6:17 PM EST: That is all for VAVEL USA's coverage of the 2014 Army/Navy Game. The final score from Baltimore: The Navy Midshipmen defeat the Army Black Knights 17-10. Stay tuned to VAVEL USA for continuing coverage of college football.
6:16 PM EST: Turnovers were crucial in the fourth quarter. It was a fumble by Army while allowed Navy to kill off a great deal of clock, and it was a Navy fumble that allowed one last chance for Army.
6:15 PM EST: It was a hard fought battle by both teams, at Navy was able to come away with the victory despite the stellar defensive start by the Black Knights' defense.
4th (00:00) That is the end of the game. Navy wins their 13th consecutive game over Army, winning this one 17-10.
4th (00:50) Navy will kneel this one out.
4th (1:30) Reynolds runs it himself despite the league injury and picks up 19. That will all but do it.
4th Quarter: Army had already called a timeout so Reynolds does not need to come off the field after getting up.
4th Quarter: Keenan Reynolds is down on the ground injured.
4th (1:43) Keenan Reynolds dives right back into the line for no gain. Timeout is called by Army.
4th (1:49) Navy recovers the onside kick. The Midshipmen will take over.
4th (1:51) Daniel Grochowski nails a long field goal to cut the lead to 7. Onside kick coming up. It's Navy 17, Army 10.
4th (1:54) Army calls timeout prior to fourth down.
4th (1:54) Army looks to pass again but the line collapses immediately and Schurr is sacked.
4th (2:23) Schurr runs to the right side of the line and picks up several yards before getting knocked out of bounds.
4th (2:29) A pass is just high down the field to Xavier Moss. Second down for the Black Knights.
4th (2:54) This time a pass is completed to Larry Dixon on a throwback wheel route to gain a first down.
4th (3:01) Schurr misses an open receiver. It's 3rd and 11 for Army.
4th (3:02) Schurr tries to escape contain but is stopped for little to no gain. Army immediately calls a timeout.
4th (3:24) AJ Schurr now carries the ball and nears midfield, picking up another first down in the process.
4th (3:39) Army completes their first pass of the game on a double reverse tight end pass.
4th (3:47) Navy fumbles the ball on a poor quarterback-center exchange and Joe Drummond comes away with the ball for Army. The Black Knights take control and they are not out of the game yet.
4th (5:06) Chris Swain is in as the featured back for Navy now, and he picks up the first down on the ground.
4th (6:18) Geoffrey Whiteside makes a spin move to pick up the first down and then carries several defenders down field for a big gain.
4th (6:45) Reynolds rushes again and gains all of those 15 yards back. 3rd and 3.
4th (7:18) Navy was penalized for 15 yards after the rush by Copeland.
4th (7:18) Copeland takes it again, reaching the 45 and setting up a manageable third down.
4th (8:02) Noah Copeland gains maybe a yard on first down for Navy. It would be surprising to see another pass play from the Midshipmen at this point.
4th Quarter: Turning the ball over was the one thing that Army could not afford todo on that drive.
4th (8:07) AJ Schurr fumbles the ball as he tried to avoid two defenders and Navy recovers it. The Midshipmen will take over on the first turnover of the game.
4th (8:47) Army will lose a yard on a poor pitch play.
4th (9:21) Dixon gets it once again and he bowls ahead for another first down. He has been a workhorse today for the Black Knights.
4th (9:55) It will be 3rd and 2 after a short rush by Dixon, today's leading rusher.
4th (10:28) Schurr gains 5 on a rush up the middle.
4th (11:00) Dixon takes it again and shows off his speed, picking up yet another first down at midfield.
4th (11:23) Larry Dixon picks up a first down on the ground.
4th (11:57) AJ Schurr picks up 7 on a first down carry.
4th (12:03) Army will start at their own 27 yard line.
4th Quarter: That was Keenan Reynolds' 21st rushing touchdown of the season.
4th (12:07) The extra point is true and the Midshipmen are now up 10, 17-7 over the Army Black Knights.
