MetroBet takes a look at the Army versus Navy game with all of the betting info and advice on who will emerge victorious.
Navy Midshipmen vs. Army Black Knights (-7)
Moneyline: Midshipmen +240, Black Knights -280
Betting Total: 40 points
Time (Eastern), TV: 3 p.m., CBS
The Army Black Knights (9-2) should end their historically strong regular season on a high note against the Navy Midshipmen (3-9) at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA this Saturday.
Army and Navy are mirror images of each other on offense. Kelvin Hopkins has started every game for the Black Knights under center this year but has just 81 pass attempts. He prefers to get it done on the ground, rushing 179 times for 783 yards and 10 TDs, four more than he’s thrown in 2018. Only Darnell Woolfork, the team’s excellent starting tail back (823 yards on 194 carries), has more rushing attempts than Hopkins.
Garret Lewis and Zach Abbey have split starts at quarterback for the Midshipmen, but the offense goes through running back Malcolm Perry first and foremost (1,035 yards on 166 carries). He’s the leader of the nation’s third-best rushing attack, one spot behind Army.
But unlike the offenses, these defenses contrast starkly from one another. Army was 17th in points per game allowed this year and even gave Oklahoma a scare when they held the dynamic Sooners to 28 points in a seven-point loss. Their rushing defense is particularly strong, ranking 12th in the country, so they should give Perry and company all that they can handle on Saturday.
Navy, on the other hand, was 108th in points per game allowed. Even though the Midshipmen covered in four of their last five contests, their stoppers allowed an average of 35.8 points per game. They’re largely ineffective against the run, allowing 189 yards per game, which could doom them in this one.
The Black Knights, going for their third straight win in this series after losing the prior 14 meetings with the Midshipmen, have also covered in six of these last seven interservice affairs. Furthermore, Army appears to have the upper hand on Navy this year based on common matchups. The Black Knights prevailed 28-21 over Hawaii and 17-14 over Air Force in 2018, while Navy lost both decisions (59-41 to Hawaii and 35-7 to Air Force).
With both offenses stressing the ground game, logic dictates that the Under (40) is the way to go, but Navy’s porous defense may prevent that from happening. Even though these programs have gone Under in each of their last 12 meetings, this number seems too low. Stay away from the total and just lay the points with the Black Knights, who look head-and-shoulders best this season.
Prediction: Army wins, 28-17
The play: Army -7
