Football Opens Season in Renovated Stadium with 59-3 Win Over Bryant

Saturday, September 5

West Point, N.Y.

12:00 p.m.

Army West Point

1-0 , 0-0

Bryant

1-1 , 0-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Bryant	0	3	0	0	3
Army West Point	21	10	14	14	59

Sep 5, 2026; West Point, New York, USA; Army Black Knights head coach Jeff Monken celebrates with his team after Army’s 59-3 win against the Bryant Bulldogs at Michie Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Photo by: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Football Opens Season in Renovated Stadium with 59-3 Win Over Bryant

September 05, 2026 | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Saturday brought a new season and new Michie Stadium Preserved by USAA for Army West Point Football, and the Black Knights opened the 2026 campaign in style, with a 59-3 win over the Bryant Bulldogs in Week 1.

Army (1-0) was resounding in its wire-to-wire win, outgaining Bryant 648-165, picking up 31 first downs to Bryant's nine and more than tripling the Bulldogs in yards per play (9.3 to 3.1).

Army's 648 total yards were the fourth-most in a single game in program history and the most since posting 671 vs. Lafayette in 2016. Saturday's output also ranked fourth all time in single-game rushing yards with 569, and the most since rushing for 594 vs. VMI in 2019, and the most number of yards rushed for by any FBS team since 2022.

Army's 31 first downs were the most in a single game since also picking up 31 vs. Wake Forest in 2021. The Black Knights 10 yards per rush mark was also the second-most since at least 1995 and the highest since recording 10.9 yards per rush vs. Fordham in 2017.

Six Black Knights found the end zone in Saturday's win, all on the ground, with starting quarterback Cale Hellums and slotback Zach Mundell each recording a pair of rushing scores. Mundell, playing in just his second game since 2023, led the team with 105 yards on four carries and tied the program record for fewest carries in a 100-yard rushing game, a mark previously set in 1964.

Hellums finished the game with 87 yards rushing and 59 passing yards. Three quarterbacks checked in for the Black Knights. Hellums, the starter, and sophomores Ethan Washington and Bryson Luter all saw action.

The Army defense was stifling, holding Bryant without a touchdown, the first time an Army team has done so since the 2024 Independence Bowl vs. Louisiana Tech. The Black Knights recorded two sacks for 14 yards lost and held the Bulldogs to zero first downs in the first quarter for the first time since November 2024 vs. Air Force.

After winning the toss and deferring to the second half, Army's defense opened the contest by forcing a three-and-out, after defensive lineman Jack Bousum made a stop on a third-and-3 rush attempt.

The Black Knights opened on offense with excellent field position following a punt return into Bryant territory by Lloyd Benson III, then moved swiftly down the field for a five-play, 39-yard touchdown drive taking just 2:18, capped by a 15-yard rushing touchdown by Mundell with 11:05 left in the opening quarter.

Bryant opened its second drive with better field position following a return to its own 38-yard line, but followed with a second three-and-out, with Bousum recording a tackle for loss on the series.

Army opened its second touchdown drive in as many possessions with a 33-yard pass from Hellums to slotback Samari Howard. Then, facing its first third-and-long of the game at the Bulldogs' 27, Hellums raced up the middle of the field to find the end zone with his legs.

The Bulldogs went three-and-out once more on their ensuing drive, before handing the ball back to Army, which converted for its third touchdown before the first quarter expired — a 10-play, 75-yard drive that took 4:45, with Hellums scampering untouched for 37 yards down the right sideline for his second rushing touchdown.

As the first quarter finally gave way to the second, Bryant converted its opening first down on its way to the Army 33-yard line. The Black Knights however, forced a stop on a fourth-and-7 to take over on downs, thanks to a Jaxon Hammond pass breakup.

Army faced its first fourth down on its fourth possession, but responded with a 30-yard touchdown from Brady Anderson on a reverse to cap a 67-yard drive to make it 28-0 with 7:24 in the half.

On Bryant's next drive, the Bulldogs secured their second first down of the game and moved Black Knights territory. But on the ensuing set of downs, the Black Knights defense stood tall with a strong coverage in the end zone from sophomore nickelback Zane Tillman on third-and-goal to limit the Bulldogs to a field goal to make it 28-3 with 2:09 left in the first half.

Right before the two-minute timeout, Hellums completed a pass up the middle to senior slotback Samari Howard for seven yards at their own 32 yard line. Coming out of the timeout, Howard broke free into Bryant territory before being taken down out of bounds at the 47 yard line for the first down. The Black Knights worked meticulously, earning another quick first down on a throw by Hellums to the Bryant 26 caught by Howard again. With 53 seconds left in the half, Jones drilled a 37 yard field goal to extend the Army lead to 31-3.