4th Quarter: The ruling on the field stands, touchdown Navy.
4th Quarter: The score is under review.
4th (12:07) Reynolds keeps it again and scores on a dive up the middle, barely squirting through the pile. Navy extends their lead late in the game.
4th (12:26) Reynolds keeps it and is stopped inches short of the goal line, about as close as you can get. Third and goal from inside the 1.
4th (13:05) Swain carries it down to the 2 yard line. Second and goal.
4th (13:18) Navy calls a timeout as the play clock winds towards zero. It is the first for the Midshipmen this half.
4th (13:51) Chris Swain takes a handoff for 11 yards. It's first and goal for Navy at the 5 yard line.
4th (14:23) Keenan Reynolds keeps it on an option play and picks up a first down. The Navy has it at the 16.
4th (14:56) It will be third and short for Navy after a short run up the middle.
3rd Quarter: Larry Dixon of Army leads all players with 65 rushing yards. Reynolds has 60 0n thw ground for Navy.
3rd Quarter: Army has outrushed Navy so far today, however they have zero passing yards. Keenan Reynolds of the Midshipmen has 77 passing yards and a touchdown through the air as well.
3rd (00:00) That is the end of the third quarter. Navy leads Army and they are driving again. It's 10-7 Midshipmen over the Black Knights in Baltimore.
3rd (00:33) Reynolds keeps it again and is tackled by Joe Drummond again.
3rd (1:01) Noah Copeland takes the dive and picks up a first down. Navy continues to move the ball efficiently.
3rd (1:34) After another short pass, it will be third and short for the Midshipmen.
3rd (2:38) Reynolds keeps it and picks up the first down.
3rd (3:00) It will be third and 1 for Navy.
3rd (4:05) Keenan Reynolds uses his pure speed to roll outside on a designed pass and he runs it himself instead and picks up a first down.
3rd (4:49) Navy goes nowhere on the outside on first down.
3rd (4:56) Army goes for a field goal and narrowly misses the 49 yard attempt. Navy will take over, maintaining a 3 point lead.
3rd (5:39) A pitch play to Baggett goes nowhere and Army is faced with a fourth down.
3rd (6:18) Maples has a small gain and it will be third and medium for the Black Knights.
3rd (7:02) Schurr slips and only gains about a yard.
3rd (7:35) Raymond Maples runs for a first down, crossing the 40 yard line in the process.
3rd (8:15) Schurr gains 9 on his first carry of the game.
3rd (8:52) Larry Dixon takes a handoff for a huge gain, running all the way down to midfield with a 26 yard run. First down.
3rd (9:23) Army gains 4 on first down and they have also switched quarterbacks. AJ Schurr has entered the game for the Black Knights.
3rd (9:37) A short kickoff return will cause Army to start inside their own 20.
3rd Quarter: Grebe has not missed (5/5) since taking over the role of Navy's placekicker.
3rd (9:43) Austin Grebe nails a 45 yard field goal attempt and Navy has their first lead of the day. The Midshipmen hold a 3 point edge over the Black Knights 10-7.
3rd (10:23) Reynolds looks to pass and after scrambling around in the backfield, he is sacked by Andrew King of Army. It's fourth down.
3rd (10:50) Navy is flagged for a false start, their second such penalty of the ball game.
3rd (11:23) Copeland runs forward for 7 or 8 yards, bowling over Black Knights before getting taken down by Drummond.
3rd (12:03) Joe Drummond runs up and stuffs Reynolds in the backfield for a loss of 1. Second down.
3rd (12:31) Keenan Reynolds keeps it and gain a first down, rushing off-tackle.
3rd (13:38) Noah Copeland takes a handoff and dives up the middle for a first down gain. The Midshipmen are already moving the ball well.
3rd (14:08) Reynolds keeps it for a short game and it will be third and short.
3rd (14:37) Geoffrey Whiteside gains 4 on a pitch to the outside after a nice spin move.
3rd (14:51) Ryan Williams-Jenkins returns the opening kickoff of the second half all the way to midfield. First down Navy.
