College Football Off-Field Matchups: Army vs Navy

The military academies meet in Gillette Stadium for the first time for their 124th matchup this Saturday.

(Image via watchstadium.com)

Army at Navy at 3:00 PM

Regardless of the results of the college football season for either side, “America’s Game” stands out as a matchup that will always be relevant as long as the gridiron exists and the Star Spangled Banner waves freely. The Army Black Knights of the United States Military Academy take on the Navy Midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy for the 124th time this Saturday, being the only D1 FBS game played this weekend. While the majority of the neutralsite rivalry’s games have been played in Philadelphia, this year’s game will be played in Foxborough, Massachusetts for the first time, at the Patriot’s Gillette Stadium. This game clearly goes beyond the field, as it encapsulates the spirit of the United States Military and interservice rivalry. The game is often attended by the sitting president of the United States and has been nationally televised since 1945. Instant replay made it’s American debut in the 1963 Army/Navy Game, showing it’s cultural significance early on. USAA, which provides insurance for the military, has been the lead sponsor for the game since 2009. Other sponsors include Chevrolet, Exchange, Duke Cannon Supply Co., and Palantir. Off the field, service members from both academies recently participated in their third annual Boston Flag Football game, which was the first of several events leading up to the historic game. Another aspect of the game as of late is the custom uniforms each team wears specifically for this game, typically paying homage to a specific branch within their academy. This year, Navy, who works with Under Armor, is donning ‘Silent Service’ uniforms that pay homage to the U.S Submarine force. The Navy stated that “This year, 158 midshipmen earned the service assignment of submarines or nuclear submarines,” The uniforms feature a submarine painted on the helmet and details throughout the uniform that honor the specialized military force. Boston hosting “America’s Game” isn’t a coincidence, as it coincides with some special Massachusetts milestones: The 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party and the 225th anniversary of the USS Constitution's first voyage. New England Patriots Owner Robert Kraft previously bid to host the game twice before, but the third time’s they finally made it happen. With the iconic game being new to Massachusetts, massive price hikes were seen for the tickets, according to Sports Business Journal. With each academy receiving up to 31,000 tickets, tickets are extremely limited to the average consumer, or even military academy alums. While almost any college football Saturday is a patriotic scene that provides insight into American Culture, this game stands out like no other as an event that captures the very essence of the United States of America. On the field, this is one of the fiercest rivalries across all of sports, but this game means so much more off the field, with both teams being made up of those that serve and defend our country. They may be clashing on the gridiron, but in the end of the day the men on the field are the same ones that stand in unison in defending our freedom.