Mid December is an exciting time in the world of college football. The regular season is over, all Conference Championships have been played and with these conclusions come the anticipation of what is to follow: Remaining selections for the nationally beloved bowl games, the highly anticipated first year of college football playoffs and let us not forgot what is right around the corner; the annual Army-Navy game, which is making its way back to Baltimore this Saturday!
That is right; America’s Game
will be played at M&T Bank Stadium on December 13 for the fourth time in series history. For those of you who are not aware of the deep-seated rivalry this match-up resurrects each year, I think the name says it all. It is America’s Game and that is because of all that it stands for; history, tradition and American pride. This will be the 115th time the two teams are meeting after first going head-to-head in 1890 where Navy shut out the Black Knights 24-0. Since then, the series record stands: Navy 58-Army 49-Tied 7 with Navy holding onto a 12-game streak; longest in series history.
So, Saturday morning is going to roll around and typically, due to the fact that this game in recent years has taken place the weekend after conference championships, ESPN College GameDay takes their break before Bowl Games start, but sport lovers wondering how in the world they will spend their morning, let your worries subside. For the first time since they aired, Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Lee Corso will be setting up shop in downtown Baltimore for the Game of the Week between Army and Navy.
Not only is this the first time College GameDay will be covering the historic match-up, but it is also their first time airing in the state of Maryland. It is looking as though the stage will be constructed at the Inner Harbor with Navy ships and Army tanks as the backdrop. As always, there will be a cheering section in the background and in this particular case it will consist of a Brigade of Midshipmen and Corps of Cadets. A long-standing tradition known as the March On takes place before the game where Naval Academy Midshipmen and Cadets from the U.S. Military Academy take turns marching onto the field before kickoff. As a result, College GameDay will wrap its show up at 11 a.m. rather than noon to allow time for the patriotic cheering section to get back and ready for the ceremony.
Be sure to watch Chris and the rest of the crew on ESPN as they report live from the Inner Harbor at 9 a.m. on Saturday, December 13. Game coverage will begin at 3 p.m. on CBS.