American Football Wiki
Army Black Knights
Current season:
2025 Army Black Knights
First season 1890
Athletic director Mike Buddie
Head coach Jeff Monken
9th year, 64–49 (.566)
Home stadium Michie Stadium
Stadium capacity 38,000
Stadium surface FieldTurf
Location West Point, NY
Conference Independent
All-time history
Army Black Knights Historical Teams
1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027
All-time record 721–539–51 (.569)
Postseason bowl record 7–3 (.700)
Claimed national titles 3 (1944, 1945, 1946)[1]
Conference titles 1 (2024)
Heisman winners 3
Consensus All-Americans 37
Current uniform
Colors Black and Gold

             


Fight song On Brave Old Army Team
Mascot Army Mule; Black Knight
Marching band United States Military Academy Band
Rivals Air Force Falcons
Navy Midshipmen
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
East Carolina Pirates
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Outfitter Nike
Website GoArmySports.com

The Army Black Knights football team, historically known as the Army Cadets, represents the United States Military Academy in college football. The Black Knights team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a member of the American Athletic Conference. The Black Knights play home games in Michie Stadium with a capacity of 36,000 at West Point, New York. The Black Knights are coached by Jeff Monken, who has held the position since 2014.

Army claims five national championships, including two AP Trophies in 1944 and 1945. Army has produced 24 players and four coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame, 37 consensus All-Americans, and three Heisman Trophy winners: Doc Blanchard (1945), Glenn Davis (1946), and Pete Dawkins (1958).

With the exception of seven seasons (1998–2004) when the team was a member of Conference USA, Army competed as an independent, meaning that they had no affiliation with any conference. They started to compete in the American Athletic Conference as a football-only member in 2024. For all other sports Army is primarily a member of the Patriot League.

Army competes with their historic rivals Navy in the Army–Navy Game, traditionally the final game of the college football regular season. The three major service academies—Army, Navy, and Air Force—compete for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy; Army has won the award ten times, most recently in 2023.

Championships[]

National championships[]

Army has won five national championships from NCAA-designated major selectors, including twice (1944, 1945) from the AP Poll.

Year Coach Selectors Record Final AP Final Coaches
1914 Charles Daly Helms, Parke Davis, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation 9–0
1916 Parke Davis 9–0
1944 Earl Blaik AP, Berryman, Billingsley, Boand, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation, Poling, Sagarin, Williamson 9–0 No. 1
1945 AP, Berryman, Billingsley MOV, Boand, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation, Poling, Sagarin, Sagarin (ELOChess), Williamson 9–0
1946 Billingsley, Boand, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, Poling 9–0–1 No. 2

Conference championships[]

Season Conference Coach Conference record Overall record
2024 American Athletic Conference Jeff Monken 8–0 11–1

Bowl games[]

Army has played in ten bowl games. They have a record of 7–3.

Season Coach Bowl Date Opponent Result
1984 Jim Young Cherry Bowl December 22, 1984 Michigan State W 10–6
1985 Peach Bowl December 31, 1985 Illinois W 31–29
1988 Sun Bowl December 24, 1988 Alabama L 28–29
1996 Bob Sutton Independence Bowl December 31, 1996 Auburn L 29–32
2010 Rich Ellerson Armed Forces Bowl December 30, 2010 SMU W 16–14
2016 Jeff Monken Heart of Dallas Bowl December 27, 2016 North Texas W 38–31 OT
2017 Armed Forces Bowl December 23, 2017 San Diego State W 42–35
2018 Armed Forces Bowl December 22, 2018 Houston W 70–14
2020 Liberty Bowl December 31, 2020 West Virginia L 21–24
2021 Armed Forces Bowl December 22, 2021 Missouri W 24–22
2024 Independence bowl December 28, 2024 Louisiana Tech W 27-6

† New Year 6 Bowl

Seasons[]

2020s[]

Season Coach Record
2025 Jeff Monken
2024 Jeff Monken 12-2
2023 Jeff Monken 6-6
2022 Jeff Monken 6-6
2021 Jeff Monken 9-4
2020 Jeff Monken 9-3

2010s[]

Season Coach Record
2019 Jeff Monken 5-8
2018 Jeff Monken 11-2
2017 Jeff Monken 10-3
2016 Jeff Monken 8-5
2015 Jeff Monken 2-10
2014 Jeff Monken 4-8
2013 Rich Ellerson 3-9
2012 Rich Ellerson 2-10
2011 Rich Ellerson 3-9
2010 Rich Ellerson 7-6

2000s[]

Season Coach Record
2009 Rich Ellerson 5-7
2008 Stan Brock 3-9
2007 Stan Brock 3-9
2006 Bobby Ross 3-9
2005 Bobby Ross 4-7
2004 Bobby Ross 2-9
2003 Todd Berry/John Mumford 0-13
2002 Todd Berry 1-11
2001 Todd Berry 3-8
2000 Todd Berry 1-10

1990s[]

Season Coach Record
1999 Bob Sutton 3-8
1998 Bob Sutton 3-8
1997 Bob Sutton 4-7
1996 Bob Sutton 10-2
1995 Bob Sutton 5-5-1
1994 Bob Sutton 4-7
1993 Bob Sutton 6-5
1992 Bob Sutton 5-6
1991 Bob Sutton 4-7
1990 Jim Young 6-5

