Navy secures back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history after stunning victory over Army

For the second consecutive season, the Navy Midshipmen have defeated the Army Black Knights, securing a gritty 17-16 victory in the 2025 college football regular season finale.

The win improves Navy to 10-2 entering bowl season, marking a historic achievement for the program: back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history.

The victory did not come easily. The Midshipmen found themselves on the ropes for much of the second half, trailing by as many as nine points. With the clock winding down and the score stuck at 16-10 in favor of Army, Navy faced a potential season-defining moment: fourth-and-goal from the 8-yard line.

In a play destined for Academy lore, star quarterback Blake Horvath connected with Eli Heidenreich for the game-winning touchdown, snatching the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy from the jaws of defeat.

It was a duel of quarterbacks... on the ground

Horvath, a senior from Hilliard, Ohio, once again led his team to glory, cementing his case as potentially the best player in program history.

While he threw for just 82 yards, he was a force on the ground, taking 34 carries for 107 yards and accounting for two total touchdowns.

He narrowly outdueled Army quarterback Cale Hellums, who made his Army-Navy debut with an eerily similar stat line-82 passing yards and 100 rushing yards on 25 carries.

Navy and Army secured spots in bowl season

The win sets up a chance for Navy to tie the program's single-season record of 11 wins. They have accepted a bid to the Liberty Bowl, where they will face Cincinnati.

Army, despite the heartbreak, has also secured a postseason future. After reaching their sixth win against UTSA on November 29, the Black Knights accepted an invitation to the Fenway Bowl, where they will take on UConn on December 27.