Week 12 of the college season delivered another dramatic slate for service academy football, marked by emotional and physical highs and lows that will shape the final stretch of the 2025 campaign. Navy battled through a wild, back-and-forth shootout against nationally ranked South Florida (USF), overcoming injuries and late-game adversity to secure a crucial conference victory and remain atop the AAC standings.
Air Force, meanwhile, completed a grueling two-week road game stretch at UConn, where the Falcons showed grit and toughness but ultimately fell short in East Hartford. This defeat came with an even steeper cost, as starting quarterback Liam Szarka was lost to injury, an untimely setback as the Falcons prepare to host Mountain West Conference (MW) opponent New Mexico. Army was the lone academy on a bye, using the week to reset and prepare for a pivotal home matchup that could clinch bowl eligibility.
Navy Runs with the Bulls on the Way to Victory
Navy and USF delivered one of the wildest shootouts of the AAC season, with both offenses trading explosive plays in a game that featured a combined total of 1,080 yards of offense. The Midshipmen leaned on a balanced attack led by senior slotback Eli Heidenreich, who hauled in five receptions for 146 yards to become Navy’s all-time receiving yards leader. Running back Alex Tecza had 140 total yards and two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air. Quarterbacks Blake Horvath and Braxton Woodson combined for three total scores. Horvath added a 14-yard passing touchdown before exiting with an injury, and Woodson contributed two electric touchdown runs coming off the bench.
For USF, quarterback Byrum Brown kept the Bulls within striking distance all afternoon, accounting for three total touchdowns, including a 60-yard scoring run and two passing touchdowns to Keshaun Singleton and Mudia Reuben. Running back Nykahi Davenport added a passing touchdown of his own on a trick play, showcasing the creativity of a Bulls offense that refused to go quietly in Annapolis.
USF had possession first in the game, but was forced to punt after running seven plays. The Mids struck first on their next possession with an absolutely monster 76-yard rushing touchdown by Tecza out of the no-huddle shotgun. With Nathan Kirkwood’s extra point, Navy led 7-0 at 9:53.
The Bulls answered with a field goal scoring drive. Nico Gramatica’s kick from 22 yards out was good at 6:40 in the opening quarter. Down 7-3, the USF defense forced a fumble that was recovered by graduate student outside linebacker Mac Harris at the Bulls’ 30-yard line. Brown was sacked on 3rd & 10 at the USF 45-yard line on the next possession. The play, made by Navy defensive standouts MarcAnthony Parker and Julien Moutome, forced the Bulls to punt.
Navy used a three-play possession to increase its lead to 14-3 as time expired in the first quarter. Horvath’s 82-yard pass down the middle to Heidenreich set up Brandon Chatman’s four-yard touchdown run.
The Bulls found the end zone on Brown’s 12-yard pass to Singleton at 12:53 of the second. The quarterback failed to convert the two-point conversion as his pass to Singleton was incomplete. USF still trailed 14-9. Navy and USF each went three-and-out on their next possessions, exchanging punts. Horvath extended the Mids’ lead to 21-9 at the 7:00 minute mark, hitting Tecza for a 14-yard touchdown pass.
The Mids’ defense came up with another big play in the first half as sophomore cornerback Phillip Hamilton intercepted Brown. Navy took advantage of the turnover by getting three more points on Kirkwood’s successful 44-yard field goal attempt. The Midshipmen led 24-9 with 4:30 left in the half.
A ten-play possession that included USF recovering its own fumble, and ended with the Navy defense stuffing the Bulls offense on 4th & 1 at the Mids’ 31-yard line. With the ball turned over on downs, Navy was forced to punt. The Bulls ran three passing plays before time expired in the opening half. The Midshipmen led 24-9 at halftime.
Navy went three-and-out on its first drive of the second half. Brown’s first play of the 3rd quarter was a big 36-yard pass to freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Koger. With Gramatica’s extra point, USF trailed 24-16. On their next possession, the Midshipmen burned up 7:26 of game clock on 13 plays before punting the ball away. The Bulls responded with a punt of their own after going three-and-out. The Mids’ next drive carried the game into the fourth quarter. At the 14:17 mark, Kirkwood hit a 31-yard field goal that increased Navy’s lead to 27-16.
That’s when things got wild in this ballgame. The next five possessions ended in touchdowns as the two offenses fought valiantly to win this slugfest.
USF got within three points on Brown’s 60-yard run up the middle at 13:59. Still leading 27-24, Horvath ran a quarterback keeper for an eight-yard gain at 13:53. Untouched as he ran out of bounds, the senior signal-caller sat down on the ground and called for the athletic trainers. Trainers were seen stretching his right leg before Horvath left the field under his own strength.
Backup quarterback Woodson entered the game and immediately got to work through the air and on the ground. The junior’s 32-yard pass to Heidenreich was followed up with a 20-yard touchdown run of his own. With the extra point, Navy led 34-24 at 9:29.
Brown and running back Davenport teamed up on the next scoring drive. After rushing for one yard, Davenport took over at the quarterback position, throwing a 29-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Koger on a hat trick play. Gramatica’s extra point attempt went wide, as the Bulls trailed 34-30 with 6:14 left in regulation.
A four-play drive culminated in Woodson’s 64-yard touchdown run out of the shotgun at the 3:59 mark. Navy extended its lead to 41-30. On their next possession, Brown connected with Reuben for a 41-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion, Brown’s pass to Singleton, made this a nail-biter with 1:55 left.
Leading 41-38, Navy recovered USF’s onside kick attempt at the Bulls’ 43-yard line, but the offense turned the ball over on downs. Woodson’s pass to the ever-reliable Heidenreich on 4th & 11 from the USF 34 was incomplete with six seconds left to play.
The Bulls got the ball back one more time, but a lateral play ended in a fumble that junior safety Kush’i Abraham recovered as time expired.
With this significant victory, Navy (8-2, 6-1 AAC) now sits alone atop a crowded AAC leaderboard, with USF’s record now standing at 7-3 (4-2 AAC). The Midshipmen will get a much-needed bye week before returning to action on the road against one of the conference’s premier programs, Memphis. The Tigers have notched eight wins this season, four in AAC play. Loaded with postseason implications for the winner and loser, the Thanksgiving Day tussle is scheduled for a 7:30 PM ET kickoff.
Huskies Respectfully Take a Bite out of Air Force
Few things in college sports are more moving than when a service academy goes on the road to face a non-military opponent. Despite the tension that builds before and during these contests, the atmosphere almost always transforms the moment the final whistle blows. Cadets, staff, and fans, no longer divided by colors or conference, find themselves standing shoulder to shoulder as Americans, united by respect rather than rivalry.
That spirit was on full display Saturday as We Are The Mighty traveled to East Hartford for Air Force’s matchup with UConn. The Huskies staff, the UConn faithful, and a crowd of 31,457 welcomed the Falcons with genuine admiration, making it clear how deeply they value the men and women who have taken the sacred oath to defend this nation.
In the days leading up to the game, UConn head coach Jim L. Mora set the tone with heartfelt praise for the Falcons, calling their players “some of the smartest young men in the United States of America.” He continued, “They’re warriors. They play with that warrior spirit. You don’t go to the Air Force Academy unless you’ve got something special in your heart and soul, and they play that way.”
Just before kickoff, that mutual respect was unmistakable. An Air Force honor guard stood proudly with the flags of the Air Force and Space Force on display at midfield alongside the Huskies Marching Band as they performed the National Anthem—a powerful, symbolic moment befitting the occasion.
Air Force veteran and head coach Troy Calhoun’s squad leaned on its ground game once again, rushing for a total of 290 yards. Running back Owen Allen led the team with 122 yards on 22 carries. Fullback Dylan Carson had an outstanding day for the Falcons, running for 58 yards and the Falcons’ two touchdowns. The Falcons got minimal passing output on Saturday with quarterback Liam Szarka completing two of three passes for 34 yards, and backup Kemper Hodges completing four of eight for 32 yards. Cade Harris led the team with two catches for 25 yards. The senior receiver also had 25 yards on a kick return.
On defense, linebacker Blake Fletcher and defensive back Max Mustell each had eight tackles for Air Force.
On Senior Day, UConn’s offense was paced by veteran quarterback Joe Fagnano, who completed 15 of 23 passes for 155 yards. He added 10 yards and a touchdown on the ground to his statistics. Running back Cam Edwards finished the game with 165 rushing yards on 24 carries, scoring two key touchdowns. Wide receiver Skyler Bell was Fagnano’s top target, hauling in eight receptions for 70 yards, providing several chain-moving plays that helped UConn control the tempo late.
Defensive back Malachi McLean and linebacker Oumar Diomande led the Huskies’ defense with 13 tackles apiece.
UConn won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. As a result, Air Force, in their road grays, opened the game with the ball. It seemed like the entire Huskies defense came for the Falcons on the opening play. Despite the pressure, Carson found a way to get three yards on his run. Air Force went three-and-out on their opening drive, punting after Szarka’s deep pass up the middle missed its mark, receiver Harris.
UConn running back Edwards had two explosive runs to help set up the Huskies’ first scoring drive. Fagnano took matters into his own hands and scored on a 10-yard rushing touchdown to the left. The graduate student-playcaller stretched the ball out over the pylon before going out of bounds, with the play being reviewed and standing. Air Force blocked the field goal, which resulted in a sloppy pick-up and desperate throw that was intercepted by the Falcons. However, Air Force couldn’t do any damage on this play as defensive back Roger Jones Jr. was forced out of bounds near the team’s 40-yard line. The Huskies led 6-0 at 10:29 of the first quarter.
The Falcons used their rush attack to take the lead at 4:48. An overwhelmingly run-heavy drive culminated in Carson’s six-yard rushing touchdown up the middle to give his team the lead at 4:48 in the opening frame. With Reagan Tubbs’ extra point, Air Force led 7-6.
On UConn’s next drive, Fagnano was picked off by Mustell at the Air Force 45-yard line. The Falcons failed to capitalize on this outstanding defensive play, turning over the ball on downs at 2:42 in the first quarter. Fagnano and company went three-and-out on their next possession, punting the ball away at the 1:50 mark of the first quarter.
The Falcons’ next possession carried the game into the second quarter and burned up 11:50 of the game clock. On the second play of this quarter, Szarka showed off his arm with a deep pass up the middle to Harris for 24 yards and the first down. Air Force drove the ball deep into enemy territory on the ground. On 4th & 3 on the UConn 3-yard line, the Falcons went for it. Szarka kept the ball and ran to the left for a one-yard gain, failing to find the end zone. A roaring home crowd acknowledged this huge defensive stand. The ball was turned over on downs to the Huskies deep in Falcons’ territory at the 5:00 minute mark. An injured Szarka also exited the game after this play.
UConn went three-and-out on its next possession, punting away the ball to Air Force with 4:13 left in the half. Hodges then came into the game to replace the injured Szarka behind center. Air Force set Tubbs up for a field goal attempt from 53 yards out. This attempt was short right and no good at 1:43 in the second.
The Huskies took over and effectively moved the football downfield, as Fagnano spread his passes out amongst his receiver corps. A Reymello Murphy 31-yard pass that resulted in a touchdown was called back due to a UConn illegal formation penalty before the snap. Boos echoed across Pratt & Whitney Stadium as the Huskies failed to execute another touchdown-producing play. UConn had to settle for a 47-yard field goal from Chris Freeman that put the home team up 9-7 with 32 seconds remaining in the half.
Air Force ran three plays before time expired in the first half. UConn led the Falcons 9-7 at halftime.
The Huskies opened up the second half with Edwards’ monster 36-yard run. The star running back’s legs and Fagnano’s arm helped to set up a touchdown at 11:18 of the third. Edwards was rewarded for his efforts on the drive with an eight-yard rushing touchdown. With the extra point, the Huskies led 16-7. Air Force answered with an 11-play scoring drive of their own that ended with Tubbs’ 36-yard field goal to make the score 16-10.
UConn ran nine plays before time expired in the third quarter. Still with the ball to open the final frame, the Huskies ran two more plays before resorting to a field goal of their own. Freeman’s 27-yard attempt was good. This increased UConn’s lead to 19-10 at the 14:16 mark of the fourth.
Air Force couldn’t get a break on its next possession, running six plays before punting the football away at 11:52. On the next drive, the Huskies’ push into Falcons territory was highlighted by a big 31-yard run to the right by Edwards on 1st & 10 to the Air Force 41-yard line. Six plays later, Edwards found the end zone again on a five-yard rushing touchdown to the right at 5:28 of the fourth quarter. With Freeman’s extra point, UConn increased its lead to 26-10.
Hodges used his dual-threat abilities to move his team downfield. On back-to-back plays, he ran the ball for 18 and 16 yards, respectively. This explosive drive set up Carson’s rushing two-yard touchdown up the middle to make the score 26-16. Hodges’ sidearm toss to Tylor Latham failed to convert the two-point conversion.
Tubbs’ onside kickoff attempt failed at 2:29, with the Huskies beginning their drive at the Air Force 42-yard line. UConn ran five more plays to secure a game-winning first down. With 33 seconds remaining, the home team took a knee to drain the clock. As the game ended, men and women from both sidelines embraced and shook hands with their opponents. Before leaving the field, the Air Force squad assembled in the corner of the stadium designated for visiting fans to salute the fans and receive applause for yet another hard-fought battle on the road.
