America’s Game is here. One of the only times everyone on the football field is willing to sacrifice their lives for everyone watching the game’s freedom. It’s a special game for America, and a special game for anyone who’s served in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. As a Navy Seabee Veteran myself, it’s always a game I look forward to cheering on my shipmates and brothers in arms. It’s time to preview America’s Game. Let’s dive into Army-Navy picks and best bets.
The first matchup of the two service academies was on November 29th, 1890, where the Naval Academy scored a 24-0 victory. This will be the 126th meeting of the two teams; Navy holds the all-time record lead 63-55-7 over Army. This year’s winner will get the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. The battle will be held at the home of the Baltimore Ravens, M&T Bank Stadium. Kickoff for Saturday, December 13th, is set for 3:00 ET and will air on CBS.
Army Golden Knights
Army went 6-5 on the season overall, a win over the Big 12’s Kansas State was the highlight. Their postseason eligibility came down to their final game. They won three of their last four matchups, and in that final game is where they overpowered UTSA to make themselves bowl eligible. The Army has averaged only nine passes per game in 2025, relying heavily on its strong running game.
Army leads the nation in time of possession, controlling the clock and game is their top goal. They are led by Junior QB Cale Hellums. He leads the team in rushing yards and touchdowns. Hellums has passed for just 504 yards this season, but racked up 1,106 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. Army averages 22.6 points per game and 327.9 yards per game.
Navy Midshipman
Navy is 9-2 on the year and ranked #22 in the AP Poll. They lost out on the AAC Championship game after losing the tiebreaker in the three-way tie for best conference record. According to ESPN, Navy had the 20th-strongest schedule this season. Their only two losses came to Notre Dame 10-2 and North Texas 11-2.
Navy leads the FBS in rushing yards, averaging 298.4 per game. They are second in rushing touchdowns (38) and second in yards per carry (6.06). Their passing game is also explosive when they use it, ranking 2nd in FBS in yards per completion (16.7). They also lead the nation with 10 touchdown plays of 60 yards or more. Their leader, Senior Blake Horvath, is 19-4 as the starter for the Midshipmen.
America’s Game: Army vs Navy Football Picks, Preview, and Best Bets
Alex Tecza Over 64.5 Rushing Yards (-114)
This number is an absolute gift for the Senior running back for the Midshipmen. Tecza is the second leading rusher on the team behind quarterback Blake Horvath, but he’ll play an important role. Army has done a good job bottling him up the last two years, but if they want any chance at winning this game, Horvath is going to have to get their full attention. That’ll leave things open for the senior who wants to leave his mark on this game.
Alex Tecza has been at Navy since the First World War pic.twitter.com/JD1nEmLKZe https://t.co/Qy9Miu4c36
— Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) November 15, 2025
Tecza has cruised past this number in six games this season, and gone over the century mark in four of those games, including their last two matchups against tough competition in Memphis and USF. Tecza averages over 12 carries per game and 5.8 yards per rush.
Cale Hellums Under 64.5 Passing Yards (-114)
Yes, the Army’s starting quarterback’s passing total is set at 64.5 yards. As ridiculous as that seems, the junior quarterback has only thrown for more than that twice on the season, and he’s been their guy most of the season. Last year in this game Army came into it with Bryson Daily, who threw for over 1,000 yards on the year, and held him to just 65 yards on the day.
Week 7 Performance
QB Cale Hellums – Army
• 50 Passing yards
• 143 Rushing yards 2 TDs pic.twitter.com/xtH4FDXWHs— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) October 11, 2025
Navy’s pass defense hasn’t been one to write home about this year, and they may tempt Army by making them have to pass the ball, but Jeff Monken doesn’t want to throw the ball if he can avoid it. The only way I see this hitting is if they get down big and desperate late, but even that didn’t help Daily last year. Give me the under.
Navy Midshipman -6 (-110)
There was no chance as a Navy Veteran, I was going to pick Army, but it’s not all biased! This is a special Navy team that’s been taking care of business this season. Blake Horvath starts this game for the final time as a senior, and there’s no doubt he’s going to leave it all on the field. Navy coach Brian Newberry put his stamp on this game last year, upsetting Army, and doing so convincingly with a 31-13 win. You could argue that makes it a bounce-back spot for Army, but they’ve lost 17 of the last 23 matchups. They don’t seem to bounce back well in this game after a loss.
Today in American History: November 29th, 1890
The first Army/Navy game is played at West Point with the Midshipman edging out the Black Knights 24-0.
135 years later Navy still holds the series edge with a record of 62–55–7 pic.twitter.com/D67jCHFURL
— 🇺🇸 The American Culturist 🇺🇸 (@MericaCulture) November 29, 2025
This year Navy’s got the ability to run the ball and throw it dangerously. Blake Horvath’s dual-threat ability should be able to overpower this tough Army defense. I expect Army to try and grind the ball all day and control the time of possession. They’ll keep it close early, but Navy will win by a touchdown, covering this spread. GO NAVY!