Halftime: The Midshipmen will be receiving the second half kickoff.
Halftime: It was a fairly clean game, with only 3 total penalties between the two teams. Time of possession is also fairly split, with Army leading in that category with 16:15 compared to 13:45 for Navy.
Halftime: Army's leading rusher is Larry Dixon, who has 35 yards on 8 carries.
Halftime: Angel Santiago is yet to complete a pass for Army, however he has 21 rushing yards.
Halftime: He has completed 4/6 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. One of those icompletions was a drop as well.
Halftime: Keenan Reynolds, unsurprisingly, has been the lynch pin for the Midshipmen today. He leads the team in rushing with 29 yards and also has passed well.
Halftime: Navy has a slim lead in total yardage over Army, 124-106.
2nd (00:00) That is the end of the first half. Each team controlled a quarter, and the Navy Midshipmen and Army Black Knights are tied at 7 in Baltimore.
2nd (00:00) Army goes for the Hail Mary and it falls incomplete.
2nd (00:05) Terry Baggett gains 13 on the ground on a simple handoff up the middle. Timeout called from the Black Knights sideline.
2nd (00:10) Army will start at their own 32 after a solid kick return.
2nd Quarter: Keenan Reynolds is now 4/6 passing in the half for 63 yards and a touchdown.
2nd (00:18) Reynolds rolls to the near side and completes a pass to Jamir Tillman for a touchdown. The extra point is good and we are tied at 7.
2nd (00:24) Chris Swain picks up 3 and Navy immediately calls their second timeout.
2nd (00:27) Timeout is called by Army, their first of the half.
2nd (00:30) A pitch play is taken outside for a huge gain and another first down. Navy has it near the 11 yard line.
2nd (00:59) Reynolds passes again and Ryan Williams-Jenkins makes the catch and gains 12.
2nd (1:17) Navy is flagged for a false start. It will be 2nd and 13.
2nd (1:59) Keenan Reynolds throws down the field and it is caught by Jamir Tillman for a huge gain of 39. First down Midshipmen.
2nd Quarter: That timeout call could be a defining moment in this game.
2nd (2:11) Santiago does not get to the first down line and Navy will take over. First down for the Midshipmen.
2nd (2:14) Navy takes a timeout just before the play is run. It's their first of the half.
2nd (2:55) Santiago is stopped just shy of the marker, not even a full yard away. Fourth down.
2nd (3:38) Third and short is coming up after a short rush by Dixon.
2nd (4:46) Army runs the option pitch outside and the pick up a big gain of 19 for a first down. Their next series will start inside the 40.
2nd (5:55) Army gains a couple on the ground. First down.
2nd (6:02) Army runs a flea flicker but it is thwarted by Navy. Santiago does find a hole to pick up 8 on the groumd, however.
2nd (6:40) On a play that looked like it was going nowhere, Larry Dixon busts up the middle to pick up the first down.
2nd (7:27) A handoff up the middle goes for a minimal gain. Third and 6 coming up for the Black Knights.
2nd (8:06) Army gains 3 on first down.
2nd Quarter: Army is going with their classic black uniforms with gold helmets and trim today. Navy is wearing their specialty "Don't Tread on Me" uniforms.
2nd (8:14) The punt bounces near the goal line but the Midshipmen cannot keep it out of the endzone, slightly tipping it into the endzone. First down at the 20 coming up for Army.
2nd (8:24) Reynolds rolls left and looks to pass but it falls incomplete. Fourth down.
2nd (9:10) Navy has their pitch play blown up for a loss of 7. Third and long coming up.
2nd (9:450 Joe Drummond continues to have a great game for the Black Knights, making a great stop on first down.
2nd (10:08) Reynolds keeps it and punches it forward for a first down.
2nd (10:32) Navy runs a draw and they are just short.
2nd (11:04) It will be 3rd and 4 after a keeper by Reynolds.
2nd (11:59) Swain takes it again and he gains a first down up the middle.
