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Navy Edges Air Force 34-31 in Record-Breaking Navy-Air-Force-Game Shootout Annapolis, Maryland – The US Naval Academy Midshipmen secured a dramatic 34-31 victory over the US Air Force Academy Falcons on Saturday, claiming the critical first leg of the annual competition for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy (CiC Trophy). The highly anticipated contest, which pits the American service academies against one another in college football, deviated sharply from its typically ground-heavy, low-scoring script, evolving into a rare offensive shootout in front of a sold-out crowd in Annapolis. The tight margin of victory gives the Midshipmen an immediate advantage in the three-way trophy race, which also includes the Army Black Knights. Crucially, the win propels Navy to a 5-0 season record, maintaining their unbeaten streak and keeping them firmly in contention for an automatic berth in the expanded College Football Playoff (CFP) tournament reserved for the top team among the 'Group of Five' conferences. Offensive Masterclass Overwhelms Defence Saturday’s contest, held at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, saw the two academies combine for a staggering 977 yards of total offence, a metric highly unusual for two programmes that rely heavily on the triple-option running attack. Navy's high-powered offensive showing was led by quarterback Blake Horvath, who set a new programme record for total yardage in a single game, accumulating 469 yards (339 passing and 130 rushing, alongside a touchdown run). Horvath’s aerial performance was complemented by a historic day from senior wide receiver Eli Heidenreich, who notched 243 receiving yards on eight catches, scoring three touchdowns. His yardage figure marked a Navy single-game record, eclipsing a long-standing record dating back to 1967. Speaking after the game, Navy Coach Brian Newberry underscored the cultural importance of the result.
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"Historically, when we've won that game in the first round, good things tend to happen," Coach Newberry said, noting that Navy had won the CiC Trophy in 12 of the past 13 seasons in which they defeated Air Force. "All of our goals are still out in front of us, so that’s obviously the number one tangible goal in our programme is to win that trophy, to keep it here, so [we are] ecstatic to get the win. " Air Force’s Resilient Response Despite the record-setting performance by the Midshipmen, the Air Force Falcons mounted a tenacious effort, refusing to trail by more than a single possession throughout the second half. Air Force quarterback Liam Szarka had a standout performance of his own, combining for 364 total yards and four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing). The contest was tied 31-31 late in the fourth quarter following a 53-yard scoring pass from Szarka, before a 34-yard field goal by Navy’s Nathan Kirkwood put the Midshipmen ahead for good with less than seven minutes remaining. The final decisive play came on a defensive sequence where Navy recovered an ill-advised Air Force pitch attempt, allowing them to run out the clock and seal their second consecutive victory over the Falcons—a feat not achieved by Navy since 2013. The offensive dominance overshadowed what was statistically one of the worst defensive performances by Air Force in programme history coming into the game. Air Force coach Troy Calhoun, visibly frustrated by the near-miss, commented on his team's performance. "We didn't come here to be close," Calhoun stated, adding that despite the high-scoring affair, "there are no moral victories in football.
" The Context of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy The CiC Trophy is arguably the most prestigious non-conference award in US college football, contested annually since 1972 between the three federal service academies: the US Military Academy (Army), the US Naval Academy (Navy), and the US Air Force Academy (Air Force). The trophy is named in honour of the President of the United States, who historically presents the prize to the victorious cadet or midshipman corps at a White House ceremony. Air Force currently holds the most overall trophy victories with 21, but Navy is the defending champion, having won the trophy in the previous season. The victor of the Navy-Air Force fixture is often highly indicative of the trophy winner, as the team that sweeps its two rivals takes the title outright. The game also took place against the backdrop of an ongoing federal government shutdown, a factor that affected the traditional pageantry of the event. The customary military aircraft flyover was cancelled due to the fiscal impasse, though the contest itself proceeded as scheduled, with security personnel including snipers maintaining watch throughout the game. Outlook and Future Implications For Navy, the 5-0 start—their best since 1979—positions them as a legitimate national contender within the Group of Five discussion. The victory over Air Force validates the programme’s resurgence under Coach Newberry. Horvath, commenting on the team’s ongoing success, said the victory was critical "to get that done and just establish ourselves.
" He added: "It's not a one-and-done deal. It's not a fluke that it happened last year. It’s a train that's going to keep on rolling, and it's how we hope to establish for the future of CiC games as well. " Air Force, now sitting at 1-4 for the season, faces mounting pressure following their third straight loss in the service academy series overall. Senior nose guard Payton Zdroik summed up the team’s mood, saying, "It's cutting deep. It's not a fun thing. " The Falcons must now await the Army vs. Navy fixture in December to see if they can retain any competitive pride in the series, while Navy turns its attention to its conference schedule before meeting Army later this year with the CiC Trophy potentially on the line.
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