Navy, led by Horvath and the defense, rolls past Army 31-13

The Navy quarterback leaps over the line of scrimmage and Army defenders to score a touchdown.

Navy quarterback Blake Horvath dives in for a first-quarter touchdown against Army on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

LANDOVER, Md. — Army had every answer against Tulane in the conference championship a week ago. But the Black Knights met their match against Blake Horvath and the Navy Midshipmen.

The junior quarterback was injured when Navy lost to Tulane 35-0 on Nov. 16, dealing with rib discomfort compounded by back spasms. He did not play Nov. 29 against East Carolina.

Horvath ran wild Saturday at Northwest Stadium in a 31-13 victory.

“Blake Horvath is a special young man, one of the toughest kids I know,” Navy head coach Brian Newberry said. “We weren’t sure if he was going to be able to play in this game. Really, this was his first full week of practice and cutting it loose.”

The teams entered the 125th Army-Navy game with a combined 19 wins, the most in the series, and the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy on the line. Horvath and the Midshipmen would be too much.

“As excited and proud as we were eight days ago, we’re as disappointed as we’ve ever been. It’s hard to lose that game,” Army head coach Jeff Monken said. “That one hurts a lot, especially when the trophy is on the line and we’ve got a chance to keep that trophy at West Point, and we didn’t do it.”

Navy (9-3) ended a two game skid against Army (11-2) and won the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy for the first time since 2019.

“I’m ecstatic … couldn’t be more proud or happy for our players, our seniors,” Newberry said following his first win against Army. “They talked about leaving a legacy this year, and they certainly have done that.”

Navy marched 65 yards down the field on the opening drive for a touchdown. Horvath led the way with 43 total yards and leaped in for a 1-yard rushing touchdown. The Black Knights, who scored a touchdown on the opening drive 10 out of 12 games this season, were forced to punt.

“There wasn’t any hesitancy in our game plan. That’s been our goal all season to start games fast,” Horvath said. “It was just really great to start this one fast.

Horvath outplayed Army quarterback Bryson Daily, accounting 311 total yards, including 204 rushing yards and four total touchdowns.

Navy players sit at the edge of the stands.

Navy players pile into the stand to celebrate with midshipmen and fans after their 31-13 victory. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Jubilation among midshipmen on the field after Navy’s win. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Army’s defense grabs Blake Horvath by the legs and the shoulder pads.

Army defenders bring down Navy’s Blake Horvath during the second half of the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Navy’s Blake Horvath (11) rushes for yardage during the second half of the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

A Navy defensive player wraps up an Army running back.

Navy defenders tackle Army’s Noah Short in the second half. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

A Navy receiver tries to elude an Army defender after catching a pass.

Eli Heidenreich runs for the end zone, pursued by Army cornerback Jaydan Mayes, in the second half. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Navy quarterback Blake Horvath runs out of bounds after a second-quarter gain against Army on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, and Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Army quarterback Bryson Daily fires a pass during the second quarter against Navy on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, and Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Army’s Hayden Reed avoids a tackle and into the end zone.

Army scores on a 23-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Reed in the second quarter against Navy on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, and Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Navy fans celebrate a second-quarter interception in Army territory. The Midshipmen capitalized with a touchdown three plays later. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Army quarterback Bryson Daily hands off. (Erick Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

With Navy ahead 7-0, Army’s offense tried to get things rolling in their own territory. Daily converted a fourth down from the Black Knights’ 21 yard line, but the drive ended with an interception by Navy senior cornerback Dashaun Peele.

Three plays later, Horvath totaled 44 yards and a passing touchdown, and the Midshipmen led 14-0 early in the second quarter.

Daily responded on the following drive with his only touchdown to cut the deficit to 14-7. On fourth and 3, Daily rolled to his right for an 18-yard pass to senior wide receiver Casey Reynolds. He finished the drive in an empty backfield formation, faked the run and passed to junior running back Hayden Reed for a 23-yard touchdown.

“Those were just excuses that we could have used, but we didn’t and that’s not the reason for the loss today,” he said about Army’s schedule at the end of the season. “We just didn’t execute. We got outplayed by the team we played.”

A Navy midshipmen and an Army cadet shake hands before the game.

West Point cadets and Navy midshipmen greet each other at midfield before the start of the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

A Navy player carrying an American flag leads his team onto the field.

Navy players run onto the field before the start of the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Players carry flags that say Army Football.