With under a minute left in the half, the Black Knight defense forced a three-and-out to take the ball back with 19 seconds left. Howard ran it to the Army 47 for a 23 yard gain. On the closing play of the half, Mundell ran it for a gain of 21 yards after an Army holding penalty on the previous play to make it to the Bryant 42 with one second left in the half. Coming out of a timeout, a Bryant lineman jumped offside to create an untimed down to close the half. Army then attempted to extend their lead going into the locker room with a 54 yard attempt but missed wide left.

Army got the ball back to open the second half, and wasted little time finding the end zone again, with Zach Mundell finding paydirt for the second time Saturday on a 66-yard run.

A Dillon Stowers sack set up yet another three-and-out for the Army defense on Bryant's first offensive series after halftime, before a 22-yard return from Benson and a Bulldogs penalty set the Black Knights up at the Bryant 29. From there, Bryson Luter checked in at quarterback, and Godspower Nwawuihe put the Black Knights ahead 45-3 with a two-yard rush in a wildcat package.

The Black Knights extended their commanding lead with an eight play 82-yard drive that ended in a six yard rush by Carson Smith into the end zone to make it 52-3 to start the fourth quarter.

On Bryant's first possession of the final frame, the Black Knights forced a three-and-out and freshman Josh Milhollin returned the punt back for 26 yards to the Bryant 46 for his first action in an Army uniform.

The Black Knights continued to flex their might on the Bulldogs with a seven-play, 46-yard drive that resulted in a one-yard touchdown run from Washington— the sophomore quarterback's first career rushing score for a yard to make it 59-3.

The Black Knights got the ball back one more time driving all the way to the Bryant two-yard line before taking a knee to end the game.

Division of the Game: Army honored the 10th Mountain Division with helmet decals and headset logos. The 10th Mountain Division is a light infantry division in the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. Formerly designated as a mountain warfare unit, the division was the only one of its size in the U.S. military to receive specialized training for fighting in mountainous conditions.

Carrying the Flag: Offensive lineman Kyle Kloska led the Black Knights onto the field with the Black Flag.

Postgame Notes

Saturday's game was the first ever between Army and Bryant, and marked the third straight year in which Army opened the season at home.
Army last held an opponent without a first down in the first quarter on November 2, 2024, against Air Force (Army won 20-3).
Stowers recorded career-high tackles (5) and sacks (1).
Over the Jeff Monken era, Army is 8-5 in season openers and 9-4 in home openers.
Saturday's game marked the first Week 1 Noon kickoff for Army since 2021 at Georgia State, and the first Week 1 Noon kickoff at Michie Stadium Preserved by USAA since playing Buffalo in 2014, which was Jeff Monken's first game as Army's head coach.
Army has won seven of its past nine games dating back to October 4 a season ago.
Army scored just three minutes and 55 seconds into the contest, marking the quickest it scored in a season opener since 2017 vs. Fordham.
The Black Knights scored touchdowns on their first three drives, marking the first time since the 2024 Independence Bowl vs. LA Tech that they scored on any three straight possessions.
Army's defense held an opponent scoreless in the opening quarter for the first time since November 8 a season ago vs. Temple.
Jones' 54-yard field goal attempt to close the half was his longest career attempt, and would have broken Craig Stoppa's program record set in 1985 by one yard.
Mundell's touchdowns were the first in his career and his 66-yard scoring rush was his longest career rush.
Washington's touchdown rush was his first career touchdown.
The Black Knights held an opponent without a touchdown for the first time since the 2024 Independence Bowl vs. LA Tech.
Saturday marked Army's first season opening win holding an opponent without a touchdown since shutting out Middle Tennessee in 2020.
Army's 59 points scored were the most since 63 against Bucknell on November 13, 2021 in a 63-10 victory.
Army's margin of victory was the most since defeating Delaware State 57-0 in West Point, N.Y. on September 9, 2023.
The last time Army had 600 or more total yards of offense (643 yds) and 500 or more rushing yards (594 yds) was November 16, 2019 at home vs. VMI.
Army opened the new Michie Stadium Preserved by USAA in Saturday's season-opener vs. Bryant. The game marked the completion of a two-plus year journey, with the old east stands demolished and rebuilt as part of the Michie Stadium Preservation Project. Saturday's game marked the first contest at West Point with fans sitting to the east of the playing field since November 18, 2023 vs. Coastal Carolina.

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