Speaker 1: Need to get your football fix on all things Army, Navy,
and Air Force. This is Yarns and Stripes Service Academy Football.
Now Here are your hosts, Pryce Atkinson and Steve Carney.
Speaker 2: In pre Christmas edition of Yards and Stripes, your home
for Service Academy Football, the Bragging Rights. They are coming
back to Annapolis, the Naval Academy and the Midshipman. They
win a thriller to capture the Commander in Chief Trophy again.
We got two bowl games for preview, one team playing
and one of the most tradition rich bowl games, while
the others playing one of the most unique bowl games.
We'll talk about that. We've got scores, we got a
Travis Manian Foundation Honor Roll segment. We got a college
football playoff that's underway that we're going to talk about
a little bit later. Got some news and notes to
pass along. But the most important thing he is Steven
Carney and I am Price Atkinson. But even more important
than that, folks, and the Commander in Chief Trophy has
been settled for another year, Steven, and it was yet
another thriller. And just when you think you've seen seen
them all play out the way they can play out
a number twenty two Navy and Army another game unlike
any other. And it sure was in that fourth quarter
because Army was controlled in this baby for three solid quarters.
And next thing, you know, the number twenty two Midshipman
they score seventeen to sixteen win over Army. As they
are now ten and two, Army drops to six and
six as we now officially head into the postseason. Before
we get into all that, Steven, how the hell are you, brother?
Speaker 3: I am fantastic, price very very excited after what was
an incredible game a couple you know, a couple of
saturdays ago. Now, you know, you and I talked about
this before we started recording this show that it seems
like every time you say, I think I've seen everything
that can be done in a you know, in a
series of games that's been going back, you know, one
hundred and twenty six of them. Now you think you
would have seen it all, and sure enough, the Midshipman
and the Black Knights do something that just makes you, oh,
oh my god, I can't believe this has happened. And
you know, congratulations to Navy. You know, Michael Kelly, the
athletic director at the Naval Academy is an old friend
of mine. I've known him for a very long time,
and you know, he is very happy to talk. And
you know, I actually saw him. We're taping this on Monday.
I talked to him yesterday. He is here in town.
The Navy women's basketball team was at the Ynglings Center
taking on the University of South Florida women's team basketball team.
By the way, Navy's women's basketball team, I know, we
don't do women's basketball. This is football. This is a
football program. That women's basketball team is incredible. Like I'm
telling you the Patriot League better watch out for the Mids.
But you know, he's so proud of the football team.
You know, getting to ten wins in back to back
seasons for the first time and it's one hundred and
forty five year history is just it's an incredible moment.
And you know, it's kind of like how we talked
with Joe Miller before the game. You know about what
the legacy of these seniors is going to be in
Navy football, and you know they're gonna be mentioned up there.
You know, Blake Horvath is going to be because of
what he's done. You know, he did something that you know,
Keenan Reynolds has never done. He did something that Malcolm
Perry has never done. He did something that Roger Staubach
has never done. You know, he led the Midshipman to
back to back ten win seasons. And you know, I
know we're going to get into it here a little bit,
but I'm I'm so I'm happy for Navy. You know,
I felt Army showed itself in incredibly well to get
ready for things, and you know what, I'm really excited
for the ball season and then I'm so pumped as
to what these teams are going to look like in
twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I can't wait too. You know, well, let's let's
just go ahead and get into it, because you know
it was Steve. It was a combination that's worked like
a charm all season for Navy. Blake Corbath, you know,
to Eli Heidinriich in some shape or form. This time
it was from eight yards out on a fourth in goal.
Was six thirty two left for the win. But man
coverage across the middle, Horrebath threws an absolute strike to Horbath.
Like I said, in man coverage and the go ahead
score and ultimately the win. But it was honestly, it
was almost a touchdown pass that that never came to pass,
because you know, every now and then the ball will
bounce your way, and that happened twice with Blake Corbath
in this game, recovering two of his own fumbles, one
of which on what second and goal from the one
or he lost the ball wall tempt the tush push
and you know, Army linebacker had had a chance to
scoop it up Eric Ford, but Alex Tesca he reaches
over and prevents it. You know, as Heidenreich was the
one that recovered the football. Believe it was heiden Wright,
not Tesca recovering the ball.
Speaker 4: At the eight.
Speaker 2: Next play, horbast Is almost sacked, you know, ball falls
incomplete on a pass to Tesca, which if he had
caught it, it would have been a loss on the
on the play of about you know, six seven yards.
But in the end it made that fourth down play
a little bit more palatable, you know, to go for
it on fourth and goal, and sure enough, there's the
touchdown strike.
Speaker 4: It's game set matches.
Speaker 2: Navy gets its second straight win over Army and winning
the Commander in Chief Trophy for the second straight season.
The Black Knights have not beaten the Navy team that
was ranked now by the AP since nineteen fifty five.
Speaker 5: Steve, Yeah, it's been a lot long time coming.
Speaker 3: And you know, I thought through through most of this game,
especially the first half. You know, we talked about before
the game, you know, and you know I've had I asked,
I had people ask me all the time. You know,
how is Army win this game? You know, Ken, Army
win this game. And I'm just like, absolutely, Army can
win this game. They had to do what Navy did
to Army last year. It basically you and I talked
about this. The shoe was on the other foot, so
to speak. You know, you had a very strong Navy
team that had dominated this year, and people thought, well,
it was going to dominate again in this game. And
you had an upstart Army team with a hungry quarterback
in cal Hellum's and I thought that, you know, if
they could have stood up there, punched Navy in the mouth,
and if Navy shrunk away or flinched, Army was going
to Army. Army had a chance. But that was the
only that was the only opportunity that they were going
to have. That if they punched it in the mouth
and Navy flinched and shrank back. You know, I thought
Navy kind of shrank back a little bit.
Speaker 2: I was gonna say they did. They punched the mouth,
and I thought they did shrink a little bit.
Speaker 3: But but you know, after they they took a step back,
but they gathered their wits. It took them a while
to gather their wits, especially because you think about it,
Navy had the ball so long through the first quarter,
and the first quarter was two drives total.
Speaker 5: They both were thirteen.
Speaker 3: Plays, seventy five yard drives that ended with a quarterback
in the end zone. So you know, I was like,
I was like, oh, there's you know, once they got
the three and out, when Army got the three and
forced them to go three and out and then went
and took the lead, and then you saw the first fumble,
you know, in the second quarter and Army.
Speaker 5: The only thing that.
Speaker 3: That helped Navy was the fact that Army was getting
kicks and not putting the ball in the end zone.
