Neglect the switch portal. Neglect the NIL. Neglect basic managers and collectives. Welcome to the final bastion of Division I beginner soccer: Military versus Navy.
And this 12 months, it’s not only a feel-good train in American nationalism, patriotism, army would possibly and crew-cut throwback soccer. Each groups are literally good.
With their assortment of undersized, missed and overachieving one- and two-stars, the No. 22 Black Knights (11-1) and Midshipmen (8-3) enter with their finest mixed report since 1996.
Whereas the remainder of Division I goes darkish, Military and Navy have the stage to themselves as they play for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, Saturday at 3 p.m. in Landover, Md.
This is not going to have the look of a contemporary big-time faculty soccer sport. There gained’t be any sack dances or gun-brandishing. No step-overs or throat slashes. No flag planting or bench-clearing donnybrooks, excused as a result of the sport is a “heated rivalry.”
And don’t count on to see a landing go on the ultimate play of a rout, with the successful coach lecturing post-game that his “threes and fours” ought to get to play soccer too.
No, these Mids and Black Knights play exhausting and so they play good. After which after the ultimate gun, they’ll stand collectively at consideration for one another’s alma mater. Oorah.
How good are the groups? Each have been undefeated and had visions of reaching the Faculty Soccer Playoff earlier than getting reality-checked by Notre Dame.
On Oct. 26, the Irish trampled the Midshipmen 51-14. Then 4 weeks later, they did the identical to the Black Knights, 49-14.
Earlier than these romps, Military and Navy have been ranked concurrently for the primary time since 1960.
It was so way back that Navy’s Joe Bellino—who performed operating again, defensive again, and returned kickoffs and punts—discovered that he had gained the Heisman Trophy when he was summoned from his electrical engineering class.
Sixty-four years later, “scholar-athlete” remains to be no joke at West Level and Annapolis.
And the self-discipline instilled within the Black Knights and the Midshipmen is clear on the sector. This 12 months Military has dedicated a Division I-best 5 turnovers. Earlier than getting derailed by Notre Dame, Navy went 5 straight video games with out surrendering a turnover.
The run-heavy offenses of each groups are propelled by their quick-study quarterbacks. Military’s Bryson Day by day has rushed for 1,480 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Navy’s Blake Horvath has carried for 895 yards and 13 touchdowns. He additionally presents extra of a passing menace than Midshipmen triple-option quarterbacks of the previous, throwing for 1,154 yards and 11 touchdowns.
After rising because the starter early final 12 months, Horvath suffered an damage and was sidelined as Navy got here up simply quick in opposition to Military in a 17-11 defeat in Foxboro.
The Black Knights made a goal-line stand as they stopped the Mids on the 1-yard line on their ultimate possession.
Final-minute heroics is how most of the current video games between the groups have been determined. In 2022 in Philadelphia, Military gained in double extra time 20-17. The 12 months earlier than within the Meadowlands, Navy captured a 17-13 victory.
Whereas the groups sometimes enter their conflict with gaudy offensive numbers, their video games in opposition to one another have come to be defensive struggles.
This 12 months, whereas the Black Knights common 32.1 factors per sport and the Midshipmen put up 30.6 per sport, the oddsmakers have set the over/underneath at a mere 39.
If that sounds low, contemplate this: The final time the groups scored greater than 39 factors was in 2013, when Navy thrashed Military 34-7.
The Black Knights and Midshipmen know one another and their mirror offensive ways so properly that they understand the easiest way to defend one another is to play project soccer.
And no groups perform orders as exactly as Military and Navy, particularly once they meet of their storied rivalry sport.