The American Athletic Conference has voted to accept Army into the league as a football-only member, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Army’s membership will start in 2024.

The move initially was expected to satisfy the Black Knights’ biggest rival, the Navy Midshipmen. However, details of Army’s addition to the AAC are complicated in about its rivalry with Navy.

Army will replace SMU as the AAC’s 14th member. SMU is moving to the Atlantic Coast Conference. But the meetings between Navy and Army won’t count toward conference standings.

The Black Knights and Midshipmen will continue their ongoing rivalry as part of their non-conference schedule. The Army-Navy Game will remain played the week after college football conference championship games.

If Army and Navy finished as the top two teams in the AAC, they would play each other in the Conference Championship, and then meet in a rematch the following week in the Army-Navy Game.

Army, who started playing football in 1891, has been an independent in football for all but seven years. The Black Knights were a member of Conference USA from 1998 to 2004 before returning to independency. Some of the members of the AAC were in C-USA during the Black Knights’ membership.

Army, like Navy, plays in the Patriot League in all other sports.

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Navy picked up an improbable upset win over No. 20 Central Florida Saturday, 17-14. The Midshipmen won the game despite not completing a single pass.

Navy quarterback Xavier Arline attempted one pass the entire game. Navy rushed for 248 yards on 63 attempts, dominating the football with the 39:36 time of possession. The Midshipmen also capitalized on two turnovers by the Knights.

Navy took a 14-6 lead into halftime behind a one-yard touchdown by Arline in the first quarter and an eight-yard TD run by Vincent Terrell Jr. late in the second quarter.

UCF answered quickly on its first possession in the second half, marching 75 yards in five plays. Mikey Keene connected with Javon Baker for a 28-yard touchdown pass. The Knights tied the game at 14-14 with a two-point conversion.

Momentum appeared on the Knights’ side after forcing Navy to a three-and-out. However, Keene got sacked and fumbled the football. Navy took over at the UCF 38-yard line. Navy got the go-ahead field goal with 8:22 remaining in the third quarter.

From there, the Midshipmen’s defense took over the game, forcing UCF’s offense to three straight points. Then UCF’s last-ditch drive stalled when Navy cornerback Mbiti William broke up a fourth-and-four pass with just under seven minutes remaining.

Navy’s offense controlled possession for the final 6:54. That included a QB sneak by Arline to convert a 4th-and-1 from midfield.

Navy improves to 4-7 overall and finishes its American Athletic Conference schedule with a 4-4 record. The Midshipmen will next play against Army on Dec. 10 in Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, UCF (8-3, 5-2) lost the chance to host the AAC Championship Game. But the Knights still control their own destiny for a bid in the conference championship despite falling to third place in the standings.

If UCF beats rival South Florida next week, they’ll face the winner of the Tulane-Cincinnati game. The Knights hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over both Tulane and Cincinnati.

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Navy upset Army 17-13 in the 122nd meeting of the Army-Navy Game. The Midshipmen used two pivotal fourth-down conversions to aid their win. That included a huge fake punt early in the fourth quarter from their own 34-yard line.

The snap of the punt went directly to Navy linebacker Diego Fagot, who scampered four yards for the first down on 4th-and-1.

That play continued the Midshipmen’s drive that ended in a field goal to extend their lead to the eventual final score 17-13.

It seemed like a well-thought play by Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo. Fagot admitted to CBS Sports broadcast he didn’t even know the ball was coming to him.

Niumatalolo gave a perfect explanation to why Fagot wasn’t aware the ball was coming to him. That’s because, the direct snap was a “mistake.”

Niumatalao added “sometimes you have to get lucky.”

Call it a “lucky mistake” for Navy. They’ll take it and the win. It’s the Midshipmen’s second in the last three games over Army. The win completes their season with a 4-8 record. Army, who drops to 8-4, came into the game as a seven-point favorite.

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Navy men’s basketball team hadn’t beat a Big East Conference team in 24 years. Georgetown had never lost against a Patriot League team. Both narratives changed after Tuesday night.

Navy senior guard Cam Davis scored 28 points to lead the Midshipmen to a 78-71 win over Georgetown at McDonough Arena in Washington, DC.