If they you know, if they take one of those
the three and out or the fumble in the second
quarter and put it in the end zone for seven.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think that. I think this game looks totally different.
Speaker 2: And he talked Jeb Munkin talked about that before the game,
about not settling for threes, and that's what Army did.
They did settle for threes. That was something he talked
about in the press conference this week.
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. I mean I think, you know, Army
had that. Army had that same you know feeling in
the in the first drive. But but you know when
they when they ended up going for the touchdown. But
after that, I thought, I thought Army seld for kicks
and Navy didn't want to settle for kicks. They wanted
to put the ball in the end zone. And and
credit to them, you know, they they did that on
two different occasions, and and Army only did it once.
Speaker 2: You know, it was Army's ball game for three three quarters.
I mean, leading sixteen to seven midway through the third,
you know, but Army failed to get another first down
on its last three possessions of the game. Kate helems
thow in the interception, which was another play that was
like that gave Navy the ball in midfield midway through.
Speaker 4: The fourth quarter.
Speaker 2: It was another time, Steve, when we talked about it
a couple episodes ago.
Speaker 4: What was it?
Speaker 2: Was it in the Tulane game Tulsa? I think everything
was the Tulsa game, you know, And there was another
game that was at home. Was it Tarlet I think
it was Tarlaton too. And then in one of the
first games of the season where you know, Narvi, Army
decided to pass the throw the ball and I.
Speaker 4: Was like, what are they doing?
Speaker 2: Yeah, run the football and they were up six, you know,
why not run the football? Was seven minutes left, but
they decided to go back and throw the football and
you know, it's picked. You know, it happened against Tulsa.
It happened again. It happened early in the season against Tarlatan.
This time Philip Hamilton picks it off and you know,
game changing interception. I don't know what Army was thinking
yet again, you know on that play call, you know,
I know we can all armchair quarterback it and you
complete the pass and you look like a genius. But
it was bewildering to say the least, especially I guess,
you know, the only thing I can think of is
when they were failing to get gain first downs and
move the football on the ground, they were trying to
just figure out some way, you know, to keep possession.
That's the only other thing I can think, Steve.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and it really is the the the I think
I think they were looking for the knockout blow at
that point. They they figured, uh, at that point, you know,
Navy's uh, Navy's offense had had the ball after the
first drive, they had had the ball five times, punt, lost, fumble, interception,
and then the field goal and then another punt. And
at that point they're thinking, Okay, it's sixteen ten. At
this point, we need we need we need to get
another score. We need to make this a two score
game again. And so I think that maybe you think
to to maybe change things up, maybe throw you know,
throw something out there that they haven't seen before. But
maybe you've seen that before. Yeah, And you know, all
you had to do is go back and look at Yeah.
I believe it was the Tulsa game. I don't think
it was too late. I think it was I think
it was Tulsa that they had that that they had
that issue with where they you know, Tulsa was able to,
you know, get a turnover and turn it into points
and come out with the victory in that game late
late in the in the fourth quarter. And at that
point you're going, you know, when when when Philip Hamilton
makes that interception of Hellam's and you're going, this is
the spot. I I don't I don't know about you
when you when you were watching it. But I was
sitting on the couch here with my killer pizza me
massacre for the win. But and I you know, saying
to no one in particular, because I was at home
by myself.
Speaker 4: Yeah, and I just.
Speaker 3: Went, this is the spot, you know, if you're if
you're going to cement a legacy, this is where you
do it. You're down six, so a touchdown gives you
the lead. And if you can, if you can get
the lead and and get a whole get a stop,
you're gonna win this game.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Well, a couple of things here, especially looking at the
Black Knights, because obviously we know that, you know, the
playmakers made the plays. And I was on was it
Vision Radio out of Vegas, I did a hit with
them on at twelve thirty before the game, and I
heard it. It was great and they asked me who
I thought, you know, was gonna win. And I thought,
at the end of the day, I thought the playmakers
were at Navy and guys like Hide and Right, Tesca
and Horvath was going to be the difference. And they
ultimately were, you know, with with Horbat the Heide and Right.
But you know that was that was maybe Army's best
defensive entire effort of the entire season. Held maybe to
seventeen points. They held them to what two hundred and
seventy some odd yards total offense. That was a fantastic
effort by Army's defense. And you could say, well, they know,
these teams know each other and you know it's typically
low scoring.
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2: But on the other side of the coin, you know, offensively,
Kate Helem ran for one hundred yards. The rest of
Army's offensive backfield I think they managed just twenty twenty
two yards total on the ground. Got to have something
more from more from Army than just the Kate Hellum Show.
Brice and Daily Show last year was a little bit different.
Kate Hellum Show is not quite.
Speaker 4: It's not the same thing. But the other thing too
is you know, offensively, Army failed. They failed to score
a more.
Speaker 2: Than off one offensive touchdown for the eighth straight game
in this rivalry, and that coincides with Brian Newberry's arrival
in Napolis. He got there in twenty eighteen. Since he
arrived as defensive coordinator and now obviously his head coach,
Army has only scored one offensive touchdown in this game.
That is that you've got to find a way to
get more offensively than one offensive touchdown. I know that
Armies had a lot of success stor in that time,
but that being said, you got to find something more
than just Kate Hellms. Because Kate Hellms will be back
year barring something crazy happening. You've got to find him
some help. But the Army defense, I thought they played
well enough to win this football game without a doubt.
Speaker 3: Oh absolutely, I I thought I thought the exact same
thing and he and you know what it took. It
took the stones, so to speak of, of of Navy's
offense on that final drive to finally salt this thing away.
Speaker 5: And you know, and how and how did they do it?
Speaker 3: By beating them to death with the run. I mean
they they just ran right at them you know, Army.
Army couldn't do that this year, you know, And talking
with Salador Donado before the game, you know, we talked
about the fact that you know, without a kanye Udo
in the backfield, you know, you don't have a bowling
ball uh that can that can handle the run game,
and and the pressure of just pounding the other defense
to death. And I mean look at the look at
the last drive after they force Army to punt under
under the you know, with like five minutes to go,
you know, they're thinking, all right, if we can get
a stop, we're gonna have a We're gonna have an
opportunity at this. Yeah, and they just you know, Horvath run,
Horvath run on third and two to get to third
and short, Horva hide and Rik run to convert Horvath
uh Tesca run hide and rig run and then Horrorvath
like I you and I talked about this before. I'm
curious to know what Horvath's and and you know, nobody
talked about it after the game because it because Navy wins.