2nd (12:04) Navy runs a wheel route pass play to perfection but the pass is dropped by Noah Copeland. Third down coming up after the botched play.
2nd (12:37) This time Reynolds is stopped after gaining just 1.
2nd (13:05) Keenan Reynolds keeps it, bounces outside and picks up the first down, their first of the day.
2nd (13:41) Third and short is coming up after a short run by Chris Swain.
2nd (14:10) Navy gains 3 up the middle on first down.
2nd (14:13) The punt goes just 28 yards. Navy will take over, trailing Army 7-0.
2nd (14:55) Army was looking to pass again and Navy brings a blitz. Santiago runs way backwards and gets sacked for a huge loss. It's 4th and 14.
1st Quarter: Army's Larry Dixon leads all rushers with 23 yards. Reynolds leads for Navy with just 6 gained on the ground.
1st Quarter: We saw three combined passes in the first quarter, a fairly high amount for these triple-option offenses. Keenan Reynolds was 1/1 for 3 yards for Navy, while Angel Santiago was 0/2 for Army.
1st Quarter: It was anything but a flashy quarter offensively: the teams combined for just 68 yards, 53 alone for Army.
1st (00:00) That is the end of the first quarter. The only score of the game has come off of a blocked punt, and Army leads Navy 7-0.
1st (00:00) Army picks up 3 on the ground on the last play of the quarter.
1st (00:39) Santiago bounces outside and gains 3. Second down.
1st (1:19) Santiago keeps it himself on an option dive play and takes it all the way to the 46, crossing midfield and picking up a first down for the Black Knights.
1st (2:35) Larry Dixon gets the carry and takes it just past the line to gain for a first down.
1st (3:17) Third down and short is coming up after a short dive up the middle.
1st (3:56) Edgar Poe returns the punt to the 27 yard line. First down Black Knights.
1st (4:35) Reynolds throws his first pass of the game, it's a screen and it only nets 4 yards. A punt is coming up on fourth down.
1st (5:15) Reynolds tried to pass but Army swarms him and takes him down in the backfield. Third and long for Navy.
1st (5:55) Reynolds keeps it and goes off-guard but is stopped for a gain of maybe 1. Second down.
1st Quarter: Angel Santiago has already passed twice for the Black Knights, however neither has been completed.
1st (6:00) The punt goes 51 yards, bouncing all the way down to the 30 yard line, which is where the Midshipmen will start their next drive.
1st (6:15) Army tries to set up the pass but it is batted away. 4th and 7 upcoming.
1st (6:56) Navy makes a great play and sets up a third down for Army.
1st Quarter: Army has been stellar in the interior today. Navy isn't trying to bounce outside at all, and they have very little space to run up the middle.
1st (7:43) Army will start right around their own 16 after a punt from Navy.
1st (8:25) Reynolds keeps it up the middle on an option but doesn't reach the marker. Fourth down.
1st (8:56) Two straight dive plays net almost no yardage for Navy, so third down and long is coming up.
1st (9:28) Navy will start at the 38 after a good kickoff return. Here comes Keenan Reynolds.
1st Quarter: After originally showing a basic punt return formation, Army blitzed the line and brought 8 men for a block. It worked to perfection and the Black Knights have taken the lead.
1st (9:36) The extra point is good. Army takes an early lead over Navy 7-0.
1st (9:36) The punt is blocked and Xavier Moss recovers it and takes it for a touchdown. Army strikes first blood in Baltimore.
1st (10:13) Reynolds goes down in the backfield and the Midshipmen will punt. Great start for Army defensively.
1st (10:49) Noah Copeland is stopped in the backfield and it's third down for Navy.
1st (11:28) Keenan Reynolds gets flipped over on that run. Army will have to be incredibly physical with him throughout the game.
Kickoff time for the 115th edition of the Army/Navy Game is 3:00 PM EST, live from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. The 6-5 Navy Midshipmen will try to extend their win streak to 13 in this matchup against the Army Black Knights.
