College Football Stories

Throughout the 2026 college football season, Air Force, Army, and Navy will each compete to win the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, the award given annually to the winner of the series between the three schools. Navy has won the CIC Trophy each of the last two seasons. Air Force has won it 21 times, the most of the three academies.

In recent years, Army and Navy have been nationally relevant. Army won the American Championship in 2024 with the help of Heisman finalist quarterback Bryson Daily. Navy went 11-2 and finished with a No. 23 ranking in the AP Poll. The two teams are getting mentioned on a regular basis as more than just a fun, feel-good story; the teams are actually good. Air Force is in a bit of a rut, lately, but Troy Calhoun has produced five double-digit win seasons and has been to 13 bowl games in his 19 years as head coach.

Within the era of the transfer portal, NIL, conference realignment, and playoff expansion, fans may feel as though they don’t have much to hold onto from the “golden years” of college football. Service academy football is a throwback to what the sport is supposed to be. Players are allowed to portal out, but not in.

There is no paycheck, other than the one provided by the U.S. government, as these student-athletes are technically members of the Armed Forces. There is a 5-year mandatory service requirement upon graduation, meaning these young men are not just signing up to play football and get a free education, but to serve this nation while sacrificing other interests and opportunities along the way.

Let’s dive in to some of the most recent results and news for each of the three academies, and preview what the race for the CIC Trophy might look like in 2026.

Air Force

The Falcons of the United States Air Force Academy play their home games at Falcon Stadium in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado. Under Calhoun, Air Force has the best overall winning percentage among the three academies since the 2007 season. The Falcons have had more seasons with nine or more wins (8) than losing seasons (6) in the last two decades. Air Force has been the outright winner of the CIC Trophy five times in Calhoun’ tenure, going 11-8 against Army and 9-10 against Navy.

The 2019 Falcons were one of the program’s most successful teams of the modern era. Air Force posted an 11-2 record and No. 22 final ranking in the AP Poll. They beat Mike Leach’s Washington State Cougars 31-21 in the Cheez-It Bowl to finish their season with eight consecutive wins. A road loss to Navy in early October kept the Falcons from winning the CIC Trophy, but a win over Army a month later certainly lifted their spirits.

The last two seasons in Colorado Springs have been a struggle. The Falcons went a combined 9-15 in 2024 and 2025, including an 0-4 mark against the other two academies. After having a winning conference record in the Mountain West for 14 of his first 17 seasons, Calhoun has been under .500 in that category each of the last two seasons.

Offense

This season, the Falcons finally have some returning experience at the QB position. Liam Szarka is a 5-foot-11, 190-pound junior who appeared in the first ten games for Air Force in 2025 before suffering a season-ending injury against UConn in mid-November. Szarka is a true dual-threat QB, with nearly 1,300 passing yards and over 900 rushing yards in his injury-shortened campaign.

Owen Allen returns as the starting fullback, after rushing for 750 yards and five scores a season ago. Four of the five projected starters on the offensive line are seniors, providing valuable experience for the Falcons. The receiving room is green, with Jonah Dawson being the only wide out returning with a catch; he had 12 receptions a season ago.

Defense

Air Force will have a new man in charge of the defense in 2026. Steve Russ returns to his alma mater after spending the 2025 season as the defensive coordinator for the UAB Blazers. Russ played linebacker at Air Force, and coached under Calhoun from 2012 to 2017, and 2024. He will attempt to turn around a unit that ranked 108th or worse in five major categories, including opponents’ points per game, yards per game, and third-down percentage.

Senior linebacker Blake Fletcher leads a unit that returns eight starters from a season ago. Fletcher had 108 tackles last year. His fellow senior inside linebacker Dallas Dailey accounted for 45 tackles in 2025. The secondary returns Korey Johnson and Mikhail Seiken as the starting cornerbacks. Junior defensive end Jaylin Reese is the only key contributor from the 2025 defensive line that returns.

Schedule

Air Force welcomes the former FCS powerhouse North Dakota State Bison to their Mountain West Conference schedule on September 12th, 2026. The Falcons will play Navy at home on October 3rd and travel to West Point to face Army on November 7th. Sandwiched at the halfway point between the Navy and Army games is a rivalry match-up against the Wyoming Cowboys on October 23rd. The Falcons have not won a game in Laramie, Wyoming, since the 2012 season.

