Army vs. Navy live final score: Black Knights break streak at 14 years, 21-17

Army 21, Navy 17 (final). The streak is over. Army is 7-5 with a win over its archrival and a bowl trip still to go. Glorious.

Army 21, Navy 17 (1:49, 4Q). Army’s driving to try and ice its first win over Navy since 2001. This photo says it all:

Army 21, Navy 17 (6:000, 4Q). The Black Knights bounce right back and might only need one stop in order to end the streak. An 80-yard drive, punctuated by a fourth-down conversion by Andy Davidson and a touchdown run by QB Ahmad Bradshaw, sets up yet another thrilling ending, one way or the other.

Navy 17, Army 14 (12:42, 4Q). A rough first half for rookie starting QB Zach Abey is now a distant memory after a third scoring drive, this one capped by a weaving, 41-yard Abey TD to give the Midshipmen their first lead of the year. Army’s 14-point lead is a distant memory.

Army 14, Navy 10 (1:22, 3Q) Navy forces another Army fumble, and it was recovered by Sean Williams to give the Midshipmen the ball back on their own 36, marking the seventh turnover of the game. It was also the second fumble by fullback Andy Davidson for Army on the day.

Army 14, Navy 10 (3:59, 3Q) Navy kicker Bennett Moehring makes a 28-yard field goal to cut Army’s lead to just four.

Army 14, Navy 7 (11:23, 3Q) Navy capitalizes on the forced turnover with a one-yard Zach Abey quarterback keeper TD to get the Midshipmen on the board.

Army 14, Navy, 0 (14:08, 3Q). Navy’s Jarid Ryan forces an Army fumble on the second play of the half, and Sean Williams recovers it to give Navy the ball back in Army territory.

Army 14, Navy 0 (halftime). Army opted to head into halftime without much more drama. It’s 14-0, and Navy’s 14-year winning streak in this series is in serious jeopardy.

Let’s talk about how badly this is going for the Midshipmen.

Army has 14 first downs. Navy has run 13 total plays. Navy QB Zach Abey, making his first career start for the injured Will Worth, has thrown three passes and had two intercepted. In total, Navy had three turnovers in the first half alone. Navy has gotten one first down itself and is being summarily walloped.

What’s happening here is stunning. Army’s 30 minutes from doing this thing.

Army 14, Navy 0 (1:10, 2Q). The turnovers are flowing too fast to update this live blog. Army had just crossed midfield and threatened to go up 21-0, but the Black Knights fumbled the ball away. Navy QB Zach Abey promptly threw an interception on Navy’s first play, and it was an ugly one. The Knights are in business again, and this game’s had five first-half turnovers.

Army 14, Navy 0 (7:12, 2Q). Touchdown, Army, on a 1-yard plunge by fullback Andy Davidson. The Black Knights have made it really hard for the Mids to get off the field.

Army is 4 of 5 on third downs and, on the only failure, the Knights got a short-yardage conversion on the ensuing fourth down to set up the TD. Jeff Monken’s team is 6 of 12 on field goals this year, and that probably made it easier to hunt for fourth-down yardage.

Here’s a bit, by the way, on why Navy might be working out of the shotgun: New QB Zach Abey is a shotgun guy, and it’s at least a different look to throw at Army. It just hasn’t worked much so far. (The Black Knights have come out in some shotgun sets, too.)

Army 7, Navy 0 (13:27, 2Q). Navy’s Alex Barta just hit a 15-yard punt, which seems a bit deflating. It went from Navy’s 31 to Navy’s 46-yard line. Barta averaged 43.5 yards per boot coming in, so it’s uncharacteristic.

Army 7, Navy 0 (13:40, 2Q). The pageantry of this game is always awesome. Your checklist so far: The president-elect’s in attendance, and Navy had some badass parachuters drop into the stadium right before the game. Add in the cool uniforms and the crowd and the student sections, and it’s just all really cool.

Army 7, Navy 0 (:26, 1Q). Navy counters with Sean Williams’ first career INT.

Army 7, Navy 0 (3:55, 1Q). Two turnovers already, with rookie Navy QB Zach Abey chucking one into a crowd. Army ball again.

Army 7, Navy 0 (4:23, 1Q). Army takes advantage of the turnover, striking first after a 14-play drive. Both teams have made use of pistol and shotgun already, diverting somewhat from the game’s standard flexbone look. Andy Davidson cashed in the 1-yarder:

This is also your reminder that Navy’s defense has been pretty bad most of the year.

0-0 (11:20, 1Q). The first turnover of the game: Navy coughs up a fumble to Army, Shawn White’s first giveaway of the season.

No. 25 Navy (9-3) fell short of an American Athletic Conference title and potential Cotton Bowl bid, but a chance to make it 15 in a row against arch rival Army (6-5) meant everything was still on the line. The Black Knights entered their game Saturday with their best record since 2010 and their best shot in years at ending the streak.

Navy entered as a 5-point favorite with a scoring total over/under around 47, meaning Vegas forecasted a final score in the area of Navy 26, Army 21.

A wounded Navy still has the Armed Forces Bowl against Louisiana Tech to go, while underdog Army’s first bowl bid in years will come against North Texas in the Heart of Dallas.

Both teams still use their classic flexbone option offenses, with Navy’s ranking as the country’s No. 25 offense, per S&P+, despite now being down to third-string QB Zach Abey, a first-time starter. Army hasn’t been nearly as lethal on offense, but the Black Knights have been far better than Navy on defense, even adjusting for opponent. Strength vs. strength!

Oh, and both teams are wearing amazing uniforms, as is custom. Army’s are tributes to World War II paratroopers, while Navy’s pay homage to the program’s 1963 Cotton Bowl and include some devastating (and potentially embarrassing) rivalry shade.