Speaker 1: Need to get your football fixed on all things Army,
Navy and Air Force. This is Yards and Stripes, Service
Academy Football. Now Here are your hosts, Pryce Atkinson and
Steve Carney.
Speaker 2: Welcome into episode four of Yards and Stripes, your home
for service Academy Football, Army, Navy and Airports. That is
what we do. He is Stephen Carney, I Price Atkinson,
and we are thrilled you have joined us again this week.
As I mentioned on the outset, Army, Navy, and Air Force.
That is what we do. It is Service Academy Football
here as we are part of the Last Word on
Sports podcast Network. And Steven and I have got one
game to get into. We've got two games coming up
this weekend. We also have our Travis Mannion Foundation Honor
Roll segment. We'll make a couple of picks on our
two games this weekend. But Steven, damn good to see
a friend a better late than ever. I know a
little bit later this week, but damn, man, I love
seeing you. I love doing this every week.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's gonna be a lot of fun this week.
I know that for sure. Price, I know that it's been.
It was a rough week for one of the service
academies wasn't so rough for the other two because they
were they were not they were not on the field.
But we'll get into that here in just a couple
of minutes. But anytime that we can talk service academy
football is gonna be a fun one, that is for sure.
And even though we have a I guess a disappointing
recap to do here this week, it's still always fun
to talk about these these service academies.
Speaker 2: It most certainly is, and it's gonna be fun to
get into our games and kind of, you know, as
we you know, set the table for this weekend, because
really this weekend is I'm not going to say this
is when the season begins, because we all know that
begins at the end of August early September. But now,
after you get a couple of games under your belt,
especially with all three teams at once, we get past
this weekend, they'll all have a bye under their belt
as well, which is a little bit on this early
in the season for all three of these teams to
have buys, but nonetheless kind of get a better sample size,
if you will, of who a lot of these teams are.
The competition because you know, you know, as we'll talk about,
you know, Navy's beating up on some pretty poor teams.
You know, Memphis, who's going to play the Naval Academy
in a big game this weekend, They've actually beaten up
on teams. I don't think that happened. Nobody has even
won a football game when you take Memphis combined record.
So a lot to talk about. And let's talk about
last weekend, Steven, because the one game that we had
was involving Air Forces you alluded to, and the Air
Force Falcons. Boy, they are searching, They are searching, and
they are searching for an offensive unit right now because
Troy Calhoun's team, they just can't seem to get going.
They go to Waco this weekend, Steve, thirty one to three,
Baylor is up at halftime by a field goal, and
they come out like a different team in the third
quarter and put up two quick touchdown drives and that
was it. It was a second half that they flipped
the script and Baylor thirty one to three over Air Force.
Baylor two and one. Now air Force now just one
and two after beating Marymack in the season opener, and
really what It comes down to is this is a
Falcon offensive unit that just cannot seem to find its footing.
And I do mean footing because they have not broken
the two hundred yard rushing mark as a team all season.
They had one ninety three on Saturday against the Bears.
They have got to start finding this identity. And you know,
with the buy coming up this week, that's one thing
that Tory Calhoun and that offensive staff is going to
try and get fixed if it all possible.
Speaker 4: Oh absolutely.
Speaker 3: And you look at what they did in that second half,
or what they didn't do is probably the more apt
saying in the second half being outscored twenty five nothing,
and you look at it. Baylor got the ball to
start the second half, they drove down for a touchdown,
they forced air Force to go three and out, another
long touchdown drive for the Bears, and then one of
the three fumbles on the day in that next drive,
and then they go down and they get another field
goal basically on a short field. So there's the seventeen points.
And it really all came very very quickly. In the
first half of that third quarter. It was like it
was like a you know, they were there were boxers
in there, and air Force kind of just dropped its
hands just for a moment, and that was enough for
Baylor to lay three punches in and all of a sudden,
Air Force has sprawled out on the proverbial canvas.
