Army Black Knights

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
All-time record	721–539–51 (.569)
Postseason bowl record	7–3 (.700)
Claimed national titles	3 (1944, 1945, 1946)
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	Charles Daly	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	No. 1	–
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[]

Main article: College Football Hall of Fame

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[]

Heisman Trophy

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