Football Defeats Rival Air Force; Biggest win since 1972

Saturday, November 4

Denver, CO

2:30 PM

Army West Point

3-6 , 0-0

Air Force

8-1 , 5-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Army West Point

Air Force

Football Defeats Rival Air Force; Biggest win since 1972

November 04, 2023 | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

DENVER, CO -- The Army West Point Black Knights (3-6) defeated rival #17 (AP)/#25 (CFP) Air Force Falcons (8-1), 23-3, at Empower Field at Mile High Home of the Denver Broncos.

It was Army's first win over an AP-ranked opponent since 1972, when defeating #19 Air Force. Army handed Air Force its first loss of the season and broke Air Force's 13-game win streak dating back to last season.

Army has won five of the last seven meetings vs. Air Force (2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2023). Army will now have the opportunity to win the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy outright on Dec. 9 vs. Navy, as Navy fell to Air Force 17-6 on Oct. 21.

It was also Army's first win of 20 or more points vs. an AP-ranked opponent since 1958 beating #18 South Carolina, 45-8.

Army QB Bryson Daily had a career-high 170 rushing yards on 36 carries (4.4 avg.) and two rushing touchdowns to ignite the Army offensive attack. Defensively, Nate Woody's unit only allowed three points and forced six turnovers, two of which were interceptions by DB Bo Nicolas-Paul.

Air Force won the toss and deferred allowing the Army offense to take the field first. Bryson Daily started at quarterback, making his first start in two weeks (10/14 vs. Troy) when he left the game with an injury.

On the fourth play of the game, Daily who was playing in his first service academy game, broke free on a 62-yard touchdown run as Army jumped out to a 7-0 lead. It was Army's longest rush of the season and the longest rush vs. Air Force since 2004.

The Army defense, specifically LB Leo Lowin and teammates came up with a huge stop on Air Force's first drive, stopping the Falcons on fourth-and-one on their own 34-yardline as Army took over with great field position. Army would take advantage of the field position to tack on a 45-yard field goal by K Quinn Maretzki, pushing the early lead to 10-0.

On the ensuing drive, the Army defense generated a turnover as Air Force QB Zac Larrier fumbled the ball in the act of a throw, as the Black Knights recovered at the Air Force 43-yardline.

The Black Knights offense threatened again following the turnover and faced a fourth-and-2 on the Air Force 12-yard line, in which Head Coach Jeff Monken wasted no time going for it, as Daily pushed forward to keep the drive alive.
Two plays later, Daily capped the 11-play drive with his second touchdown of the game from five yards out, as Army made a statement jumping out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. Daily eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in the first quarter.

The Black Knights weren't done having fun in the first quarter, as LB Brett Gerena laid a major hit on Falcons FB Emmanuel Michel to cause a fumble that LB Jimmy Ciarlo recovered as the first quarter came to an end in emphatic fashion. Army's 119 first quarter rushing yards were the most the Falcons defense allowed in any game all season.

Early in the second quarter, Army extended its lead, 20-0 on a 40-yard field goal by Maretzki, his second field goal over 40 yards on the day.

Air Force would get on the board before the half as K Matthew Dapore was good on a 30-yard field goal attempt.

The Army defense was not done however in the first half, forcing its third turnover of the half when DB Bo Nicolas-Paul intercepted Larrier and returned it 25 yards to set up Maretzki's third field goal from 38 yards out as Army took a 23-3 lead into the locker room.

In the third quarter, Air Force drove to the Army five-yard line threatening to score, but Senior DB Quindrelin Hammonds sacked Larrier for a loss of 10 to force a field goal attempt which was missed by Falcons K Matthew Dapore as the Army defense came up with a huge stop to keep it a 20-point game.

In the fourth, the Army defense kept the pressure on forcing three turnovers, highlighted by Nicolas-Paul's second interception of the game and two forced fumbles by LB Leo Lowin that were recovered by Army.

Daily passed 4-9 for 40 yards. RB Tyrell Robinson had one reception for 23 yards. Defensively LB Camden O'Gara forced two fumbles as well.

GAME NOTES:

Carrying the Flag: LB Camden O'Gara led the team out with the Black Flag.

DIVISION OF THE GAME: Army honored the 4th Infantry Division with a logo decal on the players' helmet and coaches' headsets. The 4th Infantry Division is a division of the United States Army based at Fort Carson, Colorado. It is composed of a division headquarters battalion, three brigade combat teams (two Stryker and one armor), a combat aviation brigade, a division sustainment brigade, and a division artillery.

• Army has won five of the last seven meetings vs. Air Force (2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2023).

• Coach Jeff Monken is now 5-5 in his Army career vs. Air Force (2014-pres.)

• Air Force leads the all-time series, 38-19-1, with the first meeting occurring in 1959 at Yankee Stadium, which resulted in the lone tie of the series, 13-13.

• The series is 3-2-1, Army all-time at neutral sites with games played at Yankee Stadium (1959), Soldier Field (1963, 1965), Globe Life Field (2021, 2022) and today at Empower Field and Mile High.

• 3 points allowed is the fewest points by the Army defense vs. Air Force since shutting them out, 21-0 in 2017.

• Army's last win before today vs. a ranked opponent was defeating #25 Navy in 2016, who was ranked in the CFP poll. Army's last win over an AP-ranked team was in 1972, defeating #19 Air Force.

• QB Bryson Daily finished with 170 rushing yards and two scores, his second career multi-rushing TD game.

• Daily is now one of four Army players to rush for over 150 yards and rush for two touchdowns vs. Air Force (since 1996), joining Carlton Jones (2004, 213 yards, two TDs), Michael Wallace (2000, 201 yards, three TDs) and Joseph Hewitt (1996, 161 yards, two TDs).

• Daily is the first Army rusher to rush for 150+ yards and two touchdowns since Christian Anderson did so in 2021 vs. Miami (Ohio).

• Daily's 170 rushing yards was the most vs. Air Force since Ahmad Bradshaw's 265 yards in 2017.

• DB Bo Nicolas-Paul intercepted two passes, giving him four for his career.

• K Quinn Maretzki was true on 3-3 field goals (45, 40, 38), his second game this season converting on three field goals.

• Senior DB Jabari Moore has now played in 55 career games, setting the record for most games played in Army football history surpassing Greg McGlasker's mark of 54 games played (1973-1977), with accurate data going back to the 1956 season.

• LB Leo Lowin led the defense with 12 tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles. Last week, Lowin was selected as a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, the "Academic Heisman". Lowin leads the team in tackles.

• This is the 2nd time that Army has beaten a team that entered the game 8-0 or better. The other instance was November 13, 1976 versus Colgate (entered 8-0) as Army won 29-13.

• It marks the first time since Oct. 7, 2017 vs. Rice that Army has forced six turnovers. It is the only the second time since at least 1996 that the Black Knights have forced six turnovers.