The Army–Navy Game has been played 117 times.
The service academies have played through eight wars and dozens of other conflicts and periods of domestic and international unrest. They've played after terrorist attacks and assassinations, elections and resignations, political scandals and political triumphs.
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The Army-Navy Game is the most unique and important annual sporting event in the United States — and it's not even close. The Black Knights and Midshipmen's annual battle on the football field is not only special for college football, it's special for the entire country and has produced many unforgettable moments since the first meeting in 1890.
MORE: CFB Playoff Odds
Here are eight of the biggest and most notable games from the 127-year-old Army-Navy rivalry.
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The First Game
Date: Nov. 29, 1890
Score: Navy 24, Army 0
Location: The Plain – West Point, N.Y.
The teams' first ever meeting was also Army's first-ever football game. Navy — whose 271 members of the Corps of Cadets contributed 52 cents apiece to pay for half of the traveling costs to New York — had been playing organized football for over a decade and handily defeated Army on the road.
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Tie at Soldier Field
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Wikimedia Commons[/credit]
Date: Nov. 27, 1926
Score: Army 21, Navy 21
Location: Soldier Field – Chicago, Ill.
The 29th meeting was the first and only game in Chicago, where 100,000 spectators watched Army and Navy (both of whom were undefeated) play to a tie during the formal dedication of Soldier Filed for those who served in World War I.
The outcome gave Navy their one and only national championship.
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Top-Ranked World War II Games
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Doc Blanchard starred on three national championship teams for Army (1944-46) (Photo: Army Athletics)[/credit]
Date: Dec. 2, 1944
Score: Army 23, Navy 7
Location: Municipal Stadium – Baltimore, Md.
Date: Dec. 1, 1945
Score: Army 32, Navy 13
Location: Municipal Stadium – Philadelphia, Pa.
Army and Navy played each year the United States was involved in World War II, the final two of which they were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 entering each game, respectively.
Though neither game was close, the 1945 game was attended by President Harry Truman and dubbed the Game of the Century. Army was awarded the national championship after each game (and again in 1946).
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Red Blaik's Last Game
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Red Blaik. (Army Athletics)[/credit]
Date: Nov. 29, 1958
Score: Army 22, Navy 6
Location: Municipal Stadium – Philadelphia, Pa.
Red Blaik won three national championships and led six undefeated seasons in 18 years as Army head coach. His final undefeated season came in 1958, his final year, which was capped with a 16-point win over Navy.
The game also featured two Heisman Trophy winners: Army's Pete Dawkins (1958) and Navy's Joe Bellino (1960).
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JFK Assassination
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JFK, pictured at a baseball game in 1962, attended the 1962 Army-Navy game a year before he was assassinated. (Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images)[/credit]
Date: Dec. 7, 1963
Score: Navy 21, Army 15
Location: Municipal Stadium – Philadelphia, Pa.
A year after President John F. Kennedy attended the 1962 Army-Navy Game — and participated in the coin toss — the 1963 matchup was delayed one week because of his assassination.
The game itself was closely contested, with No. 2 Navy holding Army fullback Pat Donnelly short of the goal line in the final seconds of a six-point game.
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Army's Comeback
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Gordon Sullivan Photograph collection[/credit]
Date: Nov. 5, 1992
Score: Army 25, Navy 24
Location: Veterans Stadium – Philadelphia, Pa.
Their 1992 meeting was crazy.
After losing two of the previous three meetings, Army prevailed in Philadelphia thanks to a 17-point comeback, the largest in series history. Patmon Malcom's 49-yard field goal with 19 seconds remaining gave Army the first of five straight wins in the series.
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Sloppy Perfection
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Chad Jenkins, quarterback of the Army Black Knights hands the ball off during the game against the Navy Midshipmen on December 2, 2000. The Black Knights lost 30-28. (Photo by U.S. Naval Academy/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)[/credit]
Date: Dec. 2, 2000
Score: Navy 30, Army 28
Location: PSINet Stadium – Baltimore, Md.
The teams entered their 2000 season finale with one combined win (Army, 0-10; Navy, 1-9) and while the game was remarkably sloppy (seven turnovers and two blocked kicks), it was also wildly entertaining. Somehow Army only lost by two points despite three fumbles, two interceptions, nine penalties and 13-for-31 passing.
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Army is Back
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Army Athletics[/credit]
Date: Dec. 10, 2016
Score: Army 21, Navy 17
Location: M&T Bank Stadium – Baltimore, Md.
Navy entered the 2016 game with 14 straight wins, only three of which were decided by seven or fewer points. The 9-3 Midshipmen were heavy favorites.
After squandering a 14-0 lead first-half lead, Army running back Ahmad Bradshaw ran nine yards for a go-ahead touchdown with six minutes remaining. Their defense held and not only did the Black Knights end the 14-game losing streak, they also hit seven wins for just the second time in 20 years.
