In the opening service academy contest on Saturday, Army took care of business, defeating American Athletic Conference (AAC) rival Charlotte in front of 31,172 fans at Michie Stadium. The Black Knights set the tone early with a dominant rushing attack and a defense that stifled the 49ers from start to finish.
Later in the day, Navy survived a road scare to remain unbeaten with a one-point road victory over Temple, while Air Force fell just short in another high-scoring battle against UNLV. It was a weekend defined by grit, resilience, and the contrasting fortunes of three proud programs pushing through the heart of the 2025 season.
Army Comes Close to Shutting Out Charlotte
Army’s ground game carried the Black Knights to a 24-7 victory over Charlotte this weekend in West Point. Quarterback Cale Hellums led the attack with 143 rushing yards and two touchdowns, adding 50 yards through the air. Junior running back Carson Smith complemented the effort with 37 yards on six carries, including a five-yard touchdown run that extended the lead before halftime.
The Black Knights’ defense dominated from start to finish, stifling the 49ers’ offense and forcing key turnovers. Linebacker Kalib Fortner led the charge with seven tackles and a forced fumble that was recovered by safety Stephen Nnadozie, while fellow linebacker Eric Ford added a sack and two quarterback pressures. Army’s defensive front dictated the pace throughout, holding Charlotte quarterbacks Grayson Loftis and Zach Wilcke to just 110 combined passing yards and a single touchdown through the air.
The 49ers got the ball first, but an 11-play drive ended in a punt. This was only the beginning of Charlotte’s offensive woes on Saturday afternoon, as the team failed to find the endzone until late in the fourth quarter.
The Black Knights, on the other hand, got the scoring started early with a Hellums’ one-yard touchdown run on their opening possession of the contest. Army took a 7-0 lead with 3:40 left in the first quarter. The 49ers were forced to punt on their second possession after going three and out.
Charlotte’s defense showed life when Kadin Schmitz’s forced fumble and Xavier Miles’ recovery gave their team the ball back on the Army 23-yard line. The Black Knight’s running back Hayden Reed lost the ball after a 13-yard run. Unfortunately, the offense could do nothing with the gift, as they turned the ball over on downs after a six-play possession at 14:30 of the second quarter.
Army showcased its running game with a 17-play possession that consisted entirely of ground attacks. This scoring drive culminated with Smith’s five-yard touchdown run at 3:39 of the second. The 49ers turned over the ball on downs with the Black Knights hitting a 38-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. Dawson Jones’ kick put the home side up 17-0 after two quarters of play.
On the first two possessions of the second half, Army and Charlotte exchanged punts. A Black Knights’ eight-play possession ended with a Hellums’ one-yard rushing touchdown. The two sides each turned the ball over on downs during their next possessions. The 49ers possession that started late in the third ended at 14:42 of the fourth with a punt.
Jones missed his first field goal attempt at 11:25, a try from 38 yards out. At 1st & 10 at their own 49-yard line, Charlotte running back Rod Gainey Jr. fumbled. Army’s Fortner forced the turnover with Nnadozie recovering.
On an 11-play possession, the Black Knights got into field goal range. Jones’ 45-yard attempt was blocked by 49ers’ Dwight Bootle II at 1:54 of the fourth quarter. Charlotte finally scored on their next possession, when signal caller Loftis connected with junior wide receiver KD Hunter-Gibson on a 16-yard touchdown pass.
The 49ers still trailed 24-7 with eight seconds remaining in regulation. Army quarterback Dewayne Coleman took a knee to end the game. The Black Knights are now 3-3 overall, 2-2 in conference play. Charlotte fell to 1-5, 0-3 in the AAC.
Army travels to Yulman Stadium to face Tulane this weekend in a matchup that could redefine momentum for both sides in the AAC. Tulane currently sits in fourth place with a record of 5-1, 2-0 in conference play. The Green Wave is coming off a Thursday night win over East Carolina, 26-19. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, October 18th, with streaming on YouTube TV.
Tulane, under second-year coach Jon Sumrall, has leaned on a balanced offense and opportunistic defense, with quarterback Jake Retzlaff racking up big numbers for his team. The redshirt senior BYU transfer is 94-for-161 with 1,167 passing yards for four touchdowns. A dual-threat quarterback, he also has 388 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Freshman running back Javin Gordon has strong numbers on the season, recording 269 rushing yards on 60 carries for three touchdowns.
The Green Wave defense has held up well against the run this year but has occasionally wilted under sustained, time-of-possession assaults. This is one vulnerability that Army’s run-heavy offense should aim to exploit. If the Black Knights can win in the trenches, convert in third-down situations, and protect the football, they have a strong path to a road win in the Big Easy this weekend.