Speaker 2: Yeah, no doubt about it. And you know, clearly turnovers
were an issue, but Baylor themselves turned the ball over
three times, so that you know the I mean, in
a game that very well could have maybe gotten even
worse for air Force, it didn't because Baylor kind of
kept him in the football game with you know, losing
three fumbles. You know, but as I mentioned, you know,
air Force they fumble it twice, you know, both of
them by you know, backup quarterback John Bouchet in this case,
and then an interception thrown by Josh Johnson. So I
mean that was probably the biggest thing. But you know,
air Force they can't run the football and then they
give up two hundred and thirty yards on the ground
as it was, and Baylor was even without their starting
quarterback and they had to go with you know, the
backup Sawyer Robertson, and he did a masterful job throwing
for two forty eight rushing for a touchdown. But you just,
you know, if even if you can't get those first
downs and air Force six to seventeen on third down,
I'm basically thirty three percent, just a touch more than
you can't be turning the ball over. You know that
that's probably the worst recipe is when you can't run
the ball and you can't get first downs to control
the clock, and then on top of it, you're turning
the football over. That's a recipe to get absolutely curb stumped.
And that's pretty much what happened in Waco on Saturday night.
Speaker 3: Oh absolutely, And you look at it. Those turnovers led
to a number of Baylor points. I was, I'm looking
at the drive summaries here you have Baylor that went,
uh you know, the three three of the turnovers for
air Force turned into thirteen points for the for Baylor.
And then when Baylor would turn the ball over, air
Force wasn't able to take advantage of it. But one
time in the first half when Baylor turned the ball
over on downs, air Force had their one drive that
really led to anything. They had one you know, long
extended drive in that second in the second quarter that
led to their only field goal that came after a
turnover on downs otherwise, you know, and that that turnover
doesn't count on the on the stat sheet. That's not
counted as as a turnover by by a player, that's
a team turnover. So really all of the all of
Baylor's turnovers led to zero points, whereas the three turnovers
for air Force led to thirteen points for Baylor.
Speaker 4: And that it's more than just that. But that's a
big piece.
Speaker 2: Yeah, And to kind of add an insult to injury,
you know, obviously Baylor was scoring in a high clip
there in the third quarter. Air Force had had the
football twelve plays in the third quarter, nineteen yards of
total offense on those twelve plays in that quarter alone.
So not getting it done. As I mentioned, air Force,
they're going to have their bye week this coming weekend
before they open up Mount West Conference play in Wyoming
at the University of Wyoming. But air Force at one
and two right now certainly not where Troy Calhoun and
the Falcon fan base wants to be at this point.
But let me just throw this in there real quick
stephen because while we're talking about air Force, we will
give our game balls here in a second, but really quickly,
you know, some news emerging. I believe it was yesterday
that the American Athletic Conference, you know, air Force in
the American Wow, could we have all three service academies
in the same league for the first time ever? As
Pete I think was Pete Thamil was the one that
really broke it from ESPN saying that there was mutual
interest on behalf of the American Athletic Conference and Air
Force and the Falcons joining. So a little bit of
you know, conference realignment never seems to end these days,
and certainly the wheels are continuing to turn, especially as
it turns to the Service Academy and Air Force this case.
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, and this all stems from the fact that
the PAC twelve, consisting of Oregon State and Washington State,
so really it's the pack too, has already poached four
teams from the Mountain West. Starting in twenty twenty six,
Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State
will all move from the Mountain West to the new
PAC twelve, and they're expecting to have more teams possibly
make the jump from other leagues, whether that be the
Western Athletic Conference or the American you know there's talk
that there are a couple of teams that are west
of the Mississippi, namely Memphis and Tulane, that the Pack
twelve could be eyeing to bring into their new look conference.
And so that makes that makes air Force a very
inviting and a very attractive team and a and a
program to bring into the American Athletic Conference. Now, that
did not, of course, did not stop a certain head
coach at Army, Jeff Funkin, was asked about the American
Athletic Conference possibly wooing air Force in his press conference
this week, and his response was.
Speaker 4: They still play football there. I didn't know that, you know, just.
Speaker 3: Just a friendly dig in at Troy Calhoun. But but
it was still something that I laughed my ass off
about and it was. But I think that bringing in
air Force to be with Army and Navy, if you're
the American Athletic Conference, you couldn't ask for or any
for a better program to commit. You're looking at a
you know, you never have to worry about a team
committing any sort of violations when it comes to the
football program. You're not gonna see any academic issues with
these with this team. And it's a team that you're
gonna be able to to say, you know what, We're
gonna watch this team and you're gonna you're gonna you're
gonna fall in love with these players, and you have
four years to fall in love with these players as well.