But there was definitely something that was not right with
Blake Horvat's right hand. If you ask me, especially at
the end. I mean, how you don't you don't see
Blake Krvath put.
Speaker 5: The ball on the ground normally.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and he put the ball on the ground a
couple of times, you know, the the.
Speaker 5: Tush push thankfully you know, gets saved.
Speaker 3: And then the one on the final drive where he's
going the ball, somebody hits his hand, the ball pops.
Speaker 4: In the air.
Speaker 5: He grabs the ball out of the air and reaches.
Speaker 3: To make it forth to make it fourth and one
and and give Tesca an opportunity to convert.
Speaker 5: And that ended the game.
Speaker 2: Yeah, there was a game I want to say it
was last wasn't it last year when Horvath had a
hurt hand and he kept putting the I.
Speaker 4: Thought it was I thought it was I thought it.
Speaker 5: Was Notre Dame. I thought it was the Notre Dame game.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it it made Yeah, it may have been that
Notre Dame game last year where you know, it was
clearly playing injured and just that hand wasn't right and
you couldn't grip the ball to throw it, and was
was you know, fumbling it and so yeah, I mean
it definitely is a good observation on your part, you know.
Speaker 5: I mean it showed his hand.
Speaker 3: They showed his hand a couple of times, and it
was bleeding, like the front the front of his hand
was bleeding. And so I was like, I was like something,
he must have hit it. So, you know, I don't
know if if if like a face mask, if you
got a face mask to his hand, or a helmet
or someone you know in in the uh you know,
in the scrums, maybe someone stepped on it. You know,
I was thinking, you know, something happened with his right
hand that they didn't want anybody to know about.
Speaker 2: Well, he did carry the ball thirty four times a game,
so I mean, this is a game where you know
it's for the bloody and the bruise, especially when you're
playing that type of smash mouth football. So whether it's broken,
I mean, it was clearly not right. He was you know,
he was playing banged up the boy.
Speaker 4: I mean, that banged up player.
Speaker 2: Is as good as whole man. He's better than a
lot of guys one hundred percent.
Speaker 5: That's just yeah.
Speaker 2: You know, and and especially as you're in your in
your last one, your senior, you're gonna you're you probably
would have had to take in a crane you know
National Guard, you know, from Baltimore to get him out
of there, and there's no way he was going to
do that. So yeah, you know, I mean, just a
heck of an effort, and you know, you know, just
real quick on Army. You know, my thought is, you know, yes,
there are defensive issues here and there, but I thought
an Army was very good defensively this year. And there
were times where you know, they got you know, shredded
in the secondary. But you know nine of their twelve
games decided by a touchdown or less, which they won.
You know, four of those you know, nine games that
were decided by a touchdown or last those games decided
by a combined twenty nine points. My thought was, had
there been a little bit more dynamic ability offensively, I
think we're having a different conversation about Army season not
being six and six, but you know, possibly a nine
win team.
Speaker 4: I know there's a woulda, should have, could a?
Speaker 2: You know, you got Kanye Udo, you know, the transfers,
and is ironic that I was looking up Basically, my
brother in law said to me tonight. You know, he
was looking at a transfer list of biggest bust on
the transfer portal and what was the linebacker defensive end
that transferred from West Point to Georgia was one of
the top five listing. You know, then that had me
want to go look up Kanye Udo stats at Arizona
State this year. Joy rushfer he didn't even rush for
I don't think three hundred totally yards for the hundred
and forty yards rushing and two touchdowns. So, you know, playmakers,
you know, were certainly not there for Army this year,
and to me, that was a big, big difference in
the kind of season.
Speaker 4: That they could have had.
Speaker 5: Yeah, you're you're absolutely right.
Speaker 3: I mean, I'm I'm looking at you know some of these, uh,
some of Udo's numbers.
Speaker 2: Uh.
Speaker 3: He had a big game against Mississippi State in Starkville
for for Arizona State. He had twenty three carries and
one hundred and five yards and he has and that
was that was in that was in early September. And
he had a game in Colorado where he h in
November where he had nine nine carries for sixty two yards,
and no other game this year did he get more
than seven carries in the game.
Speaker 4: Yeah, So so he.
Speaker 3: Wasn't he wasn't used the way that the that he
you know, if when he's when he is successful, when
he was successful at Army, when he was being used,
he was being used, you know, a lot, and he
did not. He did not get used a lot out
in Tempe, for sure. That's that's the case.
Speaker 2: In the end, number twenty two Navy seventeen, Army sixteen,
and the Midshipmen are going back to the White House
as they win the Commander in Chief Trophy again for
a second straight season, taking home the big game against Army.
All right, we got game balls to get up. Give
out Steve. Where are you going with our final game
balls of the season.
Speaker 3: Well, I think I have to give my game ball
to the man who saved the Midshipman season, and that
is Alex Tesca.
Speaker 5: Yeah, we meant. We mentioned the fumble.
Speaker 3: That came on the tush push on a on a
second down at the one at the one yard line
and the ball comes out and Army has possession of
the football.
Speaker 5: I mean they were the linebacker. I think it was Caleb.
It might have been.
Speaker 3: I keep wanting to call him Fournier, but one of
the linebackers had it picked up and was getting ready
to secure it and start running the other way, and
there wasn't anybody in front of him between between him
and the end the other end zone ninety nine yards away,
and Alex Teska came out of nowhere and punched the
ball from behind, out of the linebacker's grip and it
ends up on the eight yard line, recovered by Eli Heydenrach.
So without Alex Tesca, that recovery doesn't happen and Navy
probably loses this game.
Speaker 5: So my game ball goes to.
Speaker 2: Alex Tesca, Yeah, I definitely like that. Mine is gonna
go to Eli Hyden Rake. He catches the you know,
in that man coverage. He goes up, leaps up, and
he catches a dart for the game winner, and you know,
big game for big time players. Six catches, seventy two
yard That was a lone touchdown in the game. You
also carried it five times for twenty eight. You got
to account for him every time, no matter where he's at.
Speaker 4: On the field.
Speaker 2: And you know, like Joe Miller said and some others
that we've had this year, you know, Eli heindin Wright's
gonna have a chance to play on Sundays. You know,
when you can make plays like that and people forget too.
Eli Heinrich's not eight like this little tiny five foot nine,
one hundred and sixty pound you know player dude's you know,
six foot.
Speaker 4: Two hundred pounds.
Speaker 2: Is he Is he a Mike Evans like size wide
receiver like from the Bucks. No, he's not that prototypical
six five kind of receiver.
