Navy (6-6) came within mere feet of avoiding a second-straight loss to Army (9-3), but a last-second field goal fell just shy of crossing the goal post as time expired in a snowy Army-Navy Game in Philadelphia. As Bennett Moehring‘s 48-yard field goal attempt fell short, Army fans rushed the field for the second straight season following a victory over Navy, celebrating a 14-13 victory by making snow angels on the field and singing their alma mater second.
Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry rushed for a game-high 250 yards and a touchdown to help Navy take a 13-7 lead into the fourth quarter, but Ahmad Bradshaw and Army’s running game scored the only points in the fourth quarter. Bradshaw’s one-yard touchdown run with 5:10 to play gave Army its first lead since running the opening possession in for a touchdown at the start o the game. Darnell Woolfolk did the honors to get the game started.
The biggest play of the game for Navy was a 68-yard touchdown run in the second quarter by Perry. Perry also had a 46-yard run in the snow on the first possession of the second half, to help setup a field goal for the Midshipmen.
As expected, this was a game built on the running game. Army did not even attempt a pass until the second half, when Bradshaw completed a 20-yard gain to Calen Holt. The drive, however, ended with a missed field goal at the start of the fourth quarter. As a result, Navy held on to a 13-7 lead. But Navy was unable to tack on any extra points, and a handful of self-inflicted penalties on the final drive may have come back to bite Navy on the last-second field goal attempt.
Navy is now 10-1 in the Army-Navy Game when played in Lincoln Financial Field. Army had not beaten Navy in Philadelphia since the game was played in Veterans Stadium. This is also the first time Army has had back-to-back wins in the series since winning five straight from 1992 through 1996. Army is now hoping to earn its first 10-win season since 1996, when Army went 10-2.
Army also won the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy for the first time since 1996 by virtue of beating both Air Force and Navy. Army has now won the trophy, which was presented by United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, for the seventh time in the history of the three-way trophy.
Next year’s Army-Navy Game will return to Philadelphia on Dec. 8, 2018. But the 2017 season will now continue for both service academies. Army will face San Diego State on the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas on Dec. 23. Navy will play Virginia in the Military Bowl (played in Navy’s football stadium) on Dec. 28.