally with 88 total tackles. Lee and teammate Caleb Womack, a cornerback, are tied for sixth nationally with 48 solo tackles apiece.
Navy Nips Temple with Late-Game Score
The Navy Midshipmen (3-6, 2-4 American) defeated the Temple Owls (2-7, 1-4 American) 42-35 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Navy built a 28-0 lead in the first half before Temple rallied to tie the score at 35 with 5:35 remaining. Navy regained the lead with a nine-play touchdown drive that culminated in quarterback Jackson Gutierrez’s 4-yard rushing score with 1:14 left.
Gutierrez rushed for five touchdowns and threw a third-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Collins. The junior completed six of 11 passes for 178 yards and led the Mids in rushing with 180 yards.
Collins led Navy in receiving yards, pulling in two catches for 112 yards. Junior running back Michael Barrow had 109 rushing yards on 21 carries.
Navy outgained Temple 495-218 in total offense, including a 317-45 advantage on the ground. The Midshipmen also controlled possession for 40:46.
Navy senior safety Giuseppe Sessi had four tackles and an interception with just over four minutes left in the first quarter.
Following Gutierrez’s game-winning touchdown, Navy’s defense stopped Temple on its final possession. Sessi broke up a third-down pass, while senior linebacker Coleman Cauley pressured Temple quarterback Jaxon Smolik into an incompletion on fourth down, securing the victory.
Temple’s Smolik returned from a foot injury and completed 12 of 26 passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns, one in the third and two in the fourth quarter.
Fifth-year wide receiver Jayce Freeman recorded 62 receiving yards on four catches and scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns for the Owls. His second touchdown reception tied the score at 35.
JoJo Bermudez scored on a 78-yard punt return as time expired in the first half, getting Temple on the scoreboard.
Running back Sam Brown V had the Owls’ only rushing touchdown, a 1-yard run in the fourth that brought Temple within one touchdown of Navy, 35-28.
The Midshipmen head into a bye week before welcoming the Memphis Tigers (7-2, 4-1 American) to Annapolis on Saturday, November 21, for a noon ET kickoff.
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