Unbeaten Navy looking for revenge in clash with Air Force
By The Associated Press
Air Force Falcons running back Jacobi Owens (28) dives for a first down against Navy Midshipmen safety Alohi Gilman (1) in the second quarter at Falcon Stadium. (Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY Sports)
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo didn’t need to assemble the team together to inform them the importance of Saturday’s game against Air Force.
“The Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy and winning the conference are our two biggest goals,” Niumatalolo said. “This is the first leg and it’s going to be a battle, a real tough game.”
Air Force holds the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy after sweeping Army and Navy last season. The Falcons pretty much dominated the Midshipmen in a 28-14 victory in Colorado Springs.
“These kids are a lot smarter than me,” Niumatalolo said. “If I have to remind them of that, they probably couldn’t have gotten into the Naval Academy.”
This marks the 50th meeting between Navy (4-0) and Air Force (1-3). The winner has gone on to capture the coveted Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy every year since 1997.
Navy won seven straight in the series from 2003 through 2009. However, Air Force holds a 4-3 advantage since 2010. The Falcons and Midshipmen have traded the trophy back and forth the past four seasons, a trend the Annapolis contingent would like to continue.
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President Donald Trump is presented with a jersey by Ahmad Bradshaw, right, and John Voit, center, during a ceremony to present the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy to the U.S. Military Academy football team in the Rose Garden of the White House, Tuesday, May 1, 2018, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)
President Barack Obama holds up a ring that was presented to him by the United States Naval Academy Football Team in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, April 27, 2016, during a ceremony to present the team with the 2015 Commander-in-Chief's Trophy. Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds watches, front right. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
President Barack Obama holds up a football and jersey with his name on it during an event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, May 7, 2015, where the president honored the U.S. Air Force Academy football team with the Commander-in-Chief Trophy. Defensive Back Christian Spears, left, and quarterback Kale Pearson, left, flank the president. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Holding his new Navy football jersey, President Barack Obama stands between Navy football team co-captains Matt Aiken right, and Cody Peterson, left, for photographs during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Friday, April 18, 2014, where he awarded the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy to the United States Naval Academy football team. Navy finished the 2013 campaign with a 9-4 record, won the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy for the ninth time in the last 11 years. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama holds a Navy football team helmet in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, April 12, 2013, after presenting the Commander-in-Chief Trophy to the United States Naval Academy football team. Head coach Ken Niumatalolo watches at right. The helmet bears a "44" sticker for President Obama being the 44th president and a "Rafi" sticker as a salute to injured third-string quarterback Ralph Montalvo.. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
President Barack Obama strikes the Heisman pose after he awards the Commander-in-Chief Trophy to the Air Force Academy football team in the East Room at the White House in Washington, Monday, April 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Air Force Academy's defensive back Reggie Rembert presents President Barack Obama with a personalized jersey as head coach Troy Calhoun, right, and running back Jared Tew, top left, look on during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 18, 2011, presenting the 2010 Commander-in-Chief Trophy to the Air Force Academy football team. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Barack Obama is presented with a Naval Academy football jersey by Osei Asante from Houston, Texas, as he honored the 2009 Naval Academy football team with Commander in Chief trophy,Monday, May 3, 2010, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Barack Obama poses with an autographed helmet given to him in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, April 21, 2009, during a ceremony where he presented the Commander in Chief trophy to the U.S. Naval Academy football team. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
President Bush poses for a photo in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 14, 2008, with the U.S. Naval Academy football team after presenting the team with the Commander-In-Chief trophy. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
President Bush poses for photos as he presents the Commander-In-Chief trophy to the U.S. Naval Academy football team in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 2, 2007. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
President Bush poses with members of the U.S. Naval Academy football team during a ceremony presenting the Commander in Chief trophy in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, April 25, 2006. Third from right is head coach Paul Johnson. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
President Bush, center, poses for a photograph with members of the U.S. Naval Academy football team after the presentation of the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy in Rose Garden at the White House Wednesday, April 20, 2005 in Washington. Bush hailed the Naval Academy football team for winning the commander-in-chief's trophy, the first time since 1981. The trophy goes each year to the team with the best record in games among the three service academies. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Bush acts like he is going to throw a football given to him by team members as he participates, Monday, April 19, 2004, in a presentation of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy to the United States Naval Academy football team in the East Room of the White House. Other are indentified. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Air Force Academy football team wide receiver Bryan Blew gives President Bush a Falcon jersey during a visit to the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 16, 2003. It is the sixth straight year the Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colo., has won the commander in chief's trophy which is awarded to the military service academy with the best record against the other two service academies. Head Football Coach Fisher DeBerry applauds at right. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
President Bush receives an Air Force football jersey from cadet Zack Johnson of Junction City, Ore., during the presentation of the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy to the the U.S. Air Force Academy football team in the Rose Garden, at the White House Friday, May 17, 2002. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Some other things to know about Saturday’s game:
BAD TASTE: Fourteen years. That’s how long Navy went without losing to Air Force and Army in the same season. Getting swept by their service academy rivals was the low point of an otherwise successful 2016 season for the Midshipmen. “This is a new year. We’re not even thinking about last year. We’re just trying to get this one,” Niumatalolo said.
HARD TO RUN: Air Force and Navy both employ option offenses so it was the rare meeting between the rivals last year in which much of the damage was done through the air. The Midshipmen were forced to throw the ball after having no success on the ground. Will Worth completed 17 of 30 passes for 260 yards, but also tossed two interceptions. The Falcons finished with 257 yards passing, although that production was bolstered by 173 yards rushing. “I think a lot of it is that we’re both so aggressive. Air Force puts a lot of defenders on the line of scrimmage. We threw a lot to try to back them up,” Niumatalolo said.
Junior Arion Worthman starts at quarterback for Air Force and Tim McVey leads the Falcons in rushing with 278 yards and three touchdowns. Worthman has run for 250 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 396 yards and six scores.
IN NEED OF A WIN: Air Force is on a three-game losing streak after getting blown out by New Mexico 56-38 on Saturday night. It was a surprising result considering Air Force had played fairly well in consecutive losses to a pair of ranked opponents in No. 7 Michigan (29-13) and No. 22 San Diego State (28-24 ). “We’ve got to beat Navy. There’s no question,” Worthman said. “This game is our season. It’s our Super Bowl. It’s a must-win.”
SERIES NEWCOMER: Navy quarterback Zach Abey will be facing Air Force for the first time. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound junior leads the Midshipmen in rushing with 656 yards and seven touchdowns on 117 carries. Abey was named American Athletic Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week after leading Navy to a 31-21 victory over Tulsa last Saturday. He ran for 185 yards and three touchdowns and was not stopped for a loss on 36 rushing attempts.
CAN’T WAIT: Navy hadn’t even shed its dirty uniforms last week before turning its attention to Air Force. “It’s great to get off to a strong start, but right now we have to focus on Air Force,” Abey said after the Tulsa game. “That’s going to be a huge game, it’s at home and we lost to them last year. So we’re going to try to get to 5-0.”