Speaker 2: Mm hmm. Yeah. To let our listeners know the ones
that may not be aware. You know, there is not
a lot of love for the Air Force Academy when
it comes from Navy an Army there. You know, they
they've always kind of looked at Air Force just just
playing on a different field, so to speak, right, I mean,
it's just it's a it's a it's a it's a
it's a brand new program.
Speaker 4: I mean, you think about it. Uh.
Speaker 3: You know, Army and navyes football programs started in eighteen
ninety yuh so and they've been playing every year since.
Uh Whereas the Air Force can at Me was formed
in the nineteen fifties. There, their football program is very
young compared to the Black Knights and the Midshipman. So
of course they're gonna they're gonna look down at him
as the ugly step brother, little step brother, a little
redheaded git your stepbrother. You know that that you kind
of like slap around, uh. But you know, the Falcons
have turned into you know, one of the best uh.
Speaker 4: I did.
Speaker 3: I hate calling him a mid major, but a group
of five or for what's going to end up being
the group of six?
Speaker 2: Uh?
Speaker 3: Now because the PAC twelve obviously is going to end
up uh being a part of that uh with its
rating of the Mountain West. So so of course, you
know you're gonna you're gonna see a little bit of
the little step brother aspect when it comes from Army
and Navy regarding Air Force. But it's just like at home,
you can pick on your stepbrother, but nobody else is
going to be able to pick on your step brother.
And I could I can see Army and Navy along
with Air Force, you know, combining together to make sure
that the direction of the conference as a whole goes
in the right direction.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it'll definitely be interesting to watch as it. You know,
things could unfold very quickly because they have obviously over
the last few days with the PAC twelve and you
know what's been going on there, and the wheels continue
to turn, So keep an eye on it. We will
certainly do that for you as well. But let's get
back to it real quick, Stephen, because we did not
give out game balls. I mean, I know it's hard
to give out a game ball. We had one game
and Air Force was the loser thirty one to three.
Can you give out a game ball?
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's tough to slap around, get slapped around like
like Air Force did with Baylor and give out game balls.
There were still a number of performances that I was like,
you know what, that guy balled out and you could
tell that he wanted this. This guy wanted to win
a lot, and I would say almost as much as
anybody on the field, and that is sophomore defensive back
Kyle Chen, who I'm going to give my game ball to.
He had seven tackles, six of them of the solo variety.
Also recovered one of Baylor's three fumbles, so unfortunately, think
Danny points, but that's.
Speaker 4: Not his fault.
Speaker 3: He was able to get the ball back for his
offense at that point. So I will give a game
ball to Kyle Chen and a as we like to
say in the Navy, a bravo Zulu.
Speaker 2: All right, I'm gonna go a game ball. I mean
I had to. We talked a little bit about it
before we started recording. It was hard to pick one.
I mean I thought about going with the backup punter,
what was his name, had the fifty two yard kick,
Carson Bay couldn't do it. Decided to go Kate Harris
because Kate Harris led the way. A team that's trying
to find a rushing attack, trying to find a guy
to kind of be the identity of it. Kate Harris,
you know, the fullback senior out of South Weaver, Utah.
He led the way. He was seventy one yards, averaging
almost nine yards of carry. But for the season, Kate
Harris is at six and a half yards of carry,
one carries one hundred and thirty two yards at three touchdowns.
So the leading rusher for the Air Force Falcons. On
the day, he's going to get my game ball in
a game that was very or I should say even
a week Steven, that was tough to find a game ball.
All right, let's go ahead and step away. We got
our Travis Manning Foundation Honor Roll segment coming. We've got
some games to preview, which we will do on the
other side as we are part of the Last Word
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be right back. Two games to preview, and we'll do
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Speaker 1: The latest with Navy, Army and Air Force on Yards
and Stripes Service Academy Football.
Speaker 2: All right, as we roll along here on Yards and
Stripes Episode four, it's we are part of the Last
World on Sports Podcast Network. He is Steven Carney and
I am Price Atkinson, and we are your co host
for the Yards and Stripes Service Academy Football, Army, Navy
and Air Force. And speaking of those two teams, Steven,
two of the three are in action this week in
Army and Navy Wall Air Force. We told you just
gonna sit this one out, and there's gonna be a
little common denominator a theme here of winning streaks around
the country that are going to mention here as we
preview both of these games. And the first of these
two games is going to be the Army Black Knights.
