To the delight of fans across the world, the NCAA Division I college football season kicked off this past weekend with the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland. In a Big 12 showdown, No. 22 Iowa State defeated No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 to open the 2025 campaign.
This game was just the first of many highly anticipated contests that will take place over the course of the 2025-2026 season. With Army and Navy both finishing 2024 with excellent records, fans of both programs have high hopes for continued success, while Air Force looks to rebound after a disappointing campaign.
Week 1 of the NCAA Division I college football season officially begins on Thursday, August 28. The Army Black Knights return to action on Friday, Aug. 29, with the Navy Midshipmen and Air Force Falcons making their debuts the following day.
Commander-in-Chief Trophy
A tradition dating back to 1972, the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy is awarded to the winner of the football series between Army, Navy, and Air Force. This year’s matchups include Air Force at Navy (Oct. 4), Army at Air Force (Nov. 1), and the 126th Army-Navy Game on Dec. 13 at M&T Bank Stadium, home of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens.
Navy enters the season as the defending champion after defeating Army last December. The Midshipmen lead the all-time series against Army 63-55-7.
Army Black Knights
Army opens the season at home on Aug. 29 against the Tarleton State Texans of the United Athletic Conference (UAC). Led by veteran coach Todd Whitten, Tarleton enters the year ranked No. 8 in the FCS Coaches Poll, while Army received votes but was not included in the AP or AFCA Top 25.
The Black Knights, however, are heavy favorites after finishing 2024 with a program-best single-season 12–2 record (8–0 in conference play), winning the American Athletic Conference (AAC) title, and capping the year with a 27–6 victory over Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl. Under head coach Jeff Monken, Army finished the 2024 season ranked No. 21 in both the AP Top 25 and AFCA Coaches Poll.
Army’s historic 2024 run was fueled by the record-setting play of quarterback Bryson Daily, who accounted for 41 total touchdowns (9 passing, 32 rushing). His 32 rushing touchdowns set an FBS single-season record for quarterbacks, and he finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Daily graduated and was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Army, leaving the reins to senior Dewayne Coleman, who appeared in seven games last season, completing 11-of-16 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown while adding 136 rushing yards.
Returning to the Army side are several standout players on both offense and defense. Slotback Noah Short is considered a weapon in the running and passing game. The native of San Jose, California, had 160 rushing yards and 121 receiving yards. He found the endzone three times, once rushing and twice receiving. The senior is set to assume a key offensive role on the 2025 Black Knights squad.
With the loss of offensive star running back Kanye Udoh, who transferred to Arizona State, Short will likely be relied upon far more on the offense. At 6-foot, 180 pounds, he is expected to play a much larger role in Army’s offense this season. Other notable Black Knights returning on offense include center Brady Small, guard Paolo Gennarelli, and fullback Hayden Reed.
Last season, inside linebacker Andon Thomas led the team with 93 tackles. The 6-foot, 230-pound native of Liberty Hill, Texas, also recorded two interceptions while anchoring the defense last season. The senior, along with classmate inside linebacker Kalib Fortner, is expected to be the foundational piece of Army’s defense this season.
Junior nose tackle Kody Harris-Miller is also set to return to the Black Knights this season. The 6-foot-1, 301-pounder was a big part of Army’s rushing defense last season, recording 29 total tackles (17 solo), five tackles for loss, and two sacks.
In a Week 2 showdown, Army will travel to Manhattan, Kansas to face Big 12 Conference opponent Kansas State on Sept. 6. Following this non-conference road matchup, the Black Knights enter their 2025 AAC schedule in the friendly confines of Blaik Field at Michie Stadium when they welcome North Texas to the Hudson Valley. Home conference games include Charlotte (Oct. 11), Temple (Nov. 8), and Tulsa (Nov. 22). Army will hit the road to play conference opponents East Carolina (Sep. 25), UAB (Oct. 4), Tulane (Oct. 18), and UTSA (Nov. 29).
Navy Midshipmen
The Midshipmen host the VMI Keydets of the Southern Conference on Saturday, Aug. 30, in a matchup that heavily favors Navy. VMI is coming off a 1–11 season. More challenging contests await in AAC play, with home dates against UAB (Sep. 6), Rice (Sep. 27), FAU (Oct. 25), and USF (Nov. 15), along with road trips to Tulsa (Sep. 13), Temple (Oct. 11), North Texas (Nov. 1), and Memphis (Nov. 27).
The Midshipmen and Notre Dame Fighting Irish will play another installment of a rivalry that dates back to 1927 on Nov. 8 at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame finished last season with a record of 14-2, ending their storied run with a loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff (CFP) Championship Game. The Fighting Irish enter the 2025 season ranked No. 6 in the preseason AP poll.
This season’s highly anticipated matchup will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock at 7:30 PM EDT. Notre Dame has won their last seven matchups against Navy, with the Midshipmen last claiming victory in 2016.
