Around the Group of 7: Military schools

The three military schools in the country are always up for the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, which is awarded to the military school with the best record of the season.

This season looks to be setting up for an intriguing finish with two teams starting off undefeated.

Air Force has started the season 1-2 with losses to Baylor and San Jose State.

Through three games, the Falcons have only scored a total of 31 points. Which is just over 10 points per game.

They currently sit towards the bottom of the Mountain West and already look to be out of contention for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.

Now to the undefeated teams so far this season, Army and Navy.

The biggest rivalry in college football could realistically end in an undefeated matchup with a College Football Playoff berth on the line.

Both teams have offenses that are putting up numbers that are not expected from teams that run the triple option, wishbone offense for a majority of the game.

Army has an offense that is averaging just over 36 points per game, which is well inside the top half of the country in points per game.

It’s Bryson Daily, the senior quarterback who leads the way for this high-powered offense on the ground.

Daily leads the team with 492 yards on the ground while two running backs are just behind him with just as impressive numbers. What is crazier about this is that he has only attempted 25 passes on the season and they are still putting up a lot of points.

Noah Short has 344 yards on the ground and is averaging 13.8 yards per attempt. Kanye Udoh is just behind him with 297 yards. The two running backs are thriving in a run-heavy, triple-option style offense that utilizes these runners to the best of their abilities.

For Navy, the offense might be even more impressive than Army’s so far this season.

The Midshipmen are averaging 46 points per game which is good for ninth in the country. The heavy-run style offense is causing massive problems for the opposing teams.

Quarterback Blake Horvath has thrown the ball more than Army’s Daily. Horvath has completed 30 of his 44 passes for 637 yards, which includes a 77-yard pass.

He also leads the team in rushing yards. He’s talled 450 yards for eight touchdowns on the ground as the main runner for what is looking like a big-time offense.

What makes this team more fun to watch is the next two highest leading rushers are fullbacks. It’s all about pounding the rock for the Naval Academy.

This team continues to dominate on the ground and shockingly put up similar points to offenses that run an air-raid offense.

This will be something to keep an eye on for the rest of the season. A potential American Championship Game, a week before the annual Army-Navy Game, could ultimately decide the spot for the College Football Playoff between two military schools that know how to run the ball at an insane rate.

Andrew Deal is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email asd5765@psu.edu