They're going to be hosting the Rice Owls coming to
Mikey on Saturday at twelve now, and this is part
of a doubleheader on the CBS Sports Network. Last I've
seen Armies giving six points with an over under at
forty three in this football game. Is the Black Knights
two and zero for the first time in three years? Steven,
But Army six game winning streak, Yes, it dates back
to last year. Second longest active winning streak in the
country behind who can you guess who has the longest
active winning streak?
Speaker 3: Well, now that Michigan's winning streak is done, let me
think here. My guess is it's Miami.
Speaker 2: I will give you a hint. And you were close
in saying when I was going to say that it
starts with that same.
Speaker 3: Letter, all right, So it starts with an M. So
it's not Miami, and it's not Michigan. Is it air Force?
Now you know I'm I'm trying to think Mississippi State. No, no, awful.
Speaker 2: The Missouri Tigers have oh Miszoo seven straight going back
to last year, and Army right now is second with
a winning streaks.
Speaker 3: And that's because Miszoo played last week when Army was off.
Because I remember seeing after Army's win two weeks ago,
their social media put it up that they were tied
for the longest winning streak active in Division one FBS
college football.
Speaker 2: And that is correct. Well, the Black Knights are going
to be hosting the Rice Owls in a series that's
tied four four and one, as the last meeting was
in twenty nineteen, which was at Mikey Stadium and Army
pulling out a close fourteen to seven wins. But these
teams have gotten together quite often during the Jeff Unkin era,
as this will be the sixth time they've come together
Jeff Munkin three and two in those games against the
Rice Owls. But nonetheless, the two and zero Black Knights
one to oher in the American this is going to
be the opener for Rice one and two they have
not played a conference game yet, so this will be
their conference first conference game. And you know, obviously Army
is the big favorite, but you know, again, Army has
only played two games. You know, what do we really
know about Army. I don't think we're gonna find out
much more than we what we know already about Army
this this weekend. But what I do know is I
think Army is gonna go and hold Serve at home.
We'll get to our picks in a little bit. But
Owls definitely struggling this year. Steven is you know their
two losses have not even been close.
Speaker 3: Yeah, not, they have not been close. And uh you
look at what Rice says. Uh, you know, they've they've
got one. Their one victory is against uh, you know,
a team in Texas Southern that I think even one FBS.
I don't even I think they're they're a one FCS team.
Uh you know they they they lost at home to
Sam Houston State, which is not very good. You know,
Sam Houston last year was at least a halfway decent team.
This year, Sam Houston not a very good team and
got blown out against Houston, which is not you know,
which has been very good in the American but now
in the Big twelve is considered a bottom tier Big
twelve team, and they got they got beat up pretty
bad despite having, you know, maybe one of the best
prepared quarterbacks you know in all of college football, guy
that I've seen now for a couple of years, e J. Warner,
the son of Kurt Warner, who is at Temple, has
transferred to Rice and is now their starting quarterback. And
this year Warner has three touchdowns and four interceptions almost
five hundred yards through the air in those three games.
And really it's come down to both him and Dean Connors.
They're running back, and you know, when those guys were
doing well, obviously they have a lot of success. You know,
Connors had three touchdowns in Rice's win over Texas Southern
on just nine carries. But in his other two games,
the game against Houston, eleven carries for thirty two yards.
That's under three yards a carry. I can even do
that math. And then in against Sam Houston State, twelve
carries for fifty two yards, so you're looking at just
over four yards a carry. But really didn't get the
quantity of carries. You know, if you're averaging four yards
of carry, you would think that you would want to
be able to run the ball more. The problem was
that Rice got behind early and then they ended up
having to throw the ball and they had to get
away from the running game, which was probably going to
be their success against sam Houston. But when you fall behind,
you've got to be able to score points quickly. They
weren't able to do so they end up losing at
home to sam Houston State. This Rice team, I can
tell you in years past when I would look at
the schedule coming out here in Tampa with the with
the University of South Florida, when they were a bad team,
and you would look for Rice to see because that's
probably a game you can win. This is obviously a
game that I think that you're gonna be able. If
you're an army, you're gonna be able to control the
line of If you can control the line of scrimmage,
control time of possession, you're gonna find yourself walking out
with a seventh consecutive victory.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you mentioned Dean Connors, and you know the running back.
He's a legit right spot for the Owls because you
know a year ago for Rice that won six games.