It should also be noted that kicking could become a huge factor in this game. In a game won and lost in the trenches, we could see a very low scoring affair if the front seven's of both teams play well. Navy struggled in the kicking game early this season while Nick Sloan had the job, making just 3 of 8 field goal attempts, but Austin Grebe has not missed since taking over. Army's Daniel Grochowski is just 6/11 on field goals this season and has also missed 2 extra points. We could see field goal kicking become a huge part of this game, especially if Army keeps it close.
While certainly not the focal point of the triple-option offense, both defenses must be aware of the pass play throughout the game. Navy passes slightly more than Army, with Keenan Reynolds having thrown 96 passes this season (8.73 per game) while Army has had 3 players combine for 95 passes this season. Neither team is efficient with the pass, completing just 48.1% of passes combined, but it can be a useful weapon, mostly in a trick play capacity. It would not be surprising to see Ken Niumatalolo throw several passes into his gameplan for Navy, considering who his quarterback is and how much trust they have in him. By the same token, don't be too surprised if Army passes slightly more often than normal as well, if for no other reason than to throw off the Midshipmen's defensive strategy.
Navy's Keenan Reynolds will go down as one of the greatest players in the history of the Midshipmen, and his phenomenal career could be furthered with a perfect record against Army if he has another well played game on Saturday. The team's leading rusher and passer, Reynolds is undoubtedly the key to the Navy offensive attack. In contrast to Army, Reynolds will be the featured ball carrier, while secondary options such as Noah Copeland and Chris Swain will be used as a change of pace and to relieve the pressure on the quarterback. The key to stopping the Midshipmen is to contain Keenan Reynolds, but that is much easier said than done.
Each team runs the triple-option offense, and each year quarterback play is crucial in this matchup, although not in the traditional college football sense. For Army, senior quarterback Angel Santiago will have to play well for the Black Knights to have any chance. The team's second leading rusher, Santiago will need to be careful to not turn over the ball at all and will also need to be efficient enough in the running game to draw enough attention away from the team's leading rusher, Larry Dixon, as well as their other potent rushing options.
This year there is not much expected of Army once again, but the teams are much more equal, at least based on record, than they have been in recent years. Navy will be headed to a bowl game once again this season, specifically the San Diego County Credit Union Pointsetta Bowl, where they will take on San Diego State. Army is just 4-7, however, they have played a relatively tough schedule and have hung close with several decent teams.
The closest that Army has come in recent years to pulling off a victory was in 2012, when they fell just short, 17-13. In a game that featured a surprising amount of passing for the academies (Navy threw 17 passes), it came all the way down to the end for the game to be decided. Navy's Keenan Reynolds had a big day, and despite having a great day of his own, Army's Trent Steelman turned the ball over late in the game and that was all she wrote. Navy's streak continued and we were left with the heart-wrenching and sad scene of Steelman crying as his final game came to a close, ending his career without ever beating Navy.
It has been a rough decade plus for the Black Nights of Army, as they have not defeated the Midshipmen since 2001, when they edged their rivals 26-17. During this record-setting streak by Navy, they have also taken the lead in the overall series between the two academies with a 58-49-7 record. What's even more amazing than the streak itself is the fact that the Midshipmen have outscored the Black Knights by a nearly 3:1 ratio in the last 12 games (400:132 to be exact). This will be the fifth meeting between Army and Navy in Baltimore, with each team having won a two games in the previous four meetings.
While no longer national powers in college football, there is always a great deal on the line when Army and Navy play. Since the first meeting of the academies in 1890, the rivalry has been intense but also full of respect, because as any of the men on the field will tell you, during the game they are rivals, but after graduation they are all teammates.
Hello and welcome to VAVEL USA's coverage of college football, today featuring the 115th playing of the Army/Navy Game, live from Baltimore, Maryland. In arguably the greatest rivalry in college football, if not sports in general, the men of the United States Military Academy and of the United States Naval Academy square off for on-field dominance amongst the academies. Navy is currently on the longest win streak in the series' history, having won each matchup since 2002 (12 straight).