Air Force Loses Another Close Thriller
Air Force looked to secure its second victory of the season against UNLV on Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The home of the NFL’s Raiders turned into a battleground for a classic Mountain West Conference (MW) shootout, as both teams traded explosive plays and momentum swings until the end of the ballgame.
The Falcons suffered their third close loss of the season, falling to the Rebels 51-48 in a high-scoring thriller. Sophomore quarterback Liam Szarka led the charge for Air Force, attacking UNLV’s defense through the air and on the ground. Szarka finished with 175 passing yards and one touchdown, while adding 136 rushing yards and two scores. Running back Owen Allen contributed a career-best 192 yards on 17 carries with two touchdowns, and receiver Cade Harris added two more trips to the end zone on 45 rushing yards.
UNLV junior quarterback Anthony Colandrea had an impressive outing, completing 20 of 32 passes for 361 yards and one touchdown. His clutch 19-yard rushing touchdown in the final minute sealed the Rebels’ victory. Running backs Jai’Den Thomas and Keyvone Lee combined for 147 rushing yards, with Thomas breaking free for a long touchdown run in the fourth quarter that shifted momentum back to UNLV.
Surprisingly, for such a high-scoring game, neither team scored in this contest until there was 4:10 left in the first quarter. Colandrea’s three-yard touchdown run put the Rebels ahead 7-0. The Falcons struck back at 1:50 when Harris ran the ball into the endzone from five yards out.
From that point on, the scoring levees opened up. Ramon Villela hit a 45-yard field goal to put UNLV up 10-7. That lead, like many others in the contest, wouldn’t last long, as the Falcons used a six-play series to set up Allen’s 21-yard touchdown run at the 10:17 mark of the second quarter.
Leading 14-10, Air Force’s defense made one of its few stops of the game, forcing the Rebels to turn over the ball on downs. The Falcons took advantage of the big stop, scoring on Allen’s 21-yard rushing touchdown. UNLV scored once more before the end of the first half. Villela’s 32-yard field goal attempt was good with 50 seconds left in the second.
Still leading 21-13, Air Force ran three more plays as the clock wound down leading into halftime.
Harris’ costly fumble, recovered by Marsel McDuffie, on 1st & 10 at the Falcons’ 25-yard line, opened the door for a UNLV touchdown. Quarterback Jaden Bradley connected with tight end Var’Keyes Gumms for a 16-yard touchdown pass at 14:49 in the third quarter. The score then stood at 21-20 in favor of Air Force.
The Falcons went three-and-out on their next possession. Colandrea showed off his arm by tossing a monster 86-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Daejon Reynolds. UNLV led 26-21 after failing to convert the two-point conversion. Szarka and crew came back on the field and put together a six-play scoring drive that culminated in a 17-yard touchdown pass. Szarka connected with Bruin Fleischmann on the third down reception touchdown that put Air Force up 28-26. Villela’s 20-yard field goal at 5:25 in the third then put the Rebels up 29-28.
For fans in attendance, the fourth quarter was electric, as both offenses traded blows on nearly every possession. The Falcons struck first in the fourth with Szarka’s one-yard touchdown run. Air Force led 34-29, until running back Keyvone Lee punched the ball in the endzone from two yards out. The Rebels slapped on two more points courtesy of the conversion, leading 37-34.
The Falcons returned fire at 6:09 in the fourth on Harris’ four-yard touchdown run, putting his side up 41-37. Jai’Den Thomas got the lead back for the Rebels on a monster 51-yard touchdown run at the 4:55 mark. UNLV led 44-41.
An 11-play scoring drive ended with Szarka’s nine-yard touchdown run. Down 48-44, Colandrea would not be shown up. His 19-yard rushing touchdown put UNLV up 51-48. Air Force desperately fought down the field to set up a scoring opportunity. Unfortunately, all was in vain, as Medina’s 40-yard field goal attempt as time expired failed to hit its mark.
The Falcons fell in another heartbreaking finish, their third one-score defeat of the 2025 campaign. UNLV remains undefeated at 6-0, 2-0 in MW play, while Air Force sinks to a disappointing 1-5, 0-4 in the conference.
Air Force will host MW foe Wyoming on Saturday, October 18th at Falcon Stadium. The 3-3 (1-1 MW) Cowboys enter the matchup fresh off a 35-28 win over San Jose State. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 PM ET, streaming on Fubo and YouTube TV.
Sophomore quarterback Kaden Anderson leads the Wyoming offense. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound signal caller is 107-for-192 on the season, throwing for 1,269 yards and eight touchdowns. His favorite target, wide receiver Chris Durr Jr., has hauled in 29 passes for 362 yards and three scores. On the ground, freshman running back Samuel “Tote” Harris anchors the attack with 52 carries for 315 yards and one touchdown.