Speaker 5: No, who he is. He's Christian McCaffrey.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah, where you can line him up in the backfield,
you can put him and split, you could line him
at what Look, he is a weapon. He is going
to have a chance to play on Sunday. But back
to the point, and yes, he gets my game ball.
An outstanding way to cap service Academy career as they
get ready for the bowl game. Now, but Eli hEidin Wright,
he's getting my game ball. We're going to talk about
bowl games here in a minute, Stephen, but before we
get into that, in our next seven segment, as we
talk about the Fenway Bowl and the Liberty Bowl, tell
our friends about the College Gridar and Coast to Coast
Podcast Network, because as we come down the stretch for
the college football playoff bowl games, this is your place
to be with something for everybody.
Speaker 3: Absolutely, there's no better time to get caught up on
college football than right now because the bowl season is here,
the college football Playoff is underway, and you definitely want
to check out the College grid Iron Coast to Coast
podcast network as we have something for everybody. We've got
this week in the ACC We've got obviously our show
Yards and Stripes, We've got Florida Football Insiders, we've got
the Big Ten Paradigm, We've got Get Off My Pylon
where they talk about football on the West Coast, the
Big Twelve and SEC Breakdown. Also, it's a great, great
mix of podcasts, great mix of shows, some awesome hosts,
some fantastic conversation being had every single week here on
College Gridiron Coast to Coast.
Speaker 2: Absolutely check it out, folks, and check us out here.
In this next segment is we're going to preview the
two bowl games our teams are playing in. Plus we
got a Travis Maanin Foundation on a roll segment. We
got picks to make and some news and notes to
get out of the way before we get out of here,
our final episode of the college football season. Will do
it when we come back here on the Yards and Stripes,
your home for Service Academy Football.
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Speaker 1: The latest with Navy, Army and Air Force on Yards
and Stripes Service Academy Football.
Speaker 2: As we rolled down the home stretch Stephen the college
football season, it's hard to.
Speaker 4: Believe that this is the end.
Speaker 2: It really is the hard to believe that we are
down to the final weeks because it feels like just yesterday.
We started in August. But I'm Pryce Satkinson. He is
Stephen Carney, the best co host and producer in the business.
And we're gonna get into some postseason here because we've
had Army Navy now and we luckily we've got two
bowl games. Our teams are playing in Army and Navy
going bowling. Obviously Air Force is not qualify, so they
will be getting ready for the twenty twenty six season,
which I'm sure the Troy Calhoun's team has already begun
to do back.
Speaker 4: There in Colorado Springs.
Speaker 2: We're not going to pour salt in on any of
their wounds as we get you ready for the Wasabi
Finway Bowl. Steve, Yukon and Army nine to three Yukon
Verse six and six Army, this one is going to
be a Saturday, December of the twenty seventh, kickoff at
two point fifteen pm in Boston, Massachusetts. Clearly, this one's
going to be at Fenway Pack. This one's going to
be played on ESPN Right now out Army a eight
and a half point favorite over Under a forty three
and a half after I believe I think Army opened
is maybe a two point favorite. But when you've got
coach that's poached, you've got players that are opting out,
and you've got a whole hodgepodge of players that are
not even going to resemble the Yukon Husky team that
won nine games, that line's going to change. But nonetheless
Army Steve is going to be hungry for a win
to finish with the winning season, while Yukon returning to
the Finway Bowl for the second straight year, you know,
six Bowl win and seven tries under Jeff Munkin that
they'll be going for. And you know, you got to
give the Hussies credit. You know, Jim Morrow off to
Colorado State, but a chance to close out their first
ten win season since moving to the FBS in two thousand.
So you know, not while it's one of these lower
level bowl games. What happens in these lower level bowl games,
it's all about who wants to be there, and this
is one of those cases. Is who really wants to
play in this We will find out.
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, and you mentioned you know Jim Mora, uh
now he'll get a chance to see Troy Calhoun every year.
You know, Yukon played played Air Force are this year.
So Jim Mora is gonna is already familiar with what
the Falcons can do, and now as the head coach
at Colorado State, he'll be able to do it every year.
And so not only will they not have their head coach,
their their star quarterback. Joe Fonano is going to skip
the Fedway Bowl. He's gonna play in some of the
the All Star balls, like he's gonna he's gonna play
in the East West Shrine Bowl, in the American Bowl,
and in the Hula Bowl instead of playing uh in
the Fenway Bowl for the University of Connecticut as he
looks to get ready for maybe playing on Sundays as well.
This game went from actually Yukon being a three and
a half point favorite, okay to Army to.
Speaker 5: Army being in eight.
Speaker 3: So this this this line has jumped twelve points since
since it opened. Uh because of all of these I mean,
you know, uh, They're not Yukon is not going to
be the Yukon that Air Force saw, you know a
month ago. This this is a much different team. But
you're absolutely right there are you know? I I all
I have to look at.
Speaker 5: Is what happened. You know.
Speaker 3: I worked the Cure Bowl in Orlando for the University
of South Florida and USF had lost their head coach,
Alex Golish went to Auburn. They had lost their quarterback,
their their you know, the their star on offense Byron Brown,
had decided he was going to sit out from the
from the game. He has since announced that he was
going to enter the transfer portal, and I would assume
that he probably follows Golish to Auburn at this time. Uh,
we don't know, you know, the transfer portal opens on
January second, so he hasn't he can't fish be in
the portal yet, but he is going to go into
the portal at this time.
Speaker 5: But the team that remains.
Speaker 3: Has to has to soldier on and they have to
be able to, you know, pick up the slack. And
you know, even at even at the college level, it's
next man up at this at this point, and you
gotta and you're gonna find out. This is an opportunity
for guys that were number two, number three on the
depth chart UH to begin the year. This is where
guys can become stars. All I look back to is
there was a certain game played here in Tampa. God
must be twelve years ago now, maybe even longer. It
was a certain outback Bowl between the University of Michigan
and the University of South Carolina. And that's when everybody
got introduced to a guy named Jadeveon Clowney. So you know,
it doesn't matter if you're the second string, the third string,
the fourth string.
Speaker 5: You make a play in one of these games and
people will remember you.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and it will and it will it will follow
you for for upcoming seasons.
Speaker 2: One guy not opting out of this game for Yukon
is star wide receiver Skylar Bell.
Speaker 4: He said he's playing.
Speaker 2: He said he wanted to finish out what he started
with his teammates, and I got a lot of respect
for that outstanding wide receiver. You know, he's playing versus
opting out to get ready for the NFL Draft.
