Saturday’s Army-Navy match was watched by unprecedented numbers of spectators.
The Midshipmen pulled off the upset in Landover, Maryland, 31-13, to increase their all-time lead in the series, 63-55-7, and end a two-game losing streak to the Black Knights.
For the first time since 2020, Donald Trump attended the game, this time as president-elect.
President Biden has not attended the rivalry game since he was elected, but he did participate in the race in 2011 and 2012.
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President-elect Trump gestures to the crowd at an Army-Navy game at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Trump attended the game with Vice President-elect JD Vance, Elon Musk, Pete Hegseth, Daniel Penny and others from a luxury suite. And it may be fair to say that many tuned in to catch a glimpse of the future 47th president.
In fact, with Trump in attendance, the game had the largest audience on record.
The game attracted an average of 9.4 million viewers, the most since at least 1990. Its previous high was 8.45 million in 1992, and this year’s figure represents a 31% increase over viewership. last year of 7.2 million.
It is easily the most-watched Army-Navy game since CBS assumed broadcast rights in 1996. In fact, it was the most-watched game on CBS this year, trailing only the Big Ten title game.
It now ranks as the 11th most-watched college football game this season, ahead of three conference championship games including the Big 12, and is the most-watched game that did not involve the Big Ten or the SEC.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana; President-elect Trump; Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla; and Vice President-elect JD Vance attend the 125th Army-Navy football game at Northwest Stadium on Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Maryland. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Viewers of the game have increased since the game moved to the week after conference championship weekend in 2009. It is now the only college game of the day. This year, both teams qualified for the first time since 1960. This year’s game was also the highest-scoring Army-Navy matchup since 2011.
Navy took a 14-0 lead and even though Army cut its deficit to four, the Midshipmen never looked back, scoring a 52-yard touchdown and then finding the end zone again shortly after a fake punt. With the victory, the Navy earned the Commander in Chief Trophy, having also defeated the Air Force earlier this year.
The Army had won six of the previous eight meetings after the Navy had a good streak of winning 16 of 17 meetings. The Midshipmen are 9-3 on the season, while Army fell to 11-2.
Navy Midshipmen running back Brandon Chatman (24) scores a touchdown against the Army Black Knights during the first half of the 125th meeting between the teams at Northwest Stadium on Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Maryland . (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Both teams now focus on their respective bowl games. Navy will face Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl and Army will face Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl.
