One thing you can always expect from the annual Navy vs. Army matchup is gritty, physical football. You cannot expect much variety when both teams are running nearly 90 percent of their plays out of the triple-option. With Navy’s 17–16 win over Army, some folks across the country started asking: Does the 10–2 Navy Midshipmen team have any shot at the College Football Playoff?

Although Navy football had a banger kit, that win does not change much for Navy’s playoff hopes, simply because the selection process had already been completed the previous week. Think of this game as simply an annual rivalry matchup. While it was a great win for Navy fans, it did not punch their ticket to the big dance.

So how do teams make it in? Under the new 2025 format, the College Football Playoff features a 12-team bracket. Five spots are automatically given to the highest-ranked conference champions. The remaining seven spots will be at-large bids awarded to the next highest-ranked teams selected by the CFP committee. The top four teams overall receive first-round byes.

5 teams from the SEC, 3 from the Big 10, and 2 from the G5 (AAC, Sun Belt), and one each from the ACC and Big 12 have already locked their spot. Navy competes in the AAC. The Group of 5 conferences earned their guaranteed representation through Tulane, the American Conference champion, and James Madison, the Sun Belt champion.

The Navy finished the regular season with an impressive 10–2 record and also had a 7–1 record in conference play. However, the Midshipmen finished 3rd in the AAC, behind Tulane and North Texas, which meant they did not secure the automatic bid. Tulane defeated North Texas in the conference title game and locked up its playoff spot.

Since only one or two Group of 5 teams typically make the playoff field, Navy was left on the outside. If the Army had finished second and beaten Tulane in the title game, like they did last season, they would have been locked in. But college football does not work on ifs and buts.

Truth be told, competition is tough even with the 12-team playoff table. Even with 10 wins, the selection committee looks at everything: who you played, who you beat, and how decisively you won.

While the Navy had a solid year, the other teams selected were simply ranked higher due to stronger overall résumés and schedules. The Navy is heading to the Liberty Bowl to cap off its successful season. While that’s that, let’s see what went down in Army vs. Navy.

How did the Army Football fumble the game?

The annual game was played in Baltimore, Maryland, and the atmosphere was incredible, as always, with everyone cheering on these future military officers. The game was tight all the way through. The Navy actually had to come from behind in the fourth quarter to win it.

This game really came down to a handful of big plays. The Army jumped out in front after the Navy hurt itself with a fumble and an interception. But when it mattered most in the fourth quarter, the Navy defense came in clutch and got the ball back with a crucial pick of their own.

Then Blake Horvath made a clutch play on fourth down late in the game, throwing a rare, non–Navy-style eight-yard touchdown pass to Eli Heidenreich that turned out to be the game-winner. The big win also meant Navy took home the coveted Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the 2nd straight year in a row.

With this latest victory, the Navy extends its lead in the historic series, which dates all the way back to 1890. The overall record now stands at 64 wins for Navy, 55 for Army, and seven ties. It’s a classic tradition, and we already know where they’ll play next year: MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on December 12, 2026.

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