1980s[]

Season Coach Record
1989 Jim Young 6-5
1988 Jim Young 9-3
1987 Jim Young 5-6
1986 Jim Young 6-5
1985 Jim Young 9-3
1984 Jim Young 8-3-1
1983 Jim Young 2-9
1982 Ed Cavanaugh 4-7
1981 Ed Cavanaugh 3-7-1
1980 Ed Cavanaugh 3-7-1

1970s[]

Season Coach Record
1979 Lou Saban 2-8-1
1978 Homer Smith 4-6-1
1977 Homer Smith 7-4
1976 Homer Smith 5-6
1975 Homer Smith 2-9
1974 Homer Smith 3-8
1973 Tom Cahill 0-10
1972 Tom Cahill 6-4
1971 Tom Cahill 6-4
1970 Tom Cahill 1-9-1

1960s[]

Season Coach Record
1969 Tom Cahill 4-5-1
1968 Tom Cahill 7-3
1967 Tom Cahill 8-2
1966 Tom Cahill 8-2
1965 Paul Dietzel 4-5-1
1964 Paul Dietzel 4-6
1963 Paul Dietzel 7-3
1962 Paul Dietzel 6-4
1961 Dale Hall 6-4
1960 Dale Hall 6-3-1

1950s[]

Season Coach Record
1959 Dale Hall 4-4-1
1958 Earl Blaik 8-0-1
1957 Earl Blaik 7-2
1956 Earl Blaik 5-3-1
1955 Earl Blaik 7-2
1954 Earl Blaik 7-2
1953 Earl Blaik 7-1-1
1952 Earl Blaik 4-4-1
1951 Earl Blaik 2-7
1950 Earl Blaik 8-1

History[]

Army football began in 1890, when Navy challenged the cadets to a game of the relatively new sport. Navy defeated Army at West Point that year, but Army avenged the loss in Annapolis the following year.[2] The academies still clash every December in what is traditionally the last regular-season Division I college-football game. The 2011 football season marked Army's tenth consecutive loss to Navy. From 1944 to 1950, the Cadets had 57 wins, 3 losses and 4 ties. During this time span, Army won three national championships.[3]

Army's football team reached its pinnacle of success under coach Earl Blaik when Army won three consecutive national championships in 1944, 1945 and 1946, and produced three Heisman trophy winners: Doc Blanchard (1945), Glenn Davis (1946) and Pete Dawkins (1958).[4] Past NFL coaches Vince Lombardi[5] and Bill Parcells[6] were Army assistant coaches early in their careers.

The team was known as the "Cadets" until 1999, when the nickname was changed to "Black Knights".

The football team plays its home games at Michie Stadium, where the playing field is named after Earl Blaik. Cadets' attendance is mandatory at football games and the Corps stands for the duration of the game. At all home games, one of the four regiments marches onto the field in formation before the team takes the field and leads the crowd in traditional Army cheers.[7]

Between the 1998 and 2004 seasons, Army's football program was a member of Conference USA, but has since reverted to its former independent status.[8] West Point competes with Navy and Air Force for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

College Football Hall of Famers[]

  • Bob Anderson
  • Doc Blanchard
  • Paul Bunker
  • Chris Cagle
  • Bill Carpenter
  • Charlie Daly
  • Glenn Davis
  • Pete Dawkins
  • Arnold Galiffa
  • Ed Garbisch
  • John Green
  • Don Holleder
  • Harvey Jablonsky
  • Doug Kenna
  • John McEwan
  • Frank Merritt
  • Robin Olds
  • Elmer Oliphant
  • Barney Poole
  • Bud Sprague
  • Joe Steffy
  • Alex Weyand
  • Kitwana Akil
  • Harry Wilson

Award winners[]

Doc Blanchard – 1945
Glenn Davis – 1946
Pete Dawkins – 1958
  • AFCA Coach of the Year
Earl Blaik – 1946
Tom Cahill – 1966
  • Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
Tom Cahill – 1966
  • Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award
Bob Sutton – 1996
Glenn Davis – 1944
Doc Blanchard – 1945
Pete Dawkins – 1958
  • Outland Trophy
Joe Steffy – 1947
  • William V. Campbell Trophy
Andrew Rodriguez – 2011
  • James E. Sullivan Award
Andrew Rodriguez – 2011

See also[]

References[]

  1. [1]
  2. Ambrose (1966), pp. 305–306.
  3. When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss, p.135, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY, 1999, ISBN 978-0-684-84418-3
  4. Trophy Winners. The Heisman Trophy. Retrieved on 31 December 2008.
  5. Biography. Official Website of Vince Lombardi. Archived from the original on 30 December 2008. Retrieved on 31 December 2008.
  6. Biggane, Brian. "Bill Parcells is Dolphins' Godfather", Palm Beach Post, 15 November 2008. Retrieved on 25 January 2009. 
  7. Palka (2008), p. 197.
  8. Army Football to Leave Conference USA After 2004 Season. The Official Website of Conference USA. Retrieved on 23 January 2009.

Bibliography[]

  1. Carlisle vs. Army: Jim Thorpe, Dwight Eisenhower, Pop Warner, and the Forgotten Story of Football's Greatest Battle, written by Lars Anderson (2007). . Random House Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4000-6600-1.

Notable Alumni[]

External Links[]