Speaker 4: Going to probably be a top three round pick.
Speaker 2: But a big addition, you know, back for you know,
Gordon Samus who's taking over for Jim Mora junior Nick
Evers transferred for Wisconsin.
Speaker 4: He will likely be the starter. But you mentioned air Force.
Speaker 2: You know, this is a team that you know, Yukon
was able to keep in check that second last game
of the season. So obviously they're you know, service academy tendencies,
you know, not the same. But you know that that
preparation will at least serve at least Yukon fairly well
because it was not that long ago that they prepare
for them. But you know, the biggest is just the
biggest pieces of the puzzle they're they're they're going to
be gone. It starts with the coaching staff and you know,
quarterback gone, numerous other players that are transferring probably going
to follow, you know, Jim Mora to to Colorado State
that remains to be seen. But a high powered offense
that may not be is high powered, but a game
that I think ultimately is probably going to be more
one sided than close. I know we'll make our picks
in our final segment, but I would expect this one
to be kind of a runaway train, which is what
the Finway Bowl has really kind of been. He's been
very low scoring or it's been a runaway train.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and it's great for the folks in Boston and
in New England. You've got you've got two really good
I mean, this is a this is a good, a
good matchup.
Speaker 2: Uh.
Speaker 3: You know, it's not it's not like you're having to
travel to Honolulu to play in the Hawaii Bowl if
your army uh oh, could you imagine trying to get
the corps of Cadets to Hawaii. It's it's really really
smart that that they said, you know, just take the
train up to Boston from from from Penn Station to
uh to Boston and you'll be and you'll be good
to go for this game. And you know, even without
Joe Finano, you know, Skyler Bell's got one hundred and
one catches this year. You can't tell me that he
doesn't want to get to like one hundred and ten
catches in his in his season for for Yukon, even
depending on what he wants to do next. Uh you
know when where when it comes to playing on Sundays.
But you know, I love guys that that put pride
in their work, and Skyler Bell is one of them.
Speaker 4: Well.
Speaker 2: Sabby Finnway Bowl Yukon and Army, Saturday, December the twenty seventh,
at two point fifteen from Boston, Massachusetts on ESPN. Army
given eight and a half points in this one. We
will see what how maybe lopsided this one becomes, but
nonetheless we.
Speaker 4: Will be watching.
Speaker 2: We'll also be watching the AutoZone Liberty Bowl with number
twenty two Navy nine or ten and two for Cincinnati,
seven and five.
Speaker 4: Out of the Big twelve Friday.
Speaker 2: This one of Friday January the second four to thirty
pm kickoff there from Memphis on ESPN. Navy giving seven
points fifty three and a half is the over under
and one of the oldest bowl games in the country,
seventh oldest college football game, one of the most patriotic
bowl games in America too, the AutoZone Liberty Bowls. Navy's
going back to Memphis. This is gonna be the second
holiday they're going to spend there this season. You know,
they were just there defeating the host for That's Giving. Yeah,
that's twenty eight to seventeen on Thanksgiving. Now they're gonna
be back to ringing the new year against the Cincinnati Bearcat.
So this one should be a fun one, I think
what will be a very high scoring AutoZone Liberty Bowl
on January the second Steve and Navy's twenty six bowl
appearance all time. They are thirteen eleven and one in
bowl games. Their third appearance in the Liberty Bowl.
Speaker 5: Yeah, it should be should be a fun one.
Speaker 3: You know, Cincinnati is making a bowl game for the
first time in a couple of years, so Scott Saderfield's
got the Bearcats going in the right direction for the
first time. Would not be surprised to see guys that
used to play with for the Bearcats maybe in attendance,
Maybe some guys that people know about, Maybe some guys
named Kelsey might be there, especially because it looks like
the you know, the obviously the Chiefs aren't making the
playoffs this year for the first time in forever. So
maybe he can go to a bowl game, and maybe
he'll bring his his better half with who knows, and
maybe and maybe his brother who's now retired. We'll get
we'll get a chance to go. I can I can
see this. You know, it's a it's a real easy
trip from Cincinnati to Memphis. You know, so obvious. You
know the Bearcats are gonna travel travel well, uh to Memphis.
Obviously Navy is very familiar. H you get another round
at the rendezvous. Uh. But I'm really I'm really excited
for this one, and especially because you know, for us,
it's nice we don't have to worry about the transfer
portal or guys opting out of bowl games. You know,
if they're if they're healthy, they're gonna play. And and
I certainly can see uh Navy really taking advantage of that.
Speaker 2: Yeah, this was a seven and one Cincinnati team. You know,
we talk about who wants to be there. We'll find
out how much Cincinnati really wants to be there, because
they were seven and one steven at one point before
they lost their last four you know, they lost to
uh uh Utah on the road and then they lost
at home to Arizona number eleven VYU, then at TCU,
So you know, a couple of those games were close,
but you know they they ended obviously on a very
sour note. You know, did Scott Soaderfield's team? But the
one big caveat here Sali the African elephant from the Bazoo.
Speaker 4: She made her annual picks. Do you know who she picked.
Speaker 5: Stephen, I'm guessing she did not pick Cincinnati.
Speaker 2: She did pick the Bearcats. Really she did pick the Bearcats, Yes,
yes she did. So this what will be the seventh
meeting all time between the two teams, with both teams
winning three. Last meeting back in two thousand and two,
which was an American Conference game, the Bearcats won twenty
to ten in Cincinnati, so they do actually have a
three game winning streak against the Midshipman. Their mids last
win over Cincinnati came in twenty seventeen when they knocked
off the Bearcats forty two to thirty two at Annapolis.
But a couple key matchups. You know, the mids first
ranked offense in the country two hundred and eighty nine
yards per game. They're going to be up against the
pretty poorest defense in terms of where they ranked in
their allowing rush yards per game, ninety ninth in the country,
allowing just over one seventy three. So that's certainly gonna
be something to watch. Steven is the way Navy's able
to run the football probably all day on the Bearcat stee.
Speaker 3: Oh, absolutely, it'll be a it should be. You know,
this is this is one of those games where Alex
Tesca is you know, bound to have you know, a
bunch of a bunch of yards, and all I keep
thinking of is the game against South Florida where you know,
all of a sudden, like the middle of the field
opens up and and Tesca can like run untouched for
seventy five yards for a touchdown and and really really
put it on the Bearcats. I think that the the
Navy offense can can put uh can put offense on
teams that would surprise most pundits. They think, oh, you know,
it's a service academy. You know they're small, they run
the option. You know, you you bring, you bring the
you bring size, and you bring and and you can
overwhelm them. You can overwhelm this Navy team.
