How Have Underdogs Performed Recently in Annual Army-Navy Game?

How Have Underdogs Performed Recently in Annual Army-Navy Game?
Fact Checked by Pat McLoone

One of the greatest scenes of football pageantry unfolds inside Gillette Stadium in Foxborough Saturday, when Army and Navy clash on national television. The 5-6 Army Black Knights and 5-6 Navy Midshipmen will tangle inside the New England venue with bragging rights and a .500 finish on the line.

The two teams missed out on bowl eligibility - thanks to both failing to reach the requisite six wins before Sunday’s bowl pairings announcement - but rest assured that there will be things far more important on the line come Saturday afternoon The game also will be a staple on the relatively new Maryland sports betting calendar.

This will be the 124th playing of the annual Army-Navy Game, which the Midshipmen currently lead all-time (at 62-54-7). Before Saturday’s kickoff, BetMaryland.com – your source for Maryland sportsbook promos - broke down how the last 10 versions of the year-end gridiron staple have gone, betting wise.

Army-Navy Points Spread Last 10 Years

Maryland sports betting apps certainly take the storied rivalry into consideration when setting the lines. As you can see, season record to date means little when Army and Navy meet.

YearResultPoint Spread
2022Army 20, Navy 17Navy -2.5
2021Navy 17, Army 13Army -7
2020Army 15, Navy 0Army -7.5
2019Navy 31, Army 7Navy -11
2018Army 17, Navy 10Army -7
2017Army 14, Navy 13Navy -3
2016Army 21, Navy 17Navy -6
2015Navy 21, Army 17Navy -23
2014Navy 17, Army 10Navy -15
2013Navy 34, Army 17Navy -12.5

 

Army-Navy Bound To Be Tight Contest

Since 2013, the biggest theme that has emerged from the yearly Army-Navy showdown is that whichever team is favored to win has a tough time covering the spread.

That’s because the last 10 ATS favorites have only covered three times and only twice in nine years. The favorite has covered only in 2013 (34-7 Navy as a 12.5-point favorite), 2019 (31-7 Navy as an 11-point favorite) and 2020 (15-0 Army as a 7.5-point favorite), with a push in 2018 (17-10 Army as a 7-point favorite).

This year, oddsmakers from ESPN BET Maryland have Army as a three-point and -150 moneyline favorite on Saturday. Last year, Navy failed to win outright as a 2.5-point favorite. The Midshipmen fell to Army, 20-17, to keep the theme alive. Another theme to watch is whether this year’s Army-Navy contest can clear the pregame over/under, which is currently sitting at 27.5 on ESPN BET Maryland.

Army ranks 110th nationally in scoring offense (20.8 points per game). Navy ranks 122nd (18.3 ppg).  Both will put their triple option offenses against one another come Saturday afternoon, with the nation’s eyes squarely fixed upon dozens of men who will go continue their country once their playing days are done.

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Author

Christopher Boan

Christopher Boan writes for BetMaryland.com and has been covering sports and sports betting for more than seven years, with experience at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.

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