BLACK KNIGHTS TAKE ON TULANE FOR AAC CHAMPIONSHIP GLORY IN EPIC ARMY FOOTBALL SHOWDOWN
Since 1890, Army football has been a proud tradition among the U.S. military service academies. The military’s largest branch leans on the Cadets of West Point to represent their proud tradition, who have won a total of five national championships, including its latest in 1946, rounding out a three-peat. But those days are long gone. The gap between the glory days and today has seen many changes to the college football landscape, including the newly implemented 12-team playoff format that began in the 2024-25 season. Now, against all odds, the Army Black Knights football program has an outside, yet legitimate, shot at winning it all once again.
What Football Conference Is the Army In?
Beginning in the 2024-25 season, Army football is a part of the American Athletic Conference (AAC), within the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
This came to be after SMU left the AAC to be a part of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), marking only the second time Army made itself a part of a conference—the other time was between 1998 and 2004 when the Black Knights were in Conference USA.
Well past its independent days, Army football continues to surprise after a season where a lot of attention has remained on the modern-day elite programs. Today, you can’t help but take notice of the Black Knights, who as of this writing, remain undefeated.
College Football Playoff Scenarios
To be kind, the Army football schedule hasn’t been as difficult as that of others, but regardless, you play the games you’re scheduled and strive for excellence.
Having one of the best seasons in recent history, the Black Knights are 9-0, have qualified for the AAC championship against Tulane, and have a small but legitimate chance to make the College Football Playoff (CFP).
Army West Point football still has to pass the tests of finishing undefeated and defeating the Tulane Green Wave on December 6, 2024, during the 2024 American Athletic Conference Championship Game.
While Tulane is making its third straight appearance in the AAC championship, it’s been a tremendous turnaround for the Black Knights.
Army football will play its final game at home against UTSA, which based on its performance this year, should be a task it's well-equipped for.
However, it’s the second-to-last game, a nonconference battle against Army’s old rival Notre Dame, will be the bigger test.
The Fighting Irish are currently ranked sixth in the nation and as Army sits currently at 18th, a win would help boost their ranking even further.
It’s worth noting that ranking and CFP seeding are two different things. Without going into too much detail, Army football will need to worry about both and some of it is out of their control.
Even if they beat everyone in their path and become the AAC champion, there is still no guarantee that the Army Black Knights will make the CFP. This is because another school is also having a surprising, yet great, year.
The Boise State Broncos, featuring Heisman hopeful Ashton Jeanty, continue to make their mark. They will likely need to lose at least once for the Army to get a bid from the College Football Playoff Committee.
Either way, the Black Knights have a lot to play for and a season to be very proud of. Plus, the Army-Navy football game will still take place in December, meaning no matter what, there’s a lot left to watch involving West Point this season.
Do Army Football Players Have to Serve?
Football players at military academies have to fulfill the same five-year active-duty service commitment as everyone else; however, some athletes can request to defer their service to play professionally.
While the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) does have a policy in place to help leverage the visibility of professional athletes to support military recruitment, it's more of an exception than the norm.
If a waiver is approved, the player can serve in the reserves while pursuing their professional career and complete active-duty service afterward, as determined on a case-by-case basis.
The Army Black Knights (just like other service academies) emphasize creating military officers first, with athletics considered a secondary part of their journey.
Most graduates fulfill their service commitments before exploring professional sports. At the end of the day, the academies focus on developing leaders of character dedicated to serving the nation rather than targeting the sports world.
Army football continues to be a proud tradition teaching many of the same lessons found in military service while providing those volunteering to defend our nation with an opportunity to enjoy a bit of fun in the process.
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