Speaker 2: Yeah, the Bearcats so actually averaged eight yards per pass
attempt twenty first in the FBS, while Navy gives up
eight point two yards per pass one hundred and nineteenth,
you know, in college football. But another thing that Cincinny
can do pretty well is they can run the football.
Speaker 4: They averaging just under six yards of carry.
Speaker 2: You know ty Taywee Walker, guy that ran for seven
oh nine this year five point nine. Quarterback Brendan Soresby
obviously has been you know, dual threat throwing the football
with twenty seven touchdowns, but also averages five and a
half yards per carry than Evan Pryor, their third leading
rush over five hundred yards on the season, six point
nine yards per carry. So some big play, big, big
hitting ability, which is the reason why I think that
a lot of people will, including me, think this is
going to be a pretty high scoring affairs.
Speaker 5: Steve, Yeah, I tend to I tend to agree with you.
Speaker 3: You know, you know, Sowarsby is a guy that you know,
obviously was played played it a couple really bad Indiana teams
because he was there before Kurt Signetti showed up and transferred.
When when Signetti came over from James Madison, but really
has taken the reins with the Bearcats.
Speaker 5: And this year, I.
Speaker 3: Mean, you know, you look at him, you know, his
completion percentage over sixty one percent, you know, averaging as
you mentioned, eight point three yards in attempt, twenty seven
touchdowns only five interceptions, did a really good job of
being able to to keep the ball safe when he's
throwing the ball. And then you also, you know, eighteen
touchdowns on the ground over the last two years, so
you know, he certainly he certainly is aware of what
he can do on the ground as well.
Speaker 4: Yeah, well, it should be a good one again.
Speaker 2: Navy and Cincinnati will probably be a pretty high scoring game.
Watch this thing be played in the teams, the whole
game the autos on Liberty Bowl on Friday, January the second,
four to thirty pm Eastern Standard Time from the Liberty
Bowl in Memphis, ESPN four thirty kickoff, Navy giving seven points.
Speaker 4: Over under fifty three and a half.
Speaker 2: All right, Steven, real quick, before you get out the door,
we got some picks to make. We got our Travis
Mendon Foundation Honorall segment, we got some news and notes
to pass along. But real quick, we just saw the
first weekend of the college football playoff, come and go.
We get to see the fun Belt, we get to
see the American We get James Madison in two lane,
you know, group of five entrants. Both absolutely got taken
to the woodshed.
Speaker 5: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Is this I get your take real quick, because I
think this is what's going to continue to happen.
Speaker 4: I like the little guy having.
Speaker 2: A seat at the table, just because I don't think
anybody should be shut out. But that being said, this
is not the NCAA basketball tournament. And when you see
teams repeat league getting blasted by fifty and sixty points
in the what's supposed to be in you know, a
playoff for the national championship, to me, that shows they
don't belong. And to me, that's this is going to
keep happening. I mean, obviously there will be that one
team out of maybe one hundred two hundred games that
are played that finally, you know, says see it can happen.
I'm just up the sound in mind body that this
is we're kind of getting back to the haves and
have nots, where you know, we had one A and
we had one double A and that's where you know,
the app states and the James Madisons and the Georgia
Southerns and the Marshalls of the world. That's where they
need to be because you go eleven and one. Now,
traditionally you're probably end up a burning Birmingham or you know,
in the Bahama Bowl.
Speaker 4: Or something like that.
Speaker 2: I don't know how that excites a fan base when
you can almost go in defeeder eleven and one and
that's the reward you get. I just think when it
comes to college football playoff this has gotten to the
point kind of ridiculousness.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I agree with you.
Speaker 3: You know, there are a lot of people and I
have been working for close to twenty years on what
I think is the perfect solution to college football's playoff conundrum.
Speaker 5: And this I mean this.
Speaker 3: I started working on this back when there was the BCS,
So this is long before they started doing four teams
and then and then going to twelve. You know, this
was back when they were when there were two teams
that were playing in the BCS. And I have always
said that instead of having a season that you know,
unless you're in the SEC or the Big Ten, really
means nothing because you know these you know, these group
of group of five teams, you know, you know, I
live in a city where we have a group of
five team and that group of five team beat and
a s CC team on the road this year, and there,
you know, I would I was thinking that if there
was going to be a team from the group of
five that could have won a first round matchup this year,
it would have been USF with Byron Brown and Alex Golish,
just because that's the sort of player that group of
that that power five teams, noah, you know, they have
those guys as as as their signal callers, and USF
had one this year. Unfortunately, you know, stumbled a little bit,
did not get into the American Championship Game, and obviously
was not able to be a part of the College
Football Playoff. But you know, I have I have worked
on on this concept now for yeah, like ten fifteen years,
you know, and going all the way back, maybe even twenty.
I may have started it in like two thousand and
five or two thousand and six, you know, thinking about
what to do, how to fix college football, and it
will never happen because college you know, colleges and especially
the power colleges, you know, they they're They're like power hoards,
you know, They're like, no, we.
Speaker 5: Must have all the power.
Speaker 3: You know, we have the big we have the our
president has the biggest house on campus, and we have
the best, the best fans, the best tailgates, and we
have this and you know they don't want to They
don't want to make it better for the sport in general. Uh,
you know, because what what would what would help the
sport in general is for everybody to be able to
say I have a chance every once in a while.
Speaker 5: You know, I may you know, I may not.
Speaker 3: I may not be able to win a championship, but
at least I'm I'm competing for it. And right now,
the group of five teams, they can't do it right now,
they just can't. And until they figure out how they
can do it, you know, this is what we're gonna get.
Speaker 4: Every year.
Speaker 3: We're gonna get Paul fine Bomb, you know, crapping all
over anybody that's not in the SEC. We're gonna get
Kirk kurb Street crapping on everybody who's not in the
big ten, and and Notre Dame crying that nobody likes us.
Speaker 5: So we're just gonna opt out.
Speaker 3: Uh until until we until until college football gets its
head out of its rear end.
Speaker 5: This is what we've got.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm not anti little guy at all.
Speaker 4: Like I'm not not either.
Speaker 2: I think that the little guy should have, you know,
a pathway and a chance, you know, if that's deemed
that one that one of these teams is worthy enough
to do it. I just we see this every year,
and it's just I know, one year we got was
it did we get a Cincinnati upset over Georgia And
it wasn't playoff, but it was, you know, like a
New Year six situation. I have to go back and look,
it was a good, really good Cincinnati team.
