10 Fascinating Facts About the Army-Navy Game

The Army-Navy game represents one of the most historic and iconic rivalries in American college football. With its many traditions (march, prisoner exchange, Sing Second), this event is truly exceptional.

Here are 10 interesting stories to share during your Army-Navy game viewing party:

1. The first game was played on November 29, 1890 on West Point Field, nicknamed “The Plain”. While Army had a freshly minted team, Navy had played organized football since 1879, so it was no surprise that Army won 24-0.

2. Each of the 271 members of the Corps of Cadets contributed 52 cents to cover half of the Navy’s travel expenses for the 1890 game.

3. Although the Army-Navy game is an annual tradition (and has been played continuously since 1930), there have been 10 occasions when the game was not played. The longest hiatus lasted from 1894 to 1898, following a dispute between an Army general and a Navy admiral. Tensions were such that they almost had a duel, but ultimately decided to call off the match. This seems reasonable.

4. In 1909, Army canceled the remainder of its season after a game against Harvard in October, where Cadet Eugene Byrne was injured, leading to his death.

5. In 1917 and 1918, games were canceled on orders from the War Department, which is understandable given the context of World War I. In 1928 and 1929, the academies were unable to agree on the eligibility criteria for players. Since then, the match has taken place every year, despite wars, a pandemic, or snowfall; nothing can stop this event.

6. On November 27, 1926, the match was held in Chicago, as part of the dedication ceremony of Soldier Field in honor of American soldiers who fought in World War I. Navy came into this game with an undefeated season, while Army had lost only to Notre Dame. The match, which attracted a record 600,000 ticket requests, ended in a 21-21 draw, allowing Navy to become national champions thanks to its better record.

7. This is only the second time the game has been held in Washington, DC (the first time was in 2011, and technically this weekend’s game is in Landover, Maryland). Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia has hosted the most Army-Navy games, with a record 41 meetings from 1936 to 1979.

8. A 1973 episode of “M*A*S*H” referenced a fictional Army-Navy game that ended with a score of 42-36 in favor of Navy. To date, no Army-Navy game has finished with this score.

9. This is only the fifth time since 1963 that both teams have taken the field with a winning record. As USAA CEO Wayne Peacock said, “It’s Army-Navy. You never know what can happen. Both teams have very good defenses and I think we are going to see a high quality football match.”

10. In connection with USAA, this is the 16th year that this company, specializing in insurance and banking services for the army, has sponsored the match. USAA was the first (and so far only) main sponsor and recently extended its contract by five years until 2030. The approach to sponsoring a football match is explained by a desire to raise the level of this event, and every year, they wonder how to make this moment even more special.

We can only agree with this. No matter which team you root for this weekend, long live America!

You can watch the 125th edition of this matchup on Saturday, December 14 at 3:00 p.m. ET on CBS or streaming on Paramount+.

All matches: