No. 21 Army hosts Air Force Saturday on CBS in the 59th all-time meeting between the programs. This weekend will mark the second leg in the race for the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy after Air Force fell to Navy earlier this season, 34-7.
Army is coming off a 45-28 win over East Carolina at home to move to 7-0 on the season. The Black Knights are riding an 11-game winning streak dating back to last season, which is currently the longest in the FBS. Army’s last loss came to UMass on Oct. 28 of last year.
Army can potentially play itself into the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff by running the table. The Black Knights are one of eight undefeated FBS teams heading into Week 10.
Air Force is moving in the opposite direction. The Falcons have lost six consecutive games since a Week 1 win over Merrimac and fell to Colorado State 21-13 in their most recent outing on Oct. 19. Air Force’s six-game skid is tied with Purdue, Southern Mississippi and UAB for the third-longest active losing streak in the FBS.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of this weekend’s showdown.
Army vs. Air Force: Need to know
The ground game is the key: Heading into the weekend, Army leads the FBS in rushing yards at 359.1 per game — almost 85 more yards per game than the second-ranked team in the FBS (Boise State). Army quarterback Bryson Daily has run for a team-high 909 yards and 19 touchdowns in seven games. While the Army’s rushing attack has been lethal, the run defense has been just as stout. Army is allowing just 79.6 yards per game — the third-fewest in the FBS. Running the football and stopping the run has been the key to a 7-0 start.
Air Force can end losing streak in big way: Air Force is on the verge of dropping its seventh consecutive game, which would be tied for the second-longest losing streak in program history. What better way to end the losing streak than beating your rival? Army has won three of the last four games in this series, and Air Force has scored more than 17 points in the seven meetings. Something will have to give this weekend.
Army’s CFP aspirations: With the calendar turning to November and the first batch of CFP Rankings on the horizon, each game will become magnified. If Army runs the table, it will have as good of a chance as any Group of Five program of earning the fifth automatic bid to the playoff. Boise State is currently in the driver’s seat to take that spot — assuming it wins out and captures the Mountain West title — but Army isn’t too far behind. A slip-up by the Broncos down the stretch could create chaos and open the door for Army to get in.
How to watch Army vs. Air Force live
Date: Saturday, Nov. 2 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Michie Stadium — West Point, New York
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
Streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime (Try It Free)
Army vs. Air Force prediction, picks
Odds via Fanatics. Check out Fanatics Sportsbook for all the Week 10 action and use Fanatics promo to get in the game.
This game is about two programs heading in two completely different directions. Army can secure style points toward a potential bid to the CFP with a win, while Air Force hopes to snap a dreaded losing streak that dates back to August. Army is 6-0-1 ATS, while Air Force has yet to cover in all seven of its games. This is a perfect recipe for a big day from Daily on the ground and a blowout win for the home team. Pick: Army -21.5