Speaker 5: You got you got UCF over Auburn in.
Speaker 3: Twenty fifteen, you know, and yeah, you know, an undefeated,
an undefeated UCF team playing against an Auburn team that
didn't want to be in the in the Chick fil
A Bowl.
Speaker 5: They didn't want to be there.
Speaker 3: They thought they deserve to be in the in the
fourteen playoff and they were left out. And then so
nobody wanted to play in that in that game in
Atlanta against UCF, Yeah.
Speaker 4: I love it. Oh my goodness.
Speaker 2: All right, well, well we will get out of here
on that note, because we got a Travis Manning Foundation
Honor roll segment coming up, and we got some news,
a few notes fast along and some piction make We're
going to do that for the final time here on
Yards and Stripes this season. When we come back here
on yourg and stripes, see is Stephen Carney and Price
Ackinson can't wait to continue with you in just a moment.
Speaker 6: In two thousand and seven, Mareen, First Lieutenant Travis Mannion
was killed in Iraq after saving his wooted teammates. Travis's
his 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 Manian 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 fallen,
and inspired civilians at Travismannian dot Org.
Speaker 2: All right, continuing on here in Yards and Stripes, you're
home for service gadgy football, and you know we've come
to our Travismanian Foundation honorall segment where we honor and
remember a fallen here one that he's given the ultimate
sacrifice within the words that Travis himself spoke before deploying
for that final time. If not me, then who In
the Travismnion Foundation is character continuing on the legacy of
character in commitment and service by their by loved ones
and communities across the country. And you can find out
a lot more about Travismanion about the Trabsmanning Foundation online
at Travismanion dot org. And this week we're going to
honor remember on the TMF Honerable Staff Sergeant Brandon Ford
Eggleston from the US Army. Staff Sergeant Brandon Eggleston gave
the ultimate sacrifice when his vehicle was struck by an
ied during patrol on April twenty six, twenty twelve, in
Gosni Province, Afghanistan. A Staff Sergeant Eggleston was assigned to
Company B with fourth Battalion, third Special Forces Group out
of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was deployed in support of
Operation and during Freedom. A native of Rayford, North Carolina,
in two thousand and five, graduate of Western Carolina University,
enlisted in the Army in July of twenty of two
thousand and six. Upon completion of basic training and following
on individual training, he attended a Special Forces Assessment Selection course.
He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in March twenty
nine of two thousand and nine and was assigned his
unit at Fort Bragg. Eggleston was on his third deployment
at the time of his death. He was awarded numerous
service medals, including the Army Good Colonel Medal, National National
Defense Service Medal, so many other Broadze Star Medal, Meritorious
Service Medal, Purple Heart, so many other things. At the
time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Kieren,
two daughters, his mother, a sister, Erica, and other relatives.
Speaker 4: And in August of.
Speaker 2: Twenty thirteen, Brandon's wife, Kieren, participated in the Travis Mannon
Foundations Survivors Retreat in honor of her husband. And again
we take this time to remember our fallen heroes like
Staff Sergeant Brandon Eggleston, who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Because
we all know freedom isn't free. We have so many men,
brave men and women serving our country here at home
and abroad, and so we always want to remember those
fallen heroes who gave that ultimate sacrifice so they are
never ever forgot.
Speaker 7: Travis Mallon Foundation's nine to eleven Heroes Run five K
race series unites 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 Heroeson dot org.
Speaker 1: The latest with Navy, Army and Air Force on Yards
and Stripes Service Academy Football.
Speaker 2: All Right, final segment of our final show of twenty
twenty five this outstanding college football season. We want to
thank I know Steven will do it here at the end,
but just want to thank all of our listeners for
investing time in us again this year. Hope you've enjoyed
every step of the way, every week of the way
with us here in Yards and Stripes as we follow Army, Navy,
and Air Force do it.
Speaker 4: Like nobody else does.
Speaker 2: I guess this was I went back in count of
what eight nine years now of doing this podcast, so
hope it's become a mainstay for many of you as
it has been for us to deliver Army, Navy, and
Air Force Service Academy football that we love talking about
every single week, which we will continue to do moving forward,
and we will do that here marching forward, Steve. Before
we get out of here, because a couple of notes
to pass along, a few postseason things have come up
before we make our picks here West Point announcing that
the Black Knights they will face Bryant for the first
time on Saturday, September fifth.
Speaker 4: Time hasn't been.
Speaker 2: Announced, but the reason this one is important, Well, it's
going to open the twenty twenty sixth season and celebrate
the opening of the rebuilt one hundred and eighty million
dollars Eastern Stand renovation project at Mikey Stadium. So that's
gonna be pretty exciting September fifth, when Army opens against
Bryant there at Mikey.
Speaker 5: Yeah.
Speaker 3: The Briant Bulldogs. They're from my old neck of the woods.
They're from Smithfield, Rhode Island.
Speaker 2: YEP, can't wait. That's gonna be awesome to see. So
we're not looking just stone for like we have the
last two seasons. When we look across the way over
there at the visitors side.
Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Also Army announced that they will face a lat Tech,
Louisiana Tech, and rustin next season. That was going to
be on October the third, So Army schedule come together
for next season with those two big announcements. Also regarding Army,
it looks like safeties coach Danny Verpolli he's gonna be
off joining Mike hartline staff there at USF steven. So
that news breaking via Black Knight Nation and Salanderdonado's folks
here just a.
Speaker 4: Couple of days ago.
Speaker 2: Air Force they're twenty twenty six opponents and ounced by
the Mount West. At home, they will take on Northern Illinois,
they will have San Jose State, UNLB and UTEP. Their
road opponents will be Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
So that coming out of Colorado Springs. And then finally
for the Naval Academy Outstanding Defensive Tackle Landon Robinson, who
is the American Defensive Player of the Year, had been
invited to the East West Shrine Game. Also named a
first team All American by the Football Writers Association of
America and the second team All American by the Sporting News.
So congratulations him getting some more postseason accolades that are
rolling in all right, Stephen, our final time to make
some picks this season. We both had Navy winning the
Army Navy game. Last week you had twenty eight Twenty
had twenty four to twenty, so we both had Navy.
What are we doing this week? I guess let's start
with Army in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl. Army and Yukon.
As we talked about earlier, Yukon losing a whole lot
of players and a whole lot from that coaching staff,
is they're gonna try and get to ten wins for
the first time since they came back to the FBS
in two thousand.
Speaker 4: Can they do it?
Speaker 2: Or can Army get that seventh win to finish went
with another winning season, Steve, which way are you going
in this one?
