Well, friends, that was a crazy weekend. Some good, some bad, some mind-bogglingly bad.
Final: Air Force 24, Army 21
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) November 8, 2026
Final results notwithstanding, everything leading up to yesterday’s Army-Air Force game went as well as it possibly could have. We got both Fox Sports and CBS on post to cover the event, both with Big Noon Kickoff and later for the game itself. Indeed, Fox is still there now for their Sunday morning NFL show. The Corps showed heaping helpings of fire throughout the national broadcast, making the most of the Military Academy’s moment in the public eye and setting the stage for a truly memorable weekend. We got hours and hours of twilight tailgating, followed by an impromptu country music concert. I personally tailgated out by Lusk Reservoir, just across the bridge from the stadium, with a solid dozen or more classmates and bunches of cadets. We heard every bit of that concert while catching up and enjoying our beverages of choice in advance of the game. The new lights inside the stadium look great, and they were timed to blaring rock music and fireworks. The Corps came immediately alive, making for a truly electric atmosphere.
The immaculate vibes lasted right up until the teams took the field. Unfortunately, we could see at a glance that the Falcons came out with infinitely more fire and energy. They won the toss, forced an idiotic opening kick return to about the 16-yard line, and then the wheels began coming off almost immediately. A decent-looking drive netted a missed 46-yard field goal attempt, followed by an Air Force field goal, followed by a disastrous three-and-out that culminated in a botched punt for a 13-yard loss. Air Force scored a touchdown three plays later, and just like that, the Black Knights had dug themselves into a 10-point hole.
That’s serious trouble in a Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy game.
Incredible morning with @BNKonFOX 🇺🇸🏈 #GoArmy https://t.co/Ovswcso1hZ
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) November 7, 2026
It’s at this point we should note how difficult it is to win a football game when the team’s senior leadership are the guys screwing up. That botched punt came off a bad snap from a firstie captain long snapper to a firstie punter, who fielded it down on one knee. Mind you, these are arguably the two best players on the team, at least by some measurables. The coaching staff has assured us all season that both guys have a solid shot at the next level. Until last night, I believed them. Moreover, two-year starting QB Cale Hellums finished last night with just 13 carries for a whopping 34 yards plus 38 yards passing with an interception. The only time the offense looked at all good was when the staff pulled Hellums for yearling QB Bryson Luter. Luter’s slightly different snap count and far better footspeed confounded the Air Force defense for two full series, leading to 14 unanswered points. That gave the Black Knights their only lead of the game, and indeed, their only real shot at winning.
Alas, that lead didn’t last. Air Force drove straight back down the field, scored another touchdown, and went up 24-21. On net, the Black Knights played a crappy first half, most of an excellent third quarter, and then maybe 18 more minutes of bad football to end the game. That’s a far cry from the complete game they should’ve played at home in a blackout under the lights backed by a rabid Corps of Cadets.
From Mike K. Heit’s Photobook, available on our Patreon page. Dude stood out there in the rain like a hero, and he then stayed up all night processing these, so please… appreciate his effort here. He laid it on the line for us.
Needing just a field goal to tie with almost the entirety of the fourth quarter remaining, Hellums crushed all hope by throwing arguably the worst pick I’ve ever seen. He rolled out to his right, but because TE Parker Poloskey got held up at the line, SB Zach Mundell worked his way into double-coverage up the sideline. Had Poloskey made it into his route, he probably would’ve pulled Air Force DB Korey Johnson down far enough to give Mundell a play on the ball. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. On first-and-ten from his own 39-yard line, Hellums stared down Mundell, now the only man on that side and thus his only possible target. Hellums then threw directly to Johnson, playing underneath coverage. I liked the play call, honestly, but that execution was mind-bogglingly bad.
Army’s defense gave up 55 yards on nine plays on the ensuing Zoomie drive, capped by a heroic goal-line stand to give the offense a last-gasp chance from their own 1-yard line. The staff tried both quarterbacks, got nowhere, and wound up punting with just over five minutes to play.
Luter weaving through the defense for the TD! 📺 CBS #GoArmy https://t.co/bn0r6HVusc
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) November 8, 2026
Army never got the ball back. Air Force ran out the clock, and that was your ballgame.
All told, I had a great time right up until it started raining. I got to see a bunch of my friends, photographer Mike K. Heit got some truly excellent shots before and during the game, and I liked our bed-and-breakfast this morning. I even got to catch up with Jay. He’s now the Supe! So it’s not like the weekend was a total waste, even if the actual football left a lot to be desired. We’ve said many times in this space that the football is rarely the point when you’re at an Army Football game, and that was true this weekend. Still, that atmosphere deserved a far better effort on the field, a point I refuse to sugarcoat.
These are my pics from this weekend. From left to right: Michie Stadium under the new lights, our B&B (construction circa 1880), and my wife Sally petting a horse along the B&B’s walking trail.
Looking Forward
Army has now lost two straight, and save for a miracle Tulsa holding penalty and another miracle blocked punt, it would be three. This team has gone full circle, from a promising start to an uncertain loss at home to USF to a 5-2 record and then back around to uncertainty again. The defense hasn’t improved, the offense’s only answer has been to switch up who runs Quarterback Zone and then maybe try a different snap count, and the special teams have regressed considerably from their stellar performance just three weeks ago. All told, this looks like a team in crisis. It’s hard to tell from the outside, but these guys look bad in ways that have been atypical for the Monken Era.
East Carolina is coming to Michie Stadium in two weeks for a game in which the Pirates should be favored, probably by a touchdown or more. The Black Knights still have time to fix themselves and their season, get bowl-eligible, and BEAT NAVY! However, it very much feels like that time might have started running low last week in Memphis. The coming bye week represents this team’s last chance to get on the same page with itself. After that, it’ll be too late.
Thanks @RobGronkowski for being a part of our reveal 💪 #GoArmy #IvySoldier https://t.co/xNXy1aUF3c
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) November 8, 2026
I honestly don’t know how strongly I believe these guys will find the answers they need. However, the Academy and the Athletic Department are going to do all they can to set the team up for success, and I’ll be in the stands with all of you cheering my ass off and hoping hard for the best. I don’t think anyone’s asking for perfection, but it would be nice to go out with a strong effort and the honest feeling that the team left everything out on the field.
Go Army! Beat East Carolina!