He got eligible a season ago, seven hundred and seventy
one yards. But the big thing was he averaged six
and a half yards per carry last year, Stephen. This
year he's you know, right at two hundred yards. But
you know, it proves last year wasn't a flute because
he's at six point two yards per carry. So this
is two years you know in a row. Now where
you know this guy knows how to run the football
and you're getting over six yards of a tote, you're
doing something right. Obviously we know EJ. Warner can sling it,
you know. And the other thing I think a statistical
thing to keep an eye on, although I don't think
it's going to play much of a factor here on Saturday,
clearly just because of style of play. But defensively, the
Owls rank number one in Division One with fourteen sacks
this year, so they're bringing pressure. But obviously Army's not
going to be throwing the football very often at all,
so I don't see that total going up much, if
at all. Now on Saturday. The one thing, big thing,
as you mentioned about Rice, I'll just tell you quick
a very quick story here. I've always got a little
bit of a soft soft spot in my heart for
the Rice House because it was one of my football
trips while working at the Naval Academy. Were assistant sids,
we usually got to we rotated back in the day,
you know, so each of the assistants got to go
on one football road trip at Rice is where I
met my first former American US president, when I met
Bush forty one, uh, you know, getting ready to come
up the elevator. I came down at halftime just to
go out and kind of walk the concourse check it
out as President Bush forty one was walking speedily to
the elevator to come up to do an interview with
Med and the Navy radio crew there at halftime. So
always got a soft spot in my heart for the
Rice Stadium there because it was where I got to
meet the first of three American presidents I've had the
chance to meet. So anyway, moving on, as this will
be again a twelve noon kickoff on the CBS Sports Network,
Stephen Army and Rice. This will be Rice's first American
Athletic Conference game. Can the Black Knights keep this winning
streak going? We will find out, all right. Our other game,
the second game of the CBS Sports Net doubleheader steven
maybe the game of the week in the American Athletic
Conference at the Naval Academy. Three and oh overall one
and oh in the American taking on the Memphis Tigers,
who are three and oh, certainly know the win they're
coming off. And I said Navy three and oh, I'm sorry,
maybe it's two and oh. But the Memphis Tigers, they
are in fact three and oh, but they have not
played a conference game. This is a three thirty CBS
Sports Network game as well. But nine point underdog at
home over under his forty nine against the Memphis Tigers.
Maybe just three and six all time against number twenty
three Memphis is Memphis checks in at number twenty three
in the country. The mids won three of the first
four games, but the Tigers have had Navy's number, as
they have won the last five against the midshipman. What
will happen on Saturday, Well, we'll make our picks here
in just a little bit, but number twenty three Memphis
and the Naval Academy going to do battle in a
game that certainly has some early season at least right
now early American Athletic Conference implications.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Absolutely, And you're if you're Memphis, this is a game
that hopefully you have not taken lately. I mean, you
can imagine everybody in Memphis is all fired up after
beating Florida State last week in Tallahassee. And so I
would assume that, you know, knowing, knowing the Tigers coaching staff,
they've know, they've known that, you know, conference play was
going to start after that Florida State game. And it's
a you want you want to talk about one of
the craziest uh changes of pace. Uh, if you're Memphis,
You're going from Florida State, who wants to try and
throw the football all over the place, even though they
haven't been able to successfully yet this year. And now
you're going to turn around and you're going to play Navy,
and Navy is not going to want to throw the
football at all.
Speaker 4: Uh, if if all goes well.
Speaker 3: And so uh, you know with Seth Hennigan, who has
been you know leading the Tigers now for the last
couple of years, has had an incredible start uh to
the year under center.
Speaker 4: Uh.
Speaker 3: You know, he's thrown five touchdowns just a single interception
this year. So he has kept he has prevented the
short field through the air. Their their ground game has
been really really strong. For Navy, this is gonna be
about making sure that you can keep your defense out
as little as possible. The more that they can control
time of possession, the more that Blake Horvath can can
make sure that they keep the midshipman offense moving forward
through the water. And you're not treading water. You know,
you can't have second and third and longs. You want
to try and have second in mid, third and short
if you're if you're doing that consistently, I think that
Navy's gonna give themselves an opportunity to maybe come out
of here with a victory.
Speaker 4: But they've got to be able to do that.