Army players run onto the field at the start the start of the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Navy mascot pumps up high-ranking officers before the start of the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Navy jet fighters fly over the stadium at the start of the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

An Army parachutist prepares to land in the center of the field.

A member of the Army Golden Knights glides down into the center of the field before the start of the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Eigfht West Point cadets pay tribute to Army’s American Athletic Conference Championship. Each cadet has a letter on their backs, spelling AAC CHAMP.

West Point cadets, celebrating the team’s conference championship make their way to the middle of the field before the start of theArmy-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Army cadets from the stands watch the Navy midshipmen march onto the field.

Navy midshipmen enter the field as West Point cadets look on before the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

The Navy band plays as midshipmen enter the field before the Army Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

A Navy band member bangs on his bass drum with Navy and Bill the Goat printed on the drum.

The Navy band plays as midshipmen enter the field before the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

The Navy Band performs in the halls of Northwest Stadium before the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Navy fans, with midshipmen on the video screen behind them, cheer.

Navy fans wave and cheer as Navy midshipmen enter the field before the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Cadets raise their hands in their during a cheer routine.

West Point cadets perform “The Rocket” cheer on the field before the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

A soldier takes a selfie on the field with cadets in the background.

Lt. Col. Kristopher Perrin takes a selfie before the Army Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Army helmets with “Rendezvous with Destiny printed on the back.

Army team football helmets on the sidelines stand ready before the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

West Point cadets stand at attention on the field before the Army Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Cadets march, shown from field level, march into the stadium.

West Point cadets march onto the field before the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Though trailing only 14-7 at halftime, Army struggled to get anything going in the second half. The opening drive, extended because of a pass interference call, covered six minutes but ended in a field goal.

Navy quickly responded with a 42-yard kickoff return from sophomore running back Isaiah Bryant, and, three plays later, Horvath found junior slotback Eli Heidenreich for a 52-yard touchdown.

Heidenreich received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for spiking the ball.

“It was kind of an out-of-the-body experience for me, something that I won’t be doing again,” he said after the game.

Cadets join the crowd entering the stadium.

West Point cadets are among the crowd of people on their way to their seats before the start of the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

A large figure of a football player towers over crowds entering the stadium.

Crowds enter the gates at Northwest Stadium before the start of the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Cadets line up, seen through a yellow fence, before marching onto the field.

West Point cadets prepare to march onto the field before the Army Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

A look from above at spectators heading to their seats.

Throngs of people make their way to their seats before the start of the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Fans do pullups during tailgate festivities before the game.

Gaines Casey, 15, performs nine pull-ups at a Navy booth before the Army Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Staff Sgt. Carl Stanley of the West Point band warms up his trumpet before the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Northwest Stadium staff deliver football-themed balloons at the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

A football flies across the parking lot from thrower to receiver.

Josh Johnston, left, and Mason Derrick toss a football before the Army Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

A cadet sprints through the parking lot.

A West Point cadet runs toward a muster point before the Army-Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Two fans drink booze poured down a sheet of ice. Luge shots.

James Bellucci, left, and Diego Huttepain, imbibe ice luge shots before at the Army Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Tailgaters barbecue and celebrate before the Army Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

West Point cadets muster before the Army Navy game, Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

The Black Knights added a field goal to cut the score to 21-13. But that would be the end of the scoring for Army.

With more than 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Navy faked a punt on fourth down and 5 with defensive tackle Landon Robinson running for 29 yards. Horvath ran for 24 more yards and punched in his second rushing touchdown of the night.

Daily, who finished sixth in the Heisman voting this year, threw 16 passes for 65 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

“We weren’t effective enough throwing the ball,” he said. “I made too many mistakes, too many bad decisions. Especially late in the game, I felt myself pressing.”

Following Army’s timeout with 1:59 left in the game, Navy ran the victory formation four straight times to celebrate the win.

Horvath said he told a lot of his friends there is “a lot of pain” singing first. The losing team sings its alma mater first while the winning team stands behind them as a sign of respect. The winning team then runs to their band to sing their song and celebrate.

“We didn’t want to do it again,” he added. “I don’t think anyone in the brigade wanted to sing first, I don’t think any of the fans wanted to sing first this year so we just wanted to do it for them.”

Each service academy has one more game. Navy will travel to Fort Worth to play Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 27, and Army travels to Shreveport to play Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28.

Matthew Adams

Matthew Adams covers the Defense Department at the Pentagon. His past reporting experience includes covering politics for The Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle and The News and Observer. He is based in Washington, D.C.

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Navy, led by Horvath and the defense, rolls past Army 31-13

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