The Falcons will once again lean on Liam Szarka and company to control the tempo with their trademark triple-option offense. Air Force will look to exploit a Wyoming defense that has struggled on third-down stops and big-play prevention, two areas the Falcons must attack early to seize momentum. Defensively, Air Force must contain the Cowboys’ key offensive players. For the Falcons, though, high-scoring affairs have not always translated into wins this season, making execution and clock control critical if they hope to turn the tide in MW play.
Navy Survives Temple to Remain Unbeaten
The arm and legs of senior quarterback Blake Horvath powered the Navy Midshipmen to their sixth victory of the 2025 campaign, a 32–31 win over the Temple Owls at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles. The dual-threat field general threw for 141 yards and a touchdown, while adding 155 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. His 51-yard touchdown run late in the game sealed Navy’s hard-fought road victory and kept the Mids unbeaten on the season. Senior running back Alex Tecza chipped in 30 rushing yards and a touchdown to round out the offensive effort.
Temple redshirt senior quarterback Evan Simon countered with a strong performance of his own, completing 25 of 36 passes, including 345 passing yards and a touchdown against Navy. He added 20 rushing yards and a score on the ground. Wide receiver Kajiya Hollawayne turned in a career day with nine receptions for 146 yards, and running back Jay Ducker added 97 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Owls.
Temple’s opening drive of the game culminated in a missed 39-yard field goal by Carl Hardin. Navy came out on their opening series determined to draw first blood. Three plays set up Horvath’s 50-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Cody Howard. The Owls answered on the following possession when Simon ran into the endzone for a two-yard touchdown. The game was tied 7-7 at 3:19 of the first.
The Midshipmen were forced to punt on their next possession. Temple took their first lead of the game on Hardin’s 23-yard field goal at 14:13. Down 10-7, Navy was forced to punt the ball. The Mids got the ball back after senior linebacker Adam Klenk’s sack forced Simon to fumble. Job Grant recovered the ball for the Mids. Navy couldn’t do anything with the defensive break, going three-and-out on the next series before punting.
Temple scored again on Ducker’s one-yard touchdown run with 25 seconds left in the second quarter. Navy again went three-and-out before punting. Up 17-7, The Owls took a knee as time expired in the first half.
The Mids got the ball first in the second half. With clear adjustments made on the offense, Horvath led his team down the field, scoring a two-yard rushing touchdown at 9:59 in the third. Navy still trailed 17-14. The Owls fired back on their next possession, with Simon hitting redshirt junior wide receiver JoJo Bermudez on a 26-yard touchdown pass. Temple led 24-14 at 6:37 in the third quarter.
The Midshipmen narrowed the Owls’ lead to three on the next series. Tecza ran for a two-yard touchdown at 2:22 of the third. Leading 24-21, Temple was forced to punt at 14:48 in the final quarter. Nathan Kirkwood’s 48-yard field goal evened the score at 24 with 6:34 left to play. On the next scoring drive, Simon’s 22-yard pass to Hollawayne set up Ducker’s one-yard rushing touchdown at 1:16 of the fourth. The Owls led 31-24.
Horvath got the ball back and proved yet again why he is widely considered one of college football’s most calm and composed quarterbacks. On 4th & 1 at the Navy 49-yard line, Horvath ran straight up the middle for a 51-yard touchdown. Still trailing by one with 39 seconds left in the game, head coach Brian Newberry called for the two-point conversion. Horvath dodged a tackler and hit Tecza in the endzone to put the Mids up 32-31.
Temple got the ball back one more time and moved down the field with urgency, failing to score on a five-play possession. By the final whistle, Horvath’s white jersey told the story, streaked with grass stains and sweat after a hard-fought four quarters in Philadelphia.
Navy’s undefeated season remains intact, as the Midshipmen improved to 6-0, 4-0 in the AAC. With their sixth victory of the season, the Mids are bowl eligible. The Owls are now 3-3, 1-1 in the conference.
Navy is off next week, but will return to the gridiron on Saturday, October 25th, when they host the Florida Atlantic Owls of the AAC. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 PM ET at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.
The Road Ahead
The service academies enter the midseason stretch with a mix of momentum and urgency. Army returns to conference play next week, traveling to New Orleans to face a tough Tulane team eager to climb the AAC standings. Air Force will look to regroup after another close defeat when it hosts Wyoming in a key MW battle. Now bowl eligible, Navy enjoys a well-earned bye before returning to action on October 25th in Annapolis, where the undefeated Mids will host Florida Atlantic.