The Huskies secured their eighth victory of the season with the 26-16 win, while Air Force fell to 3-7 (2-4 MW) in the 2025 campaign. With this loss and two games remaining on the schedule, the Falcons have officially been eliminated from bowl eligibility. As if that wasn’t difficult enough, the post-game press conference brought more bad news: head coach Troy Calhoun revealed that Szarka may be done for the season after sustaining a fracture in his arm late in the second quarter.
After a grueling two-week travel stretch that saw the Falcons compete on opposite coasts, Air Force now returns to the friendly confines of Colorado Springs for a Week 13 matchup against New Mexico (7-3, 4-2 MW). The Lobos last played on November 15th, earning a hard-fought 20-17 victory over Mountain West rival Colorado State. Air Force and New Mexico will square off on Saturday, November 22nd, with kickoff scheduled for 7 PM ET, streaming on Fubo and YouTube TV.
Junior quarterback Jack Layne, a dual-threat playmaker from Lake Oswego, Oregon, powers the Lobos offense. The 6-foot-2, 206-pound signal-caller has been one of the Mountain West’s most reliable producers this season, completing 175 of 262 passes for 2,166 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has also contributed on the ground, adding 117 rushing yards and three scores.
Senior running back Damon Bankston remains a cornerstone of the New Mexico attack. A versatile threat as both a runner and receiver, the 5-foot-10, 186-pound veteran has totaled 461 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 84 carries, while also hauling in 22 receptions for 339 yards and three more scores. Layne’s go-to target has been junior wide receiver Keagan Johnson, who leads the team with 50 catches for 638 yards and three touchdowns.
Air Force faces a Herculean challenge next weekend at Falcon Stadium. With Szarka sidelined due to injury, the Falcons will spend the week preparing a backup quarterback to take the reins of the offense. Hodges, a converted fullback, and Josh Johnson, who started the first three games of the season, are likely Coach Calhoun’s options for the remainder of the year. Whoever lines up behind center this weekend will be tested by a strong New Mexico defense, anchored by a veteran linebacker unit that has given opposing rushing attacks problems all season.
Army Eyes Bowl Eligibility After Bye
Tulsa (3-7, 0-6 AAC) will visit Michie Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 22, for an AAC matchup against Army. Returning from a bye week, the Black Knights look to secure bowl eligibility with a win over one of the conference’s bottom-two teams. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 PM ET, with streaming available on Fubo and YouTube TV.
Playcaller Baylor Hayes directs the Golden Hurricane offense. The redshirt freshman from Brentwood, Tennessee has completed 155 of 263 passes for 1,732 yards and 10 touchdowns, while also contributing on the ground with 172 rushing yards and three scores.
Running back Dominic Richardson anchors the Tulsa backfield, posting 862 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 184 carries, while adding value as a receiver with 19 catches for 108 yards. Tulsa’s top receiving threat is tight end Brody Foley, who leads the team with 34 receptions for 504 yards and seven touchdowns. One of the most productive tight ends in the AAC this season, he also has two rushing touchdowns.
To secure bowl eligibility, Army will need to lean on the formula that has carried them all season: dominate the line of scrimmage with their ground-based offense, control time of possession, and limit explosive plays from Tulsa’s backfield. Keeping Hayes contained in the pocket and preventing tight end Foley from finding space over the middle will be critical defensive priorities. If the Black Knights can force the Golden Hurricane into long third-down situations and wear down their defense with sustained, clock-draining drives, Army will put itself in a prime position to close out a crucial home win at Michie Stadium.
The Road Ahead
All three service academies enter Week 13 with major implications still on the line. Navy gets a much-needed bye week to recover and regroup, not only after a wild shootout victory over USF, but also to assess the status of quarterback Blake Horvath, who left the game with a leg injury just six days after returning from the setback he suffered against North Texas. The Mids will need him as close to full strength as possible before their pivotal Thanksgiving night showdown with Memphis.
Air Force, now officially eliminated from bowl contention, returns home after a grueling two-week travel stretch to host a strong New Mexico squad at Falcon Stadium, where the Falcons will likely lean on backup quarterback Kemper Hodges or early-season starter Josh Johnson in place of the injured Liam Szarka. Army, meanwhile, sits one win away from bowl eligibility and will look to secure its sixth victory when the Black Knights host Tulsa at Michie Stadium; a win would lock in a postseason berth and build momentum heading into the final stretch of their 2025 campaign.
