Army football to play for CIC Trophy following win over Air Force without QB Bryson Daily
Army football faced its biggest challenge of the season, and it wasn’t necessarily the opponent.
The No. 21 Black Knights had to go without star quarterback Bryson Daily for the first time in more than a year, and Army struggled early on in its 20-3 service academy win over Air Force before a sell-out crowd at Michie Stadium on a cool and sunny Saturday.
Like last season in Denver, Army’s defense posted six sacks and added three interceptions.
"Our defense just played their hearts out,'' Army head coach Jeff Monken said. "I'm so proud of them.''
Army moved to 8-0 and stays in the hunt for a College Football Playoff spot in the 12-team field to be announced next month. The 12-game win streak is the best in the nation, and Army has yet to trail in any game. Army has won six of the last eight meetings with Air Force.
Junior Dewayne Coleman saw his first starting action after five relief outings in earlier blowout games, and the offense did not move as efficiently as usual.
"Our team came together,'' Coleman said. "They surrounded me with love and support.''
Sophomore running back Kanye Udoh helped settle matters with a career-high 158 yards, and two touchdowns in the second half. Monken said Udoh was more effective after halftime once the coaches started calling plays more usual to the offense rather than finding ways with a new quarterback.
"He is a great athlete,'' Coleman said of Udoh. "He's a great student of the game as well.''
The Black Knights drove into the red zone but failed to produce a touchdown on their opening drive for the first time this season, settling for a 30-yard field goal by Trey Gronotte.
Army went three and out on its second series but answered back with another Gronotte field goal, from 31-yards, for a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Army’s offensive line came out strong in the third quarter, allowing Udoh to run seven times for 43 yards, the last 12 going untouched for a touchdown for a 13-3 lead five minutes into the half.
Early in the fourth quarter, Army’s Casey Larkin was flagged for a questionable pass interference call that led the Falcons to the 21-yard line. Three plays later, though, Larkin stepped in front of the in-cut route of receiver Tre Roberson for an interception at the 7-yard line, thwarting Air Force’s best chance of the day.
Udoh scored untouched from 25 yards with 1:46 left for the final margin.
Army football: Daily return unknown
The Army staff kept Daily’s absence well-hidden and undisclosed until an hour before the start of the game. The team said Daily has an undisclosed illness or injury. Coleman said it was an illness during the post-game but Monken did not want to elaborate. Monken said he hopes to have Daily back this coming week.
Daily’s absence clearly had an effect on the Army offense. There were a handful of plays where Coleman and Udoh were not on the same page, one resulting in a collision that led to a fumble on which Coleman had to fall.
CIC Trophy still at stake
The winner of the Dec. 14 Army-Navy game in Landover, Md., will determine the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy Series. Air Force lost to the other service academies and is eliminated from the 2024 chase.
Army is the defending champion, proudly displaying the trophy in its locker room this week.
More: College football TV, radio, web schedules for 2024
Up next
Army (8-0) will play at North Texas (5-3) at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 9, televised by ESPN2.
X / Twitter: @Ken McMillan THR
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Army beats Air Force to stay alive in CIC Trophy hunt
