College Football’s Last Pure Rivalry

Take the military academies out of the college football equation, and what remains is a host of systemic challenges that threaten the game’s integrity and long-term stability.

NIL money defines the business of the game that has transformed recruiting into a financial arms race for players, where fidelity is replaced by whoever cuts the biggest check. Moreover, the notorious transfer portal can dissolve a roster quicker than an Alka Seltzer tablet, undermining team cohesion and depriving fans of the opportunity to connect with developing players.

Meanwhile, conference realignment continues to sacrifice generational rivalries and regional identity in pursuit of lucrative broadcast deals, eroding the sport’s cultural roots. Any thoughts about equity and competitive balance are quickly dismissed.

As witnessed on December 7, the playoff expansion that continues to grow still ignites arguments as if an accurate assessment of the rankings will please everyone. Together, these issues paint a picture of a sport at a crossroads, struggling to balance tradition, fairness, and player well-being against the gravitational forces of an ever-deepening money pool, marketplace, and outside influencers.

In recent times, it feels like the soul of college football is being deflated, leaving many yearning for the cherished rituals and rivalries that at one time felt more genuine and even timeless.

Where Tradition Still Matters

That was not the case Saturday afternoon in Baltimore, as college football turned back the clock when the 126th Army-Navy game kicked off. This was not just another football game; it was a cultural event that transcended sport, symbolizing service, sacrifice, and the enduring spirit of competition between two military academies steeped in history, honor, and pageantry.

The Trophy That Time Forgot

Beyond the mere pride of the contest rests a trophy that feels like a relic of college football glory, a piece of hardware that has lingered in the shadows, rarely discussed and often overlooked by a media obsessed with the sport’s politics.

The Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy stands apart from other college football rivalry trophies because it represents not just athletic competition, but service, sacrifice, and national pride.

The CIC Trophy is awarded annually to the winner of the round-robin football series played between the three U.S. service academies: Army, Navy, and Air Force. Established in 1972, the trophy is named for the President of the United States. The winner not only earns bragging rights but receives formal recognition at the White House, underscoring the trophy’s unheralded yet national significance.

The trophy is an audacious 170-pound symbol of service academy omnipotence. Standing two and a half feet tall, it features three silver footballs and the mascots of each academy—the Army mule, Navy goat, and Air Force falcon—adding another layer of intensity to an already storied tradition.

A Rivalry Beyond the Spotlight

While the Army-Navy game commands the national spotlight, matchups with Air Force often decide the trophy’s fate, making this tri-service rivalry one of the most unique and meaningful in college football. Overall, Air Force has won the trophy 21 times, Navy 17, and Army 10.

Since both Army and Navy defeated Air Force earlier this season, the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy was on the line Saturday—and once again, it belongs to Navy. The Midshipmen secured back-to-back CIC Trophy victories for the first time since 2012–13.

Navy has now won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy 12 times in the last 22 years.

More Than a Game

In a season flooded with bowl games and playoff debates, the Army-Navy game remains the most profound, serving as a stark reminder that the fiercest battles on the field are played by those who will soon shoulder the responsibility of leading our troops in defense of the nation.

Navy entered the game ranked 23rd in the Associated Press poll and 25th in the AFCA Coaches poll—its highest ranking since finishing No. 20 in the final AP poll in 2019, a season that tied a school record with 11 wins.

With Saturday’s victory, Navy now leads the all-time series with Army 64-55-7.

The game marked the seventh time this storied rivalry was played in Baltimore, and with the regular season now complete, both programs have secured bowl berths.

Navy will face Cincinnati in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Friday, Jan. 2, in Memphis. Army will take on UConn in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 27, at Fenway Park in Boston.