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Navy and Air Force meet for the 54th time, including the 21st time in Annapolis when the two Service Academy rivals square off on Saturday afternoon (3:30 pm) at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Saturday’s game will be televised live on CBS and is presented by Navy Mut
Saturday’s game marks the opening leg in the battle for the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy. Air Force will host Army in Arlington, Texas on Nov. 6 and Navy will host Army on Dec. 11 at MetLife Stadium to complete the round-robin competition. Navy has won the CIC Trophy 11 times in the last 18 years (since 2003) and is 27-10 in its last 37 Service Academy games. The Mids last won the CIC Trophy in 2019.
Navy is 12-8 against Air Force at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and has won four straight and seven of the last eight in Annapolis. Overall, the home team has won seven straight games in the series.
There will be a moment of silence at 3:24 for those lives lost on 9/11 and during the Global War on Terrorism. Following the moment of silence, the Naval Academy Glee Club will sing the National Anthem.
At the conclusion of the national anthem, there will be a flyover featuring two Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightnings from the “Warlords” of VMFAT-501 and two Boeing F/A-18 Hornets from the “Silver Eagles” of VMFA-115 based out of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C.
The Service Academy exchange (exchanging of students that are currently spending a semester at the other Academy so they can sit with their classmates) will take place at 3:28 pm.
The Leap Frogs will jump into the stadium at 3:30 pm.
Kickoff on Saturday is slated for 3:40 pm.
There will be a 9/11 Tribute at halftime. The Naval Academy and Air Force Academy Drum & Bugel Corps will perform Let Freedom Ring – a montage of patriotic songs. The two bands will also perform an arrangement of America the Beautiful that will also include the Naval Academy Glee Club.
During the singing of America the Beautiful, 135 midshipmen will unfurl a 65’x120’ flag that will be flanked on each side by red, white and blue stars.
The names of Naval Academy and Air Force Academy grads that were lost on 9/11 will be scrolled on the videoboard.
GAME COVERAGE
- CBS Sports will carry Saturday’s game with Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (color) and Jamie Erdahl (sideline) on the call.
- COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY, CBS Sports’ pregame, halftime and postgame studio show, will air on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+ Premium beginning at 2:30 pm leading into the contest.
- Additionally, CBS Sports Network will air a one-hour INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL: ARMED FORCES SPECIAL pregame show at 10:30 am prior to televising the Army-Western Kentucky game at 11:30 am and additional coverage at halftime.
- The Navy Football Tailgate Show on WNAV Radio 1430 AM / 99.9 FM will air from 1:30-2:30 pm with Wylie Baker and Bill Lusby serving as the hosts.
- Scott Wykoff will host the Navy Insider on WBAL Radio 1090 AM at 2:00 pm.
- The Navy Football Pregame Show with Medhurst, Miller, Wykoff and special commentary from John Feinstein will get underway at 2:30 pm on the Navy Radio Network, followed by game action beginning at 3:30 pm with Medhurst and Miller on the call.
- Following the contest, Medhurst, Miller, and Wykoff will recap the day’s events in a 30-minute postgame show.
- Eye On Annapolis will also be covering the game on Twitter and Facebook.