Speaker 2: Yeah, we will see. One thing I do know is
certainly Memphis was the preseason favorite in the American Athletic Conference,
but the Tigers are tied mentioned win streaks earlier steven
with the Black Knights. The Tigers tied for the fourth
longest win streak in the FBS with five, you know,
going back to last year. But you know, Navy is
gonna have something to say about it. Aiming for their
first three and zero start since twenty seventeen. But you
know the guy that you just you know, focused in
on and talked, you know, quite a bit about Steve.
You know, Seth Henigan, the fourth year starter on offense
for Memphis. He is, you know, the only quarterback in
the FBS to be the starting quarterback at the same
school for all four years. And he's thrown a touchdown
pass in forty straight games, tying Baker Mayfield for the
third longest streak in FBS history, what away from tying
Marcus Mariota for second. It's a high powered, you know,
high octane offense. Memphis has scored twenty or more points
and thirty straight games, the longest streak in FBS. And
you know, but you know, hen again is a guy
that has had his lip navy up literally lit them up. Uh,
you know, in games that he started the three previous years,
averaging thirty three points in those games. And he's thrown
for eight hundred and forty eight yards Steve five touchdowns
and just two picks. And oh yeah, the last time
he was a Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium two years ago,
four hundred and fifteen yards in two touchdowns. Seth hen
again obviously a guy that's a product of the system.
He's been there four years now, lighting scoreboards up.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and I think that when when you look at
some of those numbers, uh, you know what Hennigan has
put up, especially two years ago in Annapolis. You know,
that's that's something that you know that the defensive coaching
staff has been sitting in the rooms all week, uh,
you know, looking at this and especially after having last
week off, Uh, they've been they've certainly been looking all
week long, going this is what we need to take
a look at.
Speaker 4: This is the person. These are the this is the guy.
Speaker 3: They've got him circled in purple on probably all of
their charts, all of their she all of their overheads.
They've they've been watching, they've been watching film relentlessly about Okay,
when he does this, you've got you've got to watch
out for him. And it's real easy, you know, they
always tell you, you know, you've got to be able to
point out the guy that everybody needs to keep an
eye on.
Speaker 4: It's really easy to point him out.
Speaker 2: He's got the football, yeah, you know, and hen again,
you know, in forty games that he started, he's thrown
for in almost half of those games. Nineteen of the
forty games he started, he's thrown for over three hundred
yards in those games. And on top of it, he's
never thrown two picks in a single game. So something
to keep an eye on, certainly is Navy looking to
beat a ranked opponent for the first time since November
of twenty twenty two, when the Mids went to not
too far from U Steve and went to Orlando and
knocked off number seventeen to eighteen UCF seventeen to fourteen.
But their last win over ranked team in Annapolis, well
that was in November as well, but that came in
twenty nineteen, and they knocked off SMU thirty five to
twenty eight twenty eight when the Stangs came in at
ranked number twenty one in the country Stevens. So certainly
the midshipman going to have their hands full. And you
know is talking defense, and you know, maybe what a
strength for Rice earlier in that first game. You know,
in terms of getting to the quarterback. You know that
the Tiger secondary has been their weakness this year. But again,
you know, Navy has has shown an ability to throw
the football, but that's not really a you know, a
weakness that you think Navy's going to test time and
time again, because as we all know, obviously Navy wants
to do one thing, and what is it. It's clearly
run the dang ball.
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, And as I said, for them to be
successful this week, yeah, second and long, third and long
has to be minimized. And really third and long you
would love to see zero third downs of more than
five yards if your Navy to be successful this week.
Speaker 2: Number twenty three Memphis at Navy on Saturday, three point
thirty pm kickoff Eastern Standard Time on the CBS Sports Network.
Maybe a seven point home underdog. Can they pull off
the upset and stop Memphisis five game win streak against
the Mids. We will find out. Should be a darn
good football game. But what I know is we're having
a darn good time here on Yards and Stripes. Stephen
Is We're going to step away, We're going to bring
you the Travis Manu Foundation on a roll segment, and
then we're going to come back and make some picks
in our two games right here on Yards and Stripes
as we are part of the Last Word on Sports
podcast Network, Don't miss it. We're coming right back.
Speaker 5: In two thousand and seven, Mareen First Lieutenant Travis Manion
was killed in Iraq after saving his wooted teammates. Travis's
legacy lives on through the words he spoke before his
final deployment. If not me, then who? Words that today
fuel the spirit of Travis Mannion Foundation and through TMF
these words can live in you too. Show the world
what you're made of, because character is invisible until it's not.
