Navy vs Army Lines, Betting Pick & TV Info
Posted by Michael Hunt on Wednesday,December 7, 2016 8:48, EDT in
The 2016 college football regular season comes to an end on Saturday in the usual fashion: the Army-Navy game. The Midshipmen are ranked 25th in the country for the matchup at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Army looks to end a historic losing streak in the series but Navy is favored on college football odds.
Navy vs Army Lines, Betting Pick & TV Info
When: Saturday, Dec. 10, 3 PM ET
Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
TV: CBS
Stream: CBSSports.com
Radio: Navy / Army
Opening NCAA Football Lines: Navy -6.5 (47)
Why Bet on Navy?
With President-elect Donald Trump in attendance, the Midshipmen will put their 14-game winning streak on the line by channeling one of the best Navy teams of all-time — the 1963 bunch. Navy will wear throwback uniforms from that team. That 1963 team was led by Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach and finished the season ranked No. 2 in both polls, falling to No. 1 Texas in the Cotton Bowl.
Like past U.S. presidents who have attended the game, Trump is expected to honor the longtime tradition of sitting on Army’s side of the field in the first half and moving to Navy’s side in the second in a symbol of neutrality.
This could have been for a Cotton Bowl berth for Navy as the highest-rated Group of Five school in the nation but those hopes ended last week when the Middies (9-3) lost to Temple 34-10 in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game in Annapolis. After Temple (10-3) scored touchdowns on its first three possessions, protecting the 21-0 lead became substantially easier when Navy lost standout quarterback Will Worth to a second-quarter ankle injury. Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said Worth is done for the season, along with running backs Toneo Gulley and Darryl Bonner, both of whom left with first-half injuries.
Worth broke a bone in his right foot shortly after setting the Midshipmen season record for total offense (2,595 yards). The senior also had matched several other Navy season records, among them consecutive 100-yard rushing games (seven) and overall games with 100 rushing yards (eight).
The Midshipmen had scored on 34 of 38 drives – including 33 touchdowns – before being denied on their first three possessions by Temple. Worth was injured at the end of the third drive and did not return. That spelled doom for an offense that produced more than 500 yards in each of its last three games. Navy finished with 306 yards, 168 on the ground. Backup quarterback Zach Abey went 7 for 13 for 104 yards and two interceptions. The result was the end of Navy’s 15-game home winning streak.
Why Bet on Army?
The Cadets will also wear unique uniforms, inspired by the World War II 82nd paratroopers. The uniforms, which are gray and black, were designed to pay homage to “authentic WWII era paratrooper jump suits with division patch, oversized 48-star American flag patch, player name tapes, full-color historical unit patches and an improvised camo base layer. Additionally, initial members of the 82nd Airborne Division represented each of the continental states, informing their “All American” nickname and iconic “AA” shoulder patch.
Army (6-5) hasn’t played since a Nov. 19 60-3 blowout of Morgan State. The Black Knights enter the game with six wins for the first time since 2010 and are heading to their first bowl game since the Armed Forces Bowl that season. The rushing attack got a boost against Morgan State with over 500 yards on the ground, including 323 yards from the fullbacks alone. It’s the No. 2 rushing attack in the nation.
The defense slid up to fifth in the nation in total defense allowing a season low 124 total yards against Morgan State. It was the second time this year Army has kept an opponent under 200 total yards. The passing defense regained its dominance against the Bears by giving up just 96 yards through the air and Army is sixth in the country in passing yards allowed.
The Mids own a 54-48- 7 lead in the series and have won a series-record 14 straight heading into Saturday’s game. The last two meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less and a combined 11 points. This is the seventh meeting in Baltimore with Navy owning a 4-2 mark.
Navy vs Army Betting Pick: Army
With all those injuries to Navy, I’m going Army this year on NCAAF odds.
