Another annual Army vs. Navy game is upon us, as the Black Knights and Midshipmen lock horns Saturday, December 11, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. The two military service academies meet each other for the 122nd time, and the Midshipmen hold the 61-53-7 edge, though the Black Knights have won four of the previous five encounters.

According to MyBookie Sportsbook, Army is a firm 7.5-point fave with a total of 34.0 points, while Navy sits at +240 moneyline odds.

The Black Knights shoot for their fifth straight W  

The Army Black Knights (8-3; 6-5 ATS) are rolling on a four-game winning streak following a 31-16 victory at the Liberty Flames on November 27. Playing as 3-point road underdogs, the Black Knights stormed the front to build a 21-point lead at halftime, while junior RB Jakobi Buchanan scored two of his three rushing touchdowns in the second quarter.

Buchanan finished with 22 carries for 80 yards and three scores. Tyhier Tyler ran 13 times for 46 yards, while senior signal-caller Christian Anderson completed three of his four passing attempts for 102 yards and a TD.

Army held Liberty to 384 total yards and forced a couple of turnovers. The Black Knights’ defense has been terrific for most of the 2021 season, allowing 22.8 points per game (tied-39th in the country) on 103.7 rushing yards (11th) and 220.5 passing yards (56th). On the other side of the ball, Army is tallying 35.5 points per contest (tied-19th) on 301.7 rushing yards (2nd) and 93.6 passing yards (128th).

The Midshipmen beat Temple to stop a two-game slide 

The Navy Midshipmen improved to 3-8 SU and 7-4 ATS on the season following a 38-14 victory at the Temple Owls in Week 13. They easily covered a 13.5-point spread on the road, dominating the Owls from start to finish.

Navy outgained Temple 291-182 and won the turnover battle 3-1. The Midshipmen held the Owls to 84 rushing yards on 28 attempts, while Navy’s ground game racked up 219 yards on 60 totes. Senior fullback Isaac Ruoss led the way with 18 carries for 66 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Midshipmen are scoring 20.4 points per contest (tied-114th in the nation) on 229.3 rushing yards (7th) and 54.5 passing yards (130th). They are yielding 29.6 points in a return (92nd) on 131.6 rushing yards (37th) and 228.2 passing yards (65th).

Trends:

Army:

  • 10-6 ATS in the last 16 outings as favorites
  • 4-2 ATS in the last six games overall

Navy:

  • 2-5 ATS in the last seven games against Army  

Army vs. Navy Pick

Army has dominated Navy over the last few years, and I’m expecting more of the same this time around. The Black Knights are enjoying a wonderful season. Their defense has been outstanding thus far and should make the difference in this matchup.

We’ll see a couple of option offenses, so there are no surprises on the offensive side of the ball. Army’s front seven should be a game-changer. The Black Knights are surrendering only 3.7 yards per carry, while Navy is yielding 4.1.

Pick: Take Army -7.5 at -110               

The Total:

Interestingly, the total has gone under in the last 15 encounters between the Black Knights and Midshipmen. The under is 5-2 in Navy’s last seven outings, too, and it is 6-2 in Army’s previous eight games at any location.

The Black Knights have surpassed a 30-point mark in four of their last five outings, while their defense has allowed only 43 points over the previous three contests. The Midshipmen, on the other side, have accounted for 73 points over their last two showings, but in a game like this one, both teams should struggle to move the ball.

Pick: Go under 34.0 points at -110