The Falcons will travel to DeKalb, Illinois, on Oct. 10th to battle another new Mountain West Conference foe, the Northern Illinois Huskies. UNLV, one of the favorites to win the league, comes to Colorado Springs on Oct. 17th. Air Force concludes their regular season on the road against New Mexico on Nov. 27th. The Lobos finished in a four-way tie for first place in the MWC last year.

Army

West Point, New York, is home to the United States Military Academy and the Black Knights’ home field, Michie Stadium. Overlooking the Hudson River, Michie offers one of the best views of any college stadium. Jeff Monken is beginning his 13th season as head coach of the Black Knights. He is, unquestionably, the most successful Army football coach of the modern era. He took over a team that had only been to two bowl games between 1989 and Monken’s first year, 2014. From 1998 to 2004, Army’s very forgettable stint in Conference-USA, the Black Knights never won more than three games in a season; they even went 0-13 in 2003.

When Monken arrived, the program regained hope and optimism, although the first two years were a struggle. The Knights went 6-18 in 2014 and 2015, but broke through for 8 wins and a victory over Navy in 2016. Since then, Monken has produced three double-digit win seasons, a 6-1 bowl record, a conference title, and four CIC championships.

After the historic 2024 season, the 2025 campaign was a bit of a letdown for Army. They beat Air Force for the third year in a row, but lost to Navy for the second straight season. They blew out UConn in the Fenway Bowl, but lost their season opener to FCS Tarleton State. They upset Kansas State on the road, but were 4-4 in conference play. Scoffing at 7-6 seasons may feel strange for someone who watched Army football in the early 2000’s, but Monken has developed this program into a consistent winner; the expecctations are high.

Offense

The departure of Bryson Daily at QB was huge. In 2024, the Black Knights had the best rushing attack in the nation, averaging 300.5 yards per game on the ground. This was almost 47 yards more per game than the second place New Mexico Lobos. In 2025, Army averaged 254 rushing yards per game, which was fourth in the country, but third among the service academies. Cale Hellums returns as the starting QB for 2026. Hellums threw for nearly 700 yards while rushing for 1,200 yards. He was responsible for 22 total touchdowns.

After running back Kanye Udoh transferred to Arizona State following the 2024 season, Army’s running back room took a huge hit. Udoh accounted for more than 1,100 rushing yards and ten scores. Noah Short and Hayden Reed did their best to make up for the loss of Udoh, with a combined 906 yards and four touchdowns. Both of these players are now gone, so the running back room is relatively inexperienced. Jake Rendina and Carson Smith combined for less than 100 carries last season and return with the most experience in the room. Godspower Nwawuihe is a 200-pound sophomore who was playing QB last season that is projected to be the starter at running back alongside senior Brady Mott.

Defense

The Black Knights defense was one of its’ strengths in 2025. Army allowed just 21.6 points per game, good for second in the American Athletic Conference. Only twice did an opponent score more than 28 points in a game. They were top-30 nationally against the pass, allowing just 190 yards per game through the air. Army returns just three starters from last year’s defense, including defensive end Jack Bousum, who recorded 8 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

The secondary will be led by third-year starting cornerback Jaydan Mayes, who has six career interceptions, including a 73-yard pick-6 last year against UTSA. Caleb Williams and Stephen Nnadozie are projected as the starters at safety for the Black Knights. First-year defensive coordinator Daryl Dixon replaces Nate Woody, who left West Point to take the same position at Cincinnati. Dixon has been a defensive assistant coach at Army since 2016.

Schedule

As always, this season for the Black Knights will be determined by how they fare in the hunt for the CIC Trophy, but more specifically, whether they beat Navy on December 12th. It really is that simple for Army, as they have lost to their arch rivals two years in a row. On November 7th, they will attempt to defeat Air Force for a fourth straight year, something they have never done.

The Black Knights face a conference schedule that includes five of the top seven favorites to win the league; Army is one of the top-seven. Fortunately, three of those games will be at home at Michie Stadium, and the game against Navy will be at a neutral site. Tulane, South Florida, and Memphis all have first-year head coaches. Those schools’ rosters also experienced a mass exodus of players to the Power Five school that their respective 2025 head coaches chose. Army will have to rely on its’ experience and continuity.

Navy

The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, is an institution that dates back to before the American Civil War. The Midshipmen host their home match-ups at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Head coach Brian Newberry enters his fourth season at the helm of the Navy football program. He has compiled back-to-back double-digit win seasons, a 2-1 record against Army, and has won the CIC Trophy each of the last two seasons.

