It’s Time
The Air Force Army football game is Saturday at West Poinit. And for the first time in several years Air Force can win the Commander-In Chiefs Trophy if they beat the Black Knights. Since Air Force won the trophy 4 years ago Army has won 3 straight games including that thriller at Falcon Stadium last year. To retired Air Force veterans, current Air Force personnel, former players, and fans this is the Have-To-Win-Game. Even Fisher Deberry during his statue dedication in September took several moments to talk about the game and what the C-I-C trophy means to the program. His comments about getting the trophy back drew the loudest applause. Big Air Force in Washington wants this win so they can walk the hallways at the Pentagon and remind Army commanders who has the best team. The Falcons last won it in 2022. They have claimed the trophy just once in the last 9 years, and for many that’s simply too long a drought. West Point considers the academy the “soft” academy. I’ve heard the Academy referred to as a country club. Army feels they are tougher. They say they play tougher. They even line up on the hashes as Air Force is introduced to try and intimidate the Falcons. The trophy is there for the taking. One game. 60 minutes to shut down the Army rhetoric, and to quiet the detractors who have grown increasingly restless with every year that passes without the trophy. What will it take? In my opinion the Falcons have to play their best game of the year. (That’s hardly a major revelation) Mistakes in this game are magnified so much and both teams capitalize on them. The margins for both are small. A turnover here, a dropped pass there, a missed kick, all can have giant implications. This senior class came into the season on a mission to wipe away memories of the last 2 years, to compete for a Mountain West Conference Championship game, to become bowl eligible, and to with the Commander in Chiefs Trophy. They got what they wanted, a chance to grab it. Opportunities like this have not been there in the last several years. Win, and this class will stand out. Lose, and all that noise will grow louder.
Air Force at Army. Pregame at 330 Saturday with the kick at 530p on 740 KVOR.