Davis shot lights out, making 10-of-15 shots from the field, including 5-of-7 from three. Navy junior guard John Carter Jr. added 20 points and eight rebounds.

Jamarko Pickett and Jahvon Blair each scored 17 points to lead Georgetown. Navy is 3-1 for the first time since the 2008-09 season.

Georgetown (1-1) was 12-0 all-time against the Patriot League prior to Tuesday’s loss. Navy’s last win against an Big East opponent was against Pittsburgh in 1996 at Alumni Hall in Annapolis. The win was their first road win against a Big East opponent since 1986, when a junior David Robinson guided the Midshipmen to a first round win in the NCAA Tournament against Syracuse at the Carrier Dome.

This was just the third meeting in 43 years between Navy and Georgetown. Navy last beat Georgetown in 1977.

The loss highlights the struggles of the Georgetown program entering Patrick Ewing’s fourth season as head coach. The Hoyas have lost several key players to transfers during Ewing’s tenure, including Mac McClung, James Akinjo and Josh LeBlanc.

That has led to a lack of depth on the roster. Georgetown’s bench scored one point in the loss against Navy.

Georgetown was picked to finish last in the Big East this year by coaches. Tuesday’s home loss to Navy laminated that prediction. How does Ewing fix the issues?

He’ll have to figure out the issues fast. Georgetown hosts No. 11 West Virginia Sunday afternoon. After a final non-conference game against Coppin State, Georgetown begins its Big East conference schedule at final four contender Villanova.

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Saturday’s football game between Navy and Memphis has been postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 issues surrounding Navy’s football team, the American Athletic Conference announced Tuesday. This is the second consecutive game postponed for the Midshipmen.

Last week’s game against Tulsa was postponed after multiple positive COVID-19 tests and ensuing contact tracing among the Midshipmen. While the amount of positive tests were initially described as “minimal” a significant amount of Navy players were made unavailable to play due to ensuing contact tracing.

Navy’s football activities remain on pause and restricted to virtual team meetings this week. The Midshipmen’s next scheduled game is at South Florida on Nov. 21. They have open dates on Nov. 28 and Dec. 5 before playing Army in the annual Army-Navy Game on Dec. 12. That game has been moved from Philadelphia to West Point due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The AAC will consider a number of rescheduling options for Navy-Memphis. However, Navy and Memphis don’t share any open dates — the same issue the Midshipmen have with Tulsa.

Memphis is scheduled to play Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 21. They’ll play at Tulane on Nov. 28 and home against Houston on Dec. 5.

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Saturday’s football game between Navy and Tulsa has been postponed due to a number of positive tests among Navy football players. The American Athletic Conference made the announcement Thursday.

According to the Capital-Gazette, Navy has “minimal” positive tests, but a significant number of players would be unable to play in Saturday’s game due to the ensuing contact tracing.

The Midshipmen have paused all football activities.

The AAC hopes to reschedule the Tulsa-Navy game for later in the season. However, neither team shares an open week the remainder of the season.

Navy hadn’t had a positive case throughout the season to date. In fact, they had zero cases among their entire traveling party when the team flew to Dallas Friday to play at SMU. However, something happened from that point to Monday when players, coaches and staff were tested again, according to the Gazette.

Multiple players were placed in isolation to quarantine following that round of testing. Navy also had a number of positive tests among various other athletic teams at the academy this weekend.

For Tulsa, this will be their fourth game postponed or canceled since the start of the season due to coronavirus-related issues.

It’s unclear if Navy’s game on Nov. 14 against Memphis will be affected. The Midshipmen don’t have another open date until Nov. 28. Tulsa is scheduled to play at Houston that date.

Navy is also open Dec. 5, a week prior to their annual rivalry clash against Army on Dec. 12. Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk prefers not to use that open date for a rescheduled game against Tulsa. However, he admitted the team is obligated to any decision made by the conference. Meanwhile, Tulsa is scheduled to play Cincinnati on Dec. 5.

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Navy junior quarterback Tyger Goslin was a surprised starter against Air Force Saturday. Goslin became the third starting quarterback for Navy in three games. Senior quarterback Dalen Morris did not make the trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado due to a medical condition.

