Air Force took down Army 24-21 on Saturday, snatching their first Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy since 2022. This wasn’t another win, folks; coupled with their 14-9 victory over Navy on October 3, the Falcons finally broke the longest drought in the entire series between the three Bowl Subdivision service academies. Air Force, now standing at a strong 7-2, added their 22nd trophy victory to the books, with six of those coming under the legendary 19-year head coach Troy Calhoun. That’s a 39-21-1 record against Army in a rivalry that never quits.
First Half Dominance and Army’s Gut Check
The Falcons came out firing, with Kemper Hodges and Evan Medders each pounding the ball into the end zone for a rushing touchdown in the first half. That offensive punch gave Air Force a comfortable 17-7 lead going into the locker room. But you know Army, they don’t roll over. The Black Knights, now sitting at 5-4, roared back in the third quarter with two straight scoring drives, pulling ahead for their first lead of the game. You could feel the tension building, the momentum shifting, but Air Force wasn’t done fighting.
Medders’ Fourth Quarter Magic Seals the Deal
With the game on the line, early in the fourth quarter, Evan Medders stepped up. On only his sixth pass attempt of the game, he found the towering 6-foot-6 tight end Simon Kibbee wide open in the middle of the field. Kibbee took it the rest of the way, strolling into the end zone, and just like that, the Falcons had the lead for good. Air Force’s Korey Johnson even snagged an interception on Army’s next drive, though a gritty fourth-down stop by Army on the goal line kept the Black Knights’ hopes alive for a moment. But it wasn’t enough. Army went three-and-out, punted with 5:18 left on the clock, and Air Force knew what to do: run it out. They chewed up the remaining time, secured the 24-21 victory, and got to “sing second.” For Army, Godspower Nwawuihe and Bryson Luter did everything they could on the ground, each scoring a touchdown and rushing for 82 and 81 yards respectively.
So, what’s next for these teams after that absolute grind? Air Force gets to host San Jose State next Saturday, riding high on their trophy win. Army will be looking to bounce back when they host East Carolina on November 21.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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