Speaker 5: Yeah?
Speaker 3: I think it's gonna be really tough without Joe Fernano
for Yukon to be able to do much of anything.
And so I actually had even with Fanado playing, I
had Army winning this game twenty three to twenty, but
with Fernando not playing, I actually moved my score for
Yukon down Oil. So I went, I have Army winning
this game, and I have them winning twenty three to ten.
Speaker 2: Okay, we're not too far apart, but a little bit
I've got I think it's gonna be I think it's
gonna be a runaway.
Speaker 4: I've got a.
Speaker 2: Much bigger margin. I like Army thirty five to ten.
I think they're gonna be able to run the football day.
I think Kate Ellams is going to have a big day.
And I just think the defections from Yukon, they're just
not going to have the horses to run with Army.
And then again, we've talked about the Fenway Bowl. This
has really not been let's just call it, it has not
been must see TV from a viewing standpoint really since
I think the inception of this bowl, what was it,
Steve maybe five years ago?
Speaker 4: Maybe? Is this the sixth maybe installment of this?
Speaker 3: I think this is the sixth Fenway Bowl, and you know,
for for a lot of it, you know, they they
had some really good matchups in this game. You know,
I think I didn't Notre Dame play in this game
the first the first year that it was that it
was opened, so obviously would have been would have been
a really good one. I have not seen what the uh,
what the forecast looks like in that in that game.
But I can imagine that it's definitely going to be
whether that both of these teams.
Speaker 2: Are familiar with and that's always a wild card. I
think I remember watching the thin Way Bowl a couple
of times. Right now, it looks like, I think twenty
seven degrees and maybe partly sunny, but again that's we're still,
you know, several days out. I just remember, I think
I remember watching this game one year.
Speaker 4: I don't remember it was.
Speaker 2: Freezing rain or sleate or if it was just playing
nasty like fog rain. It was awful, awful weather. It
was several years ago. It was not last year when
Yukon and you and Seed did battle.
Speaker 3: But apparently on on the twenty seventh, they're expecting snow showers, so.
Speaker 5: So it should be it should be a should be
a little sporty, if you know what I mean. In
that game.
Speaker 2: Yep, all right, we're both going with army big in
this one. All right, final one, our final pick of
the season. We've got Navy and Cincinnati doing battle on
January the second Auto Zone Liberty Bowl four thirty kickoff
there and Memphis on ESPN Navy a seven point favorite.
Can Navy close this one out with an eleventh win
of the season, Steve.
Speaker 3: For the first time ever getting an eleventh an eleventh win,
And I'm going to make Michael Kelly very very happy
because I am saying that Navy will indeed get its
eleventh win on January second, twenty twenty six, with a
twenty eight to twenty one victory over the Bear Captains.
Speaker 4: Oh, you're going a lot closer than me.
Speaker 2: Well, I'm fairly close, but I just thought it was
more high scoring. You're going seven point margin, I'm going
six point margin. I'm going with Navy forty to thirty four.
I think this one is going to be really high scoring.
I think these teams are going to get up and
down the field and we're going to see a scoreboard
lit up there in the Liberty Bowl. So we're both
going with Army and we're both both going with Navy.
Should be exciting. It's been an exciting season. Steven cannot
thank you enough for everything that you've done to keep
us straight, to produce this show, to keep us running
every single week that we've done, even with trials, tribulations,
no hurricanes this year, thank.
Speaker 4: Goodness, thank God.
Speaker 2: No no, no crazy snowstorms or anything like that, and
not we would have that in the fall. But we
got through this one fairly unscathed. I know we had
a lot of help from you know, Poppy Yohn's in
the first half of the season and then Killer Pizza
who helped carry you through you know, the month of
November since you found them. But the big thing is
just to say thank you to you because without you
this would not be possible.
Speaker 4: And you think I joke when I.
Speaker 2: Say the best coast and producer in the business. I
don't say that lightly. I mean that from the bottom
of my heart, dude, So you are the best.
Speaker 3: I appreciate it, my friend. I have to thank you
for being the brains behind this whole, this whole outfit.
So I appreciate that. Obviously, we have to thank the
Travis Manion Foundation for for all of the work that
they do. I know that they had a great time
in Baltimore, so because I saw the because I saw
the pictures. So but yes, uh so thank you to
to to TMF and and all the hard work that
they do. And we're we're so happy that we can
be a part of that and and keep the keep
their uh their name in the in the forefront, uh
for for all of these weeks. So UH, definitely thanks
to them, Thanks to you, Thanks to the listeners, uh obviously
anybody that uh will put up with with listening to this.
Speaker 5: Voice, uh seventeen times a year.
Speaker 3: I I gotta you know, I can't canonize you, so
I can only thank you.
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, so many times you and I have gone
through long days with a lot of stuff before we
sit down to do this. But like I was thinking
on my way ho tonight from a Christmas event, I
was like, you know, I am dead tired tonight, but
damn I look forward just to having a good time
laughing and smiling and giggling and flat out talking college
football with you, because this is one of my favorite
times every single week when we get to do this.
Speaker 4: That's the God's honest truth.
Speaker 2: So, like you said, appreciate to our listeners. Thank you
to everybody that's listened to one episode, that's listened to
every single episode.
Speaker 4: We just can't thank you enough.
Speaker 2: The reason why we do this, because this is a
labor of love that we just do because we just
enjoy it, and we enjoy Army, Navy, and Air Force.
So we thank the teams, we thank the coaches, we
thank everybody for delivering some great moments for us to
talk about here during the season. So we will bid
you a final farewell. Happy holidays, Merry Christmas.
Speaker 4: Merry Christmas, you know, happy New Year. Wherever it is.
Speaker 2: Hope you guys are safe and sound on the roads.
Hopefully you have a great, great new year. And it's
starting to twenty twenty six, because we will be with
you again next year. Steve, so anything on the way
out the door, my friend.
Speaker 3: No, absolutely, absolutely, a very merry Christmas and a happy
holiday season to you and your family to the listeners.
I'm really excited about twenty twenty six. As I said,
you know, the end of the twenty twenty five season
just has me so geeked for what's in store in
twenty twenty six.
Speaker 5: So I look forward to being back with you all
in August.
Speaker 4: Well, said friend.
Speaker 2: We will let you enjoy the games, We will enjoy
the end of the season, and we will talk with
you again next year in twenty twenty six. Here on
Yards and Stripes, you're home for Service Academy Football.
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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Twitter at Yards and Stripes and make sure that you're
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