For CT--Army 21, Air Force 0

[WP76]

In Colorado, no less. Army never punted, their QB ran for something like 270 yards and AF got shut out for the first time since 1992. It's borderline shocking since Army doesn't beat its blue suited brethren very often.

Between that and Bedlam, this was an epically sweet Saturday for me. Found this quote about Bedlam on MSN:

"On first down and 10 yards later, Oklahoma’s offense went off the rails. A targeting call that was incorrectly called on the field as having happened after a Rudolph interception was ultimately, magically corrected upon review giving the Cowboys an extra shot they did not deserve."

That's pretty much the way I saw it too.

 

[CTOkie]

In Colorado, no less. Army never punted, their QB ran for something like 270 yards and AF got shut out for the first time since 1992. It's borderline shocking since Army doesn't beat its blue suited brethren very often.

Between that and Bedlam, this was an epically sweet Saturday for me. Found this quote about Bedlam on MSN:

"One first down and 10 yards later, Oklahoma’s offense went off the rails. A targeting call that was incorrectly called on the field as having happened after a Rudolph interception was ultimately, magically corrected upon review giving the Cowboys an extra shot they did not deserve."

That's pretty much the way I saw it too.

Hope this Army team beats Navy this year, especially since it's Army's best team in 25 years. A trip to the Armed Forces Bowl on 12/23 in Fort Worth would add to my Christmas.
Next season when Army plays OU, I want to see a competitive game.
I knew a Syracuse player who played against Army in 1989. He said the Syracuse coach, Coach McPherson, told his team that Army would play hard for all 60 minutes, regardless of the score. Syracuse had to hold on to get a 10-7 win in the Carrier Dome. Army's receiver dropped a long pass late in the game to seal the Syracuse win.
My wife and I attended that game.

 

[WP76]

This was only Army's 19th win in the 51 games the two teams have played and only their fourth win in Colorado Springs. Given that you're a couple of years wiser [wink] than me wasn't Army-Air Force often played at neutral sites in the 1950s and 60s? As I mentioned earlier, this was the first time Air Force has been shut out since the 1992 Liberty Bowl and I don't know when the was the last time they were shut out at home.

As lopsided as Army-Air Force has historically been, it's interesting to note that OSU has won fewer football games against OU (18) and that game has been played 112 times.

As far as next year's game between our two teams, Army's only hope of keeping it respectable next year will be if OU's Kyler Murray has some early season jitters. However, Army will also have a new QB running its triple option. Don't see it being close but you never know.

In 2020, my entire family plans to attend the OU game at West Point. It'd sure be nice to meet up with you, if at all possible.

 

[CTOkie]

WP76, Army's lack of success, compared to that of Navy and Air Force, I believe, is because of the fact that 1) West Point grads are more often deployed in harm's way than those grads from the other two academies and 2) based on what I've heard, the academic requirements are higher.
Again, I relate to the time when I asked a West Point cadet if he thought Army would ever become competitive again. His reply was, "That's not what we are here for, sir"...to which I had to crawl back into my hole. He nailed it.
As for 2020, I will make every effort to meet you there. It likely will be the last OU game I'll ever attend. I will try to get tickets on the goarmy.com website. The game will likely be the biggest sellout in Army's history.

As for Air Force: I remember hearing that in 1963, Abe Martin took his team to Nebraska where it defeated Nebraska 17-13 in a huge upset....and Nebraska's only loss that year.
When asked how his team won, Martin said his defensive linemen noticed how much strain there was on the arms of Nebraska's offensive linemen....more strain meant a running play....less strain meant pass protection. Very impressive.

 

[WP76]

Since 2001, graduates of West Point have been killed and maimed at a rate that's about six times higher than the other two academies according to a report on CBS Sports a couple of years ago. For that reason alone, Army certainly has the hardest sales pitch to football recruits and their parents.

Post graduation, both Navy and Air Force can "sell" aviation and jets. The best Army can offer is helicopters and, in the Army, a large percentage of the helicopter pilots are warrant officers anyway. The Army's combat arms are physically arduous with long periods of time exposed to extended periods of heat, cold, dirt, rain, snow, sleet, sleeping on the ground, etc. Unless they're assigned to tactical Army units, Navy and Air Force guys don't do a lot of that.

I do understand that serving on a Navy ship or sub entails long periods of time at sea and away from family but the conditions are generally climate controlled, sleeping on some semblance of a bed, hot food, showers, etc. That's the perception I've gleaned from a number of my Naval counterparts. At least in the Army, you're outdoors while the Navy (especially on subs) is a pretty claustrophobic experience. In that light, I certainly have to respect the jobs those guys do.

Academically, Army is currently ranked as the #1 public university in the nation by US News and World Report and has been ranked as high as #1 overall by Forbes a few years ago. West Point isn't far ahead of Navy and Air Force academically but ahead nonetheless.

Bottom line is during my time in service I was incredibly thankful that the Navy and Air Force were on our side and for their contributions. I'm also never going to expect Army to be very good in football but when we do have some level of success, it's pretty sweet.

 

[CTOkie]

Since 2001, graduates of West Point have been killed and maimed at a rate that's about six times higher than the other two academies according to a report on CBS Sports a couple of years ago. For that reason alone, Army certainly has the hardest sales pitch to football recruits and their parents.

Post graduation, both Navy and Air Force can "sell" aviation and jets. The best Army can offer is helicopters and, in the Army, a large percentage of the helicopter pilots are warrant officers anyway. The Army's combat arms are physically arduous with long periods of time exposed to extended periods of heat, cold, dirt, rain, snow, sleet, sleeping on the ground, etc. Unless they're assigned to tactical Army units, Navy and Air Force guys don't do a lot of that.

I do understand that serving on a Navy ship or sub entails long periods of time at sea and away from family but the conditions are generally climate controlled, sleeping on some semblance of a bed, hot food, showers, etc. At least that's the perception I've gleaned from a number of my Naval counterparts. At least in the Army, you're outdoors while the Navy (especially on subs) is a pretty claustrophobic experience. In that light, I certainly have to respect the jobs those guys do.

Academically, Army is currently ranked as the #1 public university in the nation by US News and World Report and has been ranked as high as #1 overall by Forbes a few years ago. West Point isn't far ahead of Navy and Air Force academically but ahead nonetheless.

Bottom line is during my time in service I was incredibly thankful that the Navy and Air Force were on our side and for their contributions. I'm also never going to expect Army to be very good in football but when we do have some level of success, it's pretty sweet.

Thank you WP76.

 

[Okie70]

Navy guy here. Sister married into an Air Force family and still remember the shock of watching AFA steal a game from a pretty good OSU team in Stillwater in '58. Brother in law a DB for AFA in 70-73. So know it's a great rivalry. But have to root for the boat drivers in Dec.