Morris’ medical condition is not related to COVID-19, according to Stadium’s Brett McMurphy.

Morris didn’t make the trip to Air Force in 2018 as well. He was a backup to Malcolm Perry at the time. According to the Capital Gazette, Morris has a lifelong medical condition that is “exacerbated by high altitude.”

Morris started the Labor Day season-opening loss to BYU. A lackluster start saw him benched for the second half in favor of sophomore Perry Olsen. However, Olsen entered the transfer portal the week following the game.

Freshman quarterback Xavier Arline started Navy’s second game against Tulane. But after trailing 24-0 at halftime, it was Morris who quarterbacked the Midshipmen’s 27-point second half rally for the comeback win.

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Air Force will honor the Tuskegee Airmen when they take the field against Navy on Oct. 3. The Falcons revealed their Air Power Legacy Series uniform themed after the historic Red Tails.

The game against Navy will be Air Force’s season opener and one of two games initially scheduled for the Falcons this fall. Their home conference, the Mountain West Conference, postponed their football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the conference is reportedly considering to start an eight-game schedule next month.

Air Force’s uniform is highlighted by their red-top helmets that model the Red Tails of the P-51 Mustang fighter jet, the 332nd squadron flew during World War II.

Another one of many features is the scripted “Red Tails” on the jersey’s nameplate.

Air Force and Navy is set to be the first leg of this year’s Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy series. Air Force will played at Army on Nov. 7. Navy and Army will conclude the series on Dec. 12.

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The decision to play the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy series this season with Air Force playing only two games drew the ire of Navy football coach Ken Niumatalolo. Now Niumatalolo is apologizing a day later after ripping officials at the Pentagon for the decision.

Monday, Air Force announced they will host Navy on Oct. 3 and play at Army on Nov. 7 despite its home conference, the Mountain West, postponing its football season this year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The two Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy games will be the only games Air Force will play this season. Navy is playing a full 11-game schedule and Army 12 games this year.

On Monday, Niumatalolo didn’t hold back how unfair he thought including Air Force is to his program and Army.

“Where else in the country would you play for something of value and everybody’s schedules are not the same?” Niumatalolo told reporters Monday. “This is the No. 1 thing we fight for every year — the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. We’re playing a full schedule. You got Air Force playing just two games? I don’t think those people care.

“… This is above us. This is guys at the Pentagon making decisions. I have no idea where they’re getting their data from. They didn’t get it from me, so they’re not getting any football data. Like I said, nobody asked me.”

On Tuesday, the Navy football coach admitted he was “frustrated” and acknowledged the Pentagon had nothing to do with the decision.

“I should not have said some of the stuff I said and I’m sorry I did,” Niumatalolo told The Capital Gazette. “The Pentagon has nothing to do with this and it was wrong of me to suggest that was the case. I was just frustrated and let my emotions get the best of me.”

Navy is the current holder of the trophy after defeating both Air Force and Army last season. The Midshipmen are slated to play Army on Dec. 12 in Philadelphia for the final leg of this year’s series.

Army is 2-0 this season. Navy is 0-1 after losing its season opener to BYU 55-3.

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Malcolm Perry is in the NFL now, thus Navy was at risk of a drop-off this season. No one may have expected the start the Midshipmen underwent against BYU in Monday’s season opener.

After back-to-back three-and-outs by their offense, Navy’s defense was gauged for 30-yard touchdown runs on the first two drives of the game.

BYU redshirt sophomore running back Tyler Allgeier bounced off a 34-yard touchdown untouched to open the scoring.

Then junior running back Lopini Katoa busted open a 39-yard touchdown, as Navy’s defense parted the sea for him.

With their triple-option offense, Navy isn’t built to play from large deficits. Senior Dalen Moss is making his first collegiate start, trying to fill the huge shoes Perry left behind. But, his defense has to regroup and tackle to give the Midshipmen any chance of staying in the game.

Navy was originally scheduled to play Notre Dame this weekend. However, the game was cancelled after Notre Dame temporarily joined the ACC this season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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