Find out how you can strengthen the character of your
community alongside empowered veterans, families of the fallon, and inspired
civilians at Travismanion dot org.
Speaker 2: All right, you know we've come to that moment in
the show our Travismanian Foundation Honor Roll segment where we
honor remember a fallen hero, one that has given the
ultimate sacrifice for our country. And you can find out
a lot more about Travismannon Foundation online at Travismannion dot org.
As they are continuing the legacy of service and commitment
in communities across the country. Their nine to eleven Heroes
runs are going on right now. You can sign up
to join and support the Travismanian Foundation online at Travismanion
dot Org. And this week we're going to honor remember
Army First Lieutenant Bruce Richards, a native of Falmouth, Maine,
who gave the ultimate sacrifice on July the thirtieth, two
thousand and fifteen, at the age of twenty six years old.
As first Lieutenant, Richards was subscribed as a man of
honor and justice, fought for those he loved and for
his beliefs. He put others before himself. He was a friend,
a mentor, and a leader. His laugh was contagious and
he made the world. He lived in a better place
every single day, and his legacy has lived on by
everyone he ever touched as he made everyone better and
continues to do so as they strive to honor his life.
And that was submitted on behalf of his wife, his
surviving spouse, Stephanie Richards, talking about her husband, First Lieutenant
Bruce Richards giving that ultimate sacrifice on July thirty first,
twenty and fifteen. To mention he was born just before
Christmas nineteen eighty eight and Fallmuth, Maine. One of the
stories said that his wife told after his passing, when
nine to eleven happened, Bruce was just a child. At
twelve years old, he grabbed his best friend his camo
im pellet gun and announced he was going to fight
the terrorists. It wasn't a game to him. He knew
our country needed brave people to defend it and he
was willing to do so. Since child bildhood. Another story
of leadership that was submitted to TMF on behalf of Bruce.
He was someone people looked up to. He understood that
being a leader meant doing the hard work when others
and leading by example. You never saw him on the sidelines,
but rather in the middle of the work, and that
is why people followed him. They also said that he
loved to learn. Bruce was always eager to learn how
to be a better soldier, a better friend, a better cook,
a better gamer. His interests were infinite because he never
got bored to learning. He found the world and cosmos
around him amusing and wanted to devour all knowledge had
to offer. They would often lay in bed at three
in the morning talking about physics, how to cook a
better steak, God, or simply his new discovery. His hunger
for knowledge was one of his most admired characteristics. Again,
some memories that were submitted on behalf of First Lieutenant
Bruce Richards the United States Army, who we remember as
we do our heroes every single week. Here on Yards
and Stripes, you're home for ser Academy Football once again.
We want to thank the Travis Mannon Foundation is their
doing incredible work in communities across the nation to honor
fallen heroes like Captain or First Lieutenant Bruce Richards.
Speaker 6: Travis Mallon Foundations Nine to eleven Heroes run five K
race series units communities across the country and around the
world to honor the sacrifices of September eleventh and the
war since. Join your community this September and register to run,
walk or rock by visiting nine to eleven heroesun dot org.
Speaker 1: The latest with Navy, Army and Air Force on Yards
and Stripes, Service Academy Football All.
Speaker 2: Right, final segment here on Yards and Stripes. Stephen Carnifrice
Atkinson wrapping this baby up. Our Travis mann In the
Foundation for staining with us with our TMF on roll
once again the season again. Check them out online Travismannion
dot org. Find out ways that you can get involved
their Nine to eleven Heroes runs going on all month.
Just find out where there is one near U. You
can search the map there and find out ways you
can get involved, because you can walk, you can ruck,
you can run. However you want to do it honor
of a loved one who has given the ultimate sacrifice
or served our country. So check the Travis Manion Foundation
out online Travismanion dot org. Steven two games to pick
this week, Air Forces off. As we told you about
Rice at Army number twenty three, Memphis at Navy. Let's
make our picks. Rice at Army. How do you see
this one? Shaking out? My man?
Speaker 3: In the words of the noted philosopher mister T. Pain,
I just I see Army running the ball down the
throat of the owls and not giving EJ. Warner, you know,
an opportunity to get on the field. I think that
this and then when he does get on the field,
I think that the defense is gonna have it's gonna
have its hands full, especially with the Connors in the backfield.
