Army is taking “boots on the ground” to another level, according to their fans.
Fox’s Big Noon Kick-off visited West Point ahead of their matchup against rival Air Force Academy . One Army student had a sign that stood out above the rest, making Mark Ingram II take notice and chest bump him. The sign said, “The Forward Pass is Communist.”
In case you weren’t aware, Army football doesn’t just favor running the football, the Black Knights practically treat the forward pass like it’s anti-American. They essentially wage war against the forward pass. Army consistently ranks among the nation’s leaders in rushing attempts and rushing yards while sitting near the bottom in passing volume.
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Rather than airing it out, the Black Knights rely on quarterback keepers, fullback dives and option pitches to grind down opposing defenses, dominate time of possession and keep the clock moving. It’s old-school, smash mouth football, which I’m sure gets the boomers to say, “Now this is the football I grew up with!”
Through eight games in 2026, Army leads the entire FBS in rushing yards per game (342.5), piling up 2,740 yards on 431 rushing attempts, an average of 53.9 carries per game. That’s a whopping 6.4 yards per carry and 31 rushing touchdowns. Meanwhile, the passing game is practically nonexistent. Army ranks 137th out of 138 FBS teams in passing yards per game (69.1) , attempting just 85 passes all season — a measly 10.6 per game, the second-fewest in the country behind Air Force. The Black Knights have thrown for just four touchdowns compared to 31 on the ground, with nearly 83% of their offensive plays coming on rushing attempts.
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While most college programs are obsessed with throwing the ball all over the field, Army has a much simpler philosophy: Why throw the football when you can run it down your opponent’s throat?
Army (5-3) hosts Air Force (6-2) on Saturday at Michie Stadium in West Point, New York, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The matchup is part of the annual Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy competition, with Army looking for its fourth consecutive victory over the Falcons in a battle featuring the nation’s top two rushing offenses.