College Football’s “rivalry” weekend is over, but one historic rival match-ups has yet to be played. Army and Navy will battle for the coveted Commander in Chief’s Trophy December 12 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. This year’s meeting will mark the 110th time these teams are set to square off in a rivalry that originated in 1890.
Why is this game one of those you must see live? The answer is not talent, scheming, or football dominance. It’s not because the two academies are separated by a short distance like other great college football rivalries. Underneath a layer of football that most college teams take for granted, this rivalry stands for tradition, pride, camaraderie and respect.
The rivalry cannot be truly understood until you take a step on either campus. Everywhere you turn you’ll see something or hear something that says “Beat Army” or “Beat Navy”. Unlike some other college football rivalries, there is a great deal or respect between the participants and fans of the two academies.
The talent in this college football rivalry doesn’t compare to the amount of potential NFL stars that play in other rivalries such as Florida vs. Florida State, Michigan vs. Ohio State, or USC vs. UCLA. You won’t find either of these teams contending for a National Championship or a BCS Bowl game, but you will be seeing some of the hardest working kids in the country on the field.
The teams won’t “wow” you or play near perfect football, but they’ll give you everything they have. This college football game isn’t about the drunk college kids who drank too much before the game and became unruly in the stands. It’s not about future NFL stars being on a display for the nation to witness. It doesn’t have two schools from nearby cities, if not the same city, competing for bragging rights. It has members of the military, an occasional visit from the president, and emotional ties to the country in which the game resides.
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