Lawmakers Fight to Protect Army-Navy’s Cherished Tradition as College Football Playoff Poses Serious Threat to Its Legacy

The 125th edition of America’s Game is going to bring lots of excitement this season. This will be the first time in seven years that both Army and Navy enter the game with winning records. But this year, things are taking a different turn as they are in a position to share their spotlight. So, to preserve the tradition of the highly publicized Army-Navy clash, oppositions are already up. 

Unlike every other year, this year’s annual Army vs. Navy CFB rivalry game isn’t going to be the only game on December 14. President of The Daily Signal Rob Bluey, provided an update on how the lawmakers are intervening in this situation. Uploading the letter of petition in a new X post on December 13, he reported, “Nearly 60 lawmakers, led by @SenDanSullivan, are asking the executive directors of the College Football Playoff and Bowl Season to preserve the Army-Navy football game’s “time-honored tradition” of being the sole game on the second Saturday in December.”

The Army vs. Navy game is always played on the second Saturday of December. No other college football competitions ever clashed with this prominent event. This is to ensure that the game garners maximum traffic and attention. They even played it during WWII! It’s always a packed house in an NFL stadium, a massive celebration of American pride. The host city goes wild, and the fans get swept up in the pageantry. But this season’s new playoff structure has created a clash in this national event. 

The new 12-team college football playoff format forced officials to reschedule bowl games. As of now, another bowl game is set to happen on December 14—Salute to Veterans Bowl between WMU and South Alabama. The national attention will be divided with two games being played on the same day. And this would take away the significance and legacy of America’s Game. Well, this season is an important one for both teams. 

The hype behind Army vs Navy rivalry showdown 

This season’s Army vs. Navy clash at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, has an interesting aspect. The Black Knights and Midshipmen are both contesting for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, which is fought between three teams, including Air Force. But since they both beat the Air Force earlier, the winner of the upcoming rivalry clash will take home the coveted trophy. 

Judging from their performance in 2024, Army enters Saturday’s showdown as a 6.5-point favorite. They’re currently No. 19 in the nation with an 11-1 record, facing their lone defeat in the hands of CFP No. 7 seed Notre Dame. Navy trails behind with an 8-3 record after losing three of its last five games. 

But the question is whether or not these two AAC conference teams are going to have this Saturday all to themselves. There’s no saying what’s going to happen next. We’ll just have to wait for the response of the executive directors of the College Football Playoff and Bowl Season.