Army Black Knights: Can The Black Knights Go Undefeated?

Many years ago, the Army Black Knights, otherwise known as the Army Cadets, were a true powerhouse in college football. Army won three straight national championships during the 1940s, absolutely crushing the opposition along the way. From 1944 to 1946, Army, not only won the national championship, they never lost a game. The 1945 Army team is considered one of the greatest teams in college football history. To give you an idea just how dominant they were, their closest margin of victory that season was a 32-13 defeat of second ranked Navy. The dreaded T formation offense that Army ran was simply unstoppable, lead by future Heisman Trophy winner Glenn Davis. Yes folks, there was a time that the Army Cadets ran over, literally, every team they faced. Army stayed relevant into the 1950s as well, but by the time the 60s rolled around, that same dominance had faded away.

Also Read:  Army deserves their ranking in 2024 .

Things Aren’t What They Used To Be

The 1940s, unless you were living under a rock, were times of political unrest and World War 2.  Most young men during that era jumped at the chance to join the war effort anyway they could. For high school kids still wanting an education, enrolling in schools like Army and Navy was a no brainer. Not only could you get a quality education, but a direct line into the military efforts. Most athletes across the United States were enrolling in the service, just ask Ted Williams the legendary Rex Sox outfielder. Nowadays, you are not as likely to see this happen. The late Pat Tillman exemplified extreme bravery by giving up his NFL career to serve his country. Tillman is an example of how rare this has become in our modern society.  There is too much money involved in sports, that is beyond obvious. The liability is too great and the investment that owners have in their players would make it too risky. The same can be said for college sports, especially with all the NIL money flying around these days.

Ask any coach for the Army Black Knights and they will tell you how tough recruiting can be. There are many disadvantages they face every time they set foot into a recruits living room.  Unless you come from a military family or have a strong desire to join the military, your likely destination is a traditional football school. The other disadvantage these coaches face is the hesitation of the parents to send their child to a military school. What will happen to my child once he joins the armed forces? For many, that can be a deal-breaker. The 2024 season, however, has been a new awakening for the Army Black Knights. Sitting at 7-0, with Notre Dame being the last major hurdle until the Navy game, could an undefeated season be possible?

The Final Push

Army is favored in their next contest against the Air Force Falcons by a staggering 21.5 points. This should be no surprise to anyone because of their dominance so far this year. Yes, their schedule hasn’t been the toughest, but they have been dominant with their closest margin of victory being 17 points. Army should still be undefeated after playing Air Force and North Texas, with Notre Dame following on November 23rd at Yankee Stadium. If the Black Knights defeat Notre Dame, things could get very, very interesting. All that remains is the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and Navy. Navy just dropped their first game of the year to Notre Dame but will present Army with a very difficult challenge. If they defeat Navy and end the season undefeated, the CFP panel mighy have to take a long look at the Black Knights.

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