Navy Midshipmen @ Army Black Knights NCAA Football Pick

Navy Midshipmen @ Army Black Knights NCAA Football Pick: Both teams have been pretty good this year, and that, my friends, makes for an interesting game in college football’s only action this week. It’s a big deal, this game, and both sides definitely come to play. But how big of a rivalry is this thing, anyway? I mean, don’t both teams have to win to make it a rivalry. Army is getting their program back in the swing of things, but this is still a Black Knights team that has lost 9 of their last 10 against Navy, and the Midshipmen have been favored in each of the last 8, and covered in 7 of the last 10 – though a low-scoring game gave them a half-point nod last year at this time.

Navy is 8-3 on the season with a 6-5 mark against the spread. They score 31 points per game while giving up 22.8. Defensively, they aren’t as strong as they’ve been some years, but still decent. Navy piles up more points and yards per game offensively, and they give up fewer points, but Army gives up fewer yards and holds the possession longer than the Midshipmen. Navy has won 6 of their last 7 (with a loss to lowly Duke) and wins over Notre Dame, SMU, and a win over East Carolina where they put up 76 points. In fact, they’ve scored at least 31 points in each of their last 5 games. They are picking it up.

Army has played well also, but not against good teams. Air Force and Notre Dame beat them by at least 20 points a piece, but the Black Knights played within a field goal of both Hawaii and Texas, beat Duke, and fell to a decent Temple team by just a touchdown.

These teams may be closer than people think. Both teams rely heavily on the run – the only team that out-rushed Navy was Air Force, while Army has out-rushed 7 of their last 10 opponents. It will have a back and forth feel for a while, I just think Ricky Dobbs continues to play awesome football and leads the Midshipmen to a double digit win over the Black Knights of Army. He’s a senior, he’s tough as nails, and he’s never lost to Army – I think he keeps it that way.

Navy Midshipmen (-7) @ Army Black Knights