Strip all of it away and Military’s process on Saturday at Yankee Stadium is not any totally different than ordinary.
Strip away the stakes that include a 9-0 document: the blooming perception, seldom spoken aloud and solely then in whispers, {that a} win right here would all however cement their playoff invitation.
Strip away the noise: walloping and deafening, a humdrum of details and figures and dates propounding the times and months and years because the Black Knights final defeated an AP top-10 crew, 1963, the final time the Black Knights defeated the Preventing Irish, 1958.
Strip away the pomp and circumstance: the historic venue, the historic rivalry, the 46,000-plus who will cram in to see the 52nd incarnation of the school soccer matchup that produced the best line within the historical past of sports activities writing: “Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again.”
Strip all of it away and the duty at hand — defeating No. 6-ranked Notre Dame — isn’t a lot a process however, within the phrases of Black Knights head coach Jeff Monken, “an opportunity.”
“For our players, the first time they ever put shoulder pads on and decided they were going to play football, I think they hoped that they would have an opportunity to play in a game like this, in this kind of venue, against one of the blue blood football programs in the country — Notre Dame is college football,” Monken stated Tuesday.
His Military is undefeated, ranked No. 19 within the nation and on the precipice of their first 10-0 begin to a season in program historical past.
They know what they’re up in opposition to. And so they know they’re prepared for the second.
“It’s a special night,” senior linebacker Brett Gerena advised members of the media on Tuesday. “We’re a special team.”
Military enters Sunday’s matchup — which is able to kickoff at 7 p.m. Japanese and be broadcast on NBC and Peacock — as 14.5 level underdogs.
In 9-1 Notre Dame, Military faces its most punishing opponent but: a crew composed of larger, stronger and extra gifted recruits, led by top-of-the-line coaches within the enterprise, Marcus Freeman.
“There’s three things Army must do to have a chance,” stated analyst Todd Blackledge, who will likely be on the decision Saturday. “They cannot turn the ball over — they’ve been great all year, but the Fighting Irish have been outstanding at taking the ball away.”
Living proof: Notre Dame posted 20 factors off Navy turnovers three weeks in the past. The Midshipmen had two on the season up to now, then the Preventing Irish pressured six.
Blackledge provides: “Quantity two, Military has to play nice offense and protection within the pink zone. As soon as the sphere shortens, that’s after they’ve obtained to play their finest.
“And third — this will be very difficult — control the game, limit possessions, avoid negative plays and long-yardage situations.”
A tall process certainly, however a formulation that has bred success to date.
Final week in a 14-3 win over North Texas — Military’s narrowest margin of victory in 2024 — the Black Knights pounded the bottom with bodily operating from quarterback Bryson Each day and operating again Kanye Udoh, burnt the clock with out regret and saved the Imply Inexperienced offense off the sphere.
North Texas had simply six drives within the sport and no factors on their last 5; two ended on downs, two on interceptions and one by punt.
Come Saturday, Notre Dame will supply stiffer competitors than North Texas did on either side of the ball and at each place. On each snap and in each matchup.
And but, as Monken says, “the field is still going to be 120 yards long and they’ll still have goal posts the size as those at Mikey Stadium. Once the game starts and we’re on the field, we just got to play.”
