#18 Football Grinds Out 14-3 Win at North Texas

Saturday, November 9

Denton, TX

3:30 PM

Army West Point

9-0 , 7-0

North Texas

5-4 , 2-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Army West Point

North Texas

#18 Football Grinds Out 14-3 Win at North Texas

November 09, 2024 | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

Denton, Texas -- The #18 AP-ranked Army Black Knights (9-0, 7-0 AAC) hit the road and defeated conference foe North Texas (5-3, 2-3), 14-3 for what was the Black Knights 13th consecutive win dating back to last season.

QB Bryson Daily returned to the starting lineup after missing last week's game (injury or illness) and didn't miss a beat rushing for 153 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 36 carries (4.2 avg.).

Army's defense came up clutch against an offense that entered the game ranking highly nationally in many key categories forcing a key first-half goal-line stand and intercepting two passes in the red zone in the second half. Army's defense has not allowed a touchdown in the last two games, allowing just a field goal in each. North Texas entered the game averaging 40.8 points per game and the Army defense held them to just three points on the afternoon.

On the first drive of the game, North Texas drove 18 plays to convert a 31-yard field goal by K Kali Nguma to take a 3-0 lead, the first-time all-season Army has trailed. The Army defense held in the red zone with a sack from DL Kyle Lewis, and a tackle for a loss of –3 from DL Kody Harris-Miller. On the drive the Mean Green converted two fourth downs to extend the drive.

Following the field goal, North Texas did a surprise onside kick that Army was ready for and was recovered by LB Hamilton Baker as Army received the ball on the North Texas 48-yard line.

On Army's opening drive with advantageous field position, Slot back Tyrell Robinson had a rush of eight for an early first down to break into North Texas territory. Army faced a third-and-one on the North Texas 17-yard line in which Daily converted on a four-yard run.

Daily capped off Army's opening drive with a 10-yard touchdown run, to recapture the lead 7-3. It was Daily's 20th rushing touchdown of the season.

North Texas converted another fourth down conversion on its second drive of the game, a fourth and two on a short quick pass from QB Chandler Morris to WR Blair Conwright.

On the first play of the second quarter, Morris threw a strike to Damon Ward Jr for a gain of 28 yards. North Texas was down to the Army one-yard line and looked poised for a touchdown opportunity, but Army's defense was up for the challenge forcing a turnover on downs with three consecutive stops from within the two-yard line, the fourth down stop by Lewis and NB Chance Keith.

Army's offense took over on its own two-yard line and went on a methodical 'Army-like' drive chewing up 10:50 of the game clock, running 14 plays and marching 46 yards. However, Army got behind the sticks on a holding penalty, an incomplete pass and then Daily would get sacked to stall out the drive, forcing a punt.

Army's defense quickly got the ball back forcing a turnover on downs as the Mean Green went for it from its own 41-yard line.

Army was in a prime position to get a field goal before half, getting down to the North Texas 14-yard line. However, Army faked the field goal, as Matthew Rhodes took the direct snap and raced to the right sideline gaining 12 yards but was tackled at the two-yard line as the first half clock expired.

Army took a 7-3 lead into the locker room leading time of possession 17:58 to 12:02.

Army received the second-half kickoff and after picking up a first down on a fourth and short, Daily would throw his first interception of the season trying to find WR Casey Reynolds who was racing to the right sideline by Brian Nelson II.

The Black Knights defense forced a quick three-and-out and got the ball back for the Army offense.

After several positive runs to kick off the drive, Daily broke free up the middle for a gain of 17 to the North Texas 36-yard line, breaking the 1,000-yard mark for the season, Army's first 1,000-yard rusher since Kelvin Hopkins Jr in 2018. It also put him over 2,000 career rushing yards.

Facing a fourth-and-four from the North Texas 30 yard-line, Army rolled the dice and went for it, going from a gun-empty formation in which slot back Noah Short jetted across taking a handoff from Daily nosing the football to the first down marker on the left sideline.

The third quarter came to a close with Army still maintaining a slim 7-3 lead, driving and facing a third-and-three at the North Texas 19.

Daily would pick up the first down as the fourth quarter started and four plays later Army would take a two-score lead, 14-3, on what was the longest drive of the season, a 21-play drive, marching 94 yards, and taking off almost a full quarter of play, 13:54 off the game clock on Daily's second touchdown of the day, a two-yard touchdown run.

North Texas would threaten twice in the red zone to narrow the deficit late in the fourth quarter, but Army came up with two huge stops, as CB Donavon Platt and CB Justin Weaver each had interceptions in the end zone to keep North Texas from scoring.

RB Kanye Udoh added 65 yards rushing on 13 carries.

Army converted 9-for-13 on third downs and a perfect three-for-three on fourth downs.

North Texas QB Chandler Morris passed 24-for-37 for 214 yards and two interceptions.

GAME NOTES:

Carrying the Flag: Senior QB Bryson Daily led the team out with the Black Flag.

DIVISION OF THE GAME: Army honored the 1st Cavalry Division with a logo decal on the players helmets and coaches' headsets. The 1st Cavalry Division is a combined arms division and is one of the most decorated combat divisions of the United States Army. It is based at Fort Cavazos, Texas. It was formed in 1921 and served during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, with the Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Iraq War, the War in Afghanistan as well as Operation Freedom's Sentinel and Operation Inherent Resolve.

Army's 13-game winning streak is still the longest active winning streak nationally.
It is Army's longest winning streak since the 1949-50 seasons.
Army's 9-0 start is only its second since 1950 (1996, and 2024).
Army has not trailed in a game at any point this season, until today. North Texas drove the games opening drive to kick a field goal and take an early 3-0 lead. Army lasted the longest in the entire FBS to not trail in a game (8+ games).
Army has scored on its opening drive in all nine games, eight of the nine resulting in touchdowns.
Daily scored his 20th rushing touchdown of the season in the first quarter. Since 2020, only 14 college football players have scored 20+ rushing touchdowns in a given season.
Daily logged his seventh multi-rushing touchdown performance this season and his sixth consecutive.
His nine multi-rushing touchdown games are T-3rd most by an Army player for their career since 2000.
Daily is four rushing touchdowns away from tying the AAC single-season record, held by Navy's Wil Worth (25, 2016).
Daily has scored a touchdown in six straight games in which he has played.
Daily eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark on the season on a run in the third quarter, Army's first 1,000-yard rusher since Kelvin Hopkins Jr in 2018. Daily is only the fourth 1,000-yard rusher in the Jeff Monken era (Hopkins, 2018; Bradshaw, 2017; and Dixon, 2014).
Daily is one of four Army QBs with more than 2,000 career rushing yards in their careers (Steelman, Bradshaw, Crawford and Daily).
Nate Woody's defense has not allowed a touchdown in eight consecutive quarters. Entering today, Army's defense ranked No. 1 in the country in scoring defense (11.25 points per game).
S Max DiDomenico totaled a team high nine tackles (seven solo).
Army's defense, the nation's best red zone defense had three red zone stops of North Texas, resulting in zero points (turnover on downs and two interceptions).
Earlier this week, Army came in at #25 in the first College Football Playoff Poll, the first time ever being ranked by the CFP.