I think that that's going to be their big their
big problem is making sure that they if they can
stop Connors on early downs. I think they've got an
opportunity because I don't think war really has the weapons
out wide that he has had in years past, and
so I think that if you can push Rice into
a third and long situation, you've got an opportunity to
get off the field and be able to run the
ball down the throat of the Owls a little more.
So I'm going to take Army in this game. I'm
going to say it's probably I will take twenty eight
to thirteen. I think that the Black Knights do improve
to three and zero with a victory at home.
Speaker 2: Well, we're not too far apart because I'm with you.
I think Army is going to run the football and
they're going to run it with effective an authority on
Saturday against a Rice team that has clearly struggling. But
I'm with you. I think Bryson Daily in this Black
Knight's you know team right now, is playing with a
ton of confidence protecting the football. I'm pretty darn close
because I put my picks and my numbers down, you know,
before we start recording. I like Army big thirty seven
to thirteen. You obvisually went twenty eight thirteen. I kind
of like them to, you know, put up you know,
a win by you know, over three touchdowns, but we
will see. I think in the name of the game,
it's all about taking care of the football and does
Army do it? Can they continue to do it? We'll
find out. But I'm with you a lot too, A
little Black Knights are going to get the win, all right.
Our second game of the week, maybe the biggest of
the weekend, especially when it comes to the American Athletic Conference,
the Navy Midshipman hosting number twenty three Memphis. Who told
you Memphis has won five in a row in the series,
while the Med's looking for their first three and zero
starts since seventeen. How will this shakeout? As Navy is
a seven point home underdog, Steven, do they pull the upset?
Speaker 4: I don't.
Speaker 3: I think they've got a really good opportunity to do so,
and I think that they keep it close throughout the game.
But I think that you look at Seth Hennigan and
he's got an opportunity to take the ball the last
time out and drive the ball down and get Memphis
in position to take the victory. Unfortunately in Annapolis, I'm
going to say that it is Memphis thirty one Navy
thirty Wow.
Speaker 2: This is this is incredible. I mean, you don't hit
the same numbers very often. I had in Memphis down
forty two to thirty at worst spot on on what
we think Navy will score those thirty points. But I
went a little bit higher with that Memphis offense, especially
with Hennigan, the way he can throw it and sling
it in what he's done for four years. I think
he's going to do that and then some you know,
the last time he was at Navy Marine Corps Memorial
Stadium two years ago, he put up what over four
hundred and ten yards through the air. I think he's
gonna do that. I think he could even go over
you know, four hundred. But this Navy defense right now
playing very well. But one of the things about the
Navy defense is they are not forcing turnovers right now, Steve,
And as you mentioned, you know, obviously you want that defense.
You don't want him to be on the field very long.
But you know, a byproduct of a really good offense
is a lot of times Memphis, those big plays, you
are not on the field very long. So you know,
I think it's gonna be critical for the Navy midshipman
if they're going to pull this upset. I think they've
got to win over the I think they've got to
win the turnover margin, and I think they got to
go over three hundred yard rushing if they're going to
pull this upset. But in the end, I'm with you.
I don't think they do. I think it's Memphis forty
two to thirty. All right, Steven, let's get out of here.
What do we miss? Do we miss anything as we
get ready for another exciting weekend in college football?
Speaker 3: No, I think the only thing that's left to do
is to enjoy these games. I will say to the
fans and to the listeners here of Yards and Stripes.
If you have enjoyed this podcast, make sure you take
a listen to all the other podcasts of college Gridiron
available at last Word on sports dot Com, Slash Podcasts,
and also on the College grid Iron Coast to Coast
podcast feed, where you can get this one as well.
Speaker 2: Absolutely check us out last Word on Sports, but all
our friends, get off my pylon. There is a ton
of college football content that will keep you busy get
you ready for game days. Every Saturday at the last
Word on Sports podcast Network. Steven, it's been fun. We'll
do it again next week. I can't wait to do
it once again thanks to TMF. Thanks to our listeners,
you are investing your time with us every single week, Army, Navy,
and Air Force. If you enjoy it, tele a friend,
we will see you next week.
Speaker 1: Join us again next time for Yards and Stripes Service
Academy Football. To get more on all things Service Academy Football,
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