Head coach Brian Newberry led Navy to a fourth-place finish in the AAC with an excellent overall record of 10-3 (6-2 in conference play). The Midshipmen’s season was highlighted by an upset win over Army for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. Navy’s strong performance last season earned them a bid to the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, which they won 21-20 over the Southeastern Conference’s (SEC) Oklahoma. This victory helped Navy to achieve its first 10-win season in five years.
In the bowl game, quarterback Blake Horvath recorded the longest run in Navy history, 95 yards. Horvath will return for his fourth season in 2025. Midshipmen fans have high hopes for the senior quarterback who put up impressive numbers last season; he completed 80 of his 139 pass attempts, passing for 1,353 yards with 13 touchdowns.
The native of Hilliard, Ohio also rushed for 1,246 yards, scoring 17 touchdowns. Standing at 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Horvath’s offensive numbers have rightfully earned him a reputation for being a premier dual-threat quarterback.
Returning on the offense with Horvath are snipe (slotback) Eli Heidenreich and fullback Alex Tecza. Both men were considered top playmakers in offensive coordinator Drew Cronic’s schemes in the “millennial version” of the Wing-T, an offense that blends elements of the Wing-T with modern spread option concepts. This less predictable attack helped the Midshipmen to average 31.3 points per game last season.
Heidenreich alone had six touchdowns, tying a record for most in school history. The senior totaled 671 receptions and 444 rushing yards. Tecza, a starter in 12 of 13 games last season, was the team’s second-leading rusher, racking up 576 yards and 8 touchdowns on 125 carries. The 6-foot, 199-pound senior added 229 yards and two touchdowns on 12 catches to his 2024 season stats line.
Two of the key senior defensive players returning to Navy this season include nose guard Landon Robinson and linebacker Kenneth McShan. Robinson, a native of Fairlawn, Ohio, appeared in all of Navy’s games last season. The 6-foot, 287-pounder closed out the 2024 campaign with 61 tackles, four sacks, seven quarterback hurries, and two forced fumbles. Considered one of the best all-around athletes on the Mids squad, McShan was named co-captain for the 2025 season with Blake Horvath. McShan enters 2025 coming off a standout junior year campaign with Navy. After two seasons sidelined by ACL injuries, the Birmingham, Alabama native recorded 88 tackles, five sacks, and forced three fumbles in 13 games.
Other notable Mids suiting up again for the Navy side in 2025 include tackle Griffen Willis, outside linebacker Luke Pirris, and cornerback Andrew Duhart.
Air Force Falcons
Air Force looks to start off the season with a win when they host Bucknell at Falcon Stadium on Aug. 30 at 3:30 PM EDT. A member of the NCAA Division I FCS, the Bucknell Bison compete in the Patriot League. In a league that primarily consists of private schools in the Northeastern United States, head coach Dave Cecchini’s Bucknell squad finished the 2024 season with a 6-6 record.
A clear favorite in this game, Air Force’s greatest challenges will come when it enters Mountain West Conference (MWC) play against Utah State on Sep. 13 in Logan. This will be the first of three conference road games that include UNLV (Oct. 11), San Jose State (Nov. 8), and Colorado State (Nov. 28). Air Force is also scheduled to play Independent UCONN at Rentschler Field in East Hartford on Nov. 15. The Falcons will host conference rivals Boise State (Sep. 20), Hawaii (Sep. 27), Wyoming (Oct. 18), and New Mexico (Nov. 22) in Colorado Springs.
Head coach Troy Calhoun’s Air Force squad had the worst 2024 season of the three service academies, finishing with an overall record of 5-7 (3-4 in conference play). Tied for fifth in the MWC, the Falcons did not qualify for a bowl game bid. Despite a poor start last season, Air Force rebounded to win its final four games. A highlight of the challenging season included offensive linemen Alex Moore and punter Luke Freer being named to the All-MWC second-team. Freer returns to Air Force this season.
With the departure of 2024 starter Quentin Hayes, junior Josh Johnson is expected to be named the starting quarterback. Johnson, a native of New Orleans, appeared in six games for Air Force last season. He completed six of 14 passes for 126 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 26 yards on four carries.
Lining up in front of Johnson will be three returning offensive linemen, Alec Falk (junior), Trevor Tate (senior), and Costen Cooley (senior). These three men will anchor the offensive line and reinforce the run-heavy triple-option offense. The line is expected to again be a strength for the Falcons this season. Senior fullback Dylan Carson should also be a force on offense for Air Force this season. The Marysville, Washington native played in ten games with the Falcons last season. Despite missing two games due to injury, he led the team in rushing with 600 yards on 138 carries, recording five touchdowns.
Nose tackle Payton Zdroik will start his fourth season for the Falcons. The Brentwood, California native appeared in 10 games last season, recording 18 total tackles, including 15 solo tackles and three assists. Zdroik is joined by senior Daniel Grobe (defensive end) and junior Blake Fletcher (linebacker). These three men are expected to assume leadership roles on the Falcons’ defense.
Anticipation for the 2025 Season
With Army coming off a historic season, Navy riding momentum into 2025, and Air Force eager for redemption, this year’s service academy football campaign promises drama, tradition, and the continued fight for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. Week 1 offers an early look at three proud programs ready to prove themselves once again on the national stage.