The Mids’ 7-1 record in American Conference play last year matched their best-ever conference record, and their highest since 2019. The 21-5 overall record during the last two seasons marks the most wins over a two-year stretch in the history of the program; their previous best was a 20-7 run in 2015 and 2016. To their credit, much of this unprecedented run can be attributed to a core nucleus of veteran players and great leaders. Unfortunately for Newberry, far too many of those players are now gone. The fate of the 2026 Navy Midshipmen, specifically on offense, will be determined by a lot of new faces with something to prove.

Offense

Offensive coordinator Drew Cronic has worked wonders in his two years in Annapolis. The Midshipmen have been—as usual—among the best rushing teams in the country. But they have also recently established an excellent passing game to complement their ground attack.

The Mids led the country with 285 yards rushing per game, and finished tied for second in the nation with 41 rushing touchdowns. In 2025, quarterback Blake Horvath threw for over 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns. For most college football teams, these numbers would be abysmal. But, given the limitations of personnel at service academies, those stats are very impressive. Cronic’s offensive innovations have paid dividends for the Midshipmen during his short time there.

Horvath is gone after two phenomenal seasons as the starter in Annapolis. The Mids also have to replace running backs Eli Heidenreich and Alex Tecza. Heidenreich accounted for over 1,100 rushing yards and nearly 2,000 receiving yards during his career at Navy. Tecza had more than 2,600 rushing/receiving yards and 26 combined touchdowns as a three-year starter. These three players’ production will be greatly missed, as will their leadership capabilities.

Braxton Woodson is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound senior that will replace Horvath at QB. Woodson has started three games and attempted less than 100 passes in his career. His starting slot backs and running backs are Charles Robinson, Isaiah Bryant, and Vic Listorti, three upperclassmen who have combined for less than 25 career touches on offense. Woodson’s big target on the outside will be wide receiver Luke Hutchison, who has 9 career receptions for 162 yards and 3 TD’s. Suffice it to say, the Midshipmen offense is very inexperienced.

Defense

First-year defensive coordinator Eric Lewis will have his work cut out for him. The Mids’ defensive line is very green, as defensive tackle Griffen Willis is the only returning player with any significant experience on the entire unit. The senior had 6.5 tackles for loss and three sacks last season. Fortunately, the linebackers are more seasoned. MarcAnthony Parker is a junior who was named third-team all-conference in 2025 after totaling 97 tackles, 2 sacks, and an interception. His fellow backer, Coleman Cauley, had 79 tackles, 2 INTs, and forced three fumbles.

Safeties Phillip Hamilton and Giuseppe Sessi lead the Navy secondary. Hamilton had 49 tackles and 3 interceptions while Sessi finished with 81 tackles and a fumble recovery. Sessi was voted as a co-captain by his teammates for the upcoming season.

Schedule

Navy’s quest for its’ their consecutive CIC Trophy will start with a road trip to Air Force on Oct. 3rd. Prior to 2024, the Mids had lost four in a row to the Falcons from 2020 to 2023. Three of those four were double-digit losses. In the two most recent seasons, Navy has outscored Air Force 68-38. Navy will also be attempting something that they have never accomplished: winning a conference championship.

Army won the American Conference in 2024, in the Black Knights’ first year as a member of the league. Navy was close to going to the conference championship game last season, but missed out due to tie-breakers. In conference play, Navy starts out with back-to-back road trips to Florida Atlantic and UAB, two programs coming off 4-8 seasons. A rebuilt North Texas team comes to Annapolis for homecoming on Oct. 24th, one week before the Mids’ Halloween match-up against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Foxborough, Massachusetts. North Texas and Notre Dame were the only teams to beat Navy last season, and they did it in consecutive weeks.

Although Navy would love to win the American or beat Notre Dame, a successful season is always determined by the outcome of the Army-Navy game. The Mids blew out the Black Knights 31-13 in 2024 and won a closer contest, 17-16, in 2025. Since “the streak” ended in 2016, Navy has not beaten Army more than two years in a row. The Midshipmen are replacing a ton of production and experience on offense, while Army returns their starting QB from last season. But, “you can throw out the records in this one”, because the Army-Navy game does not play by the rules. This game does not care who the “better” team is. The game does not care who has the better players or system or scheme or momentum. Army-Navy is simply about who wants it the most. We shall see.