One of the greatest rivalries in sports will add another chapter on Saturday afternoon when Army and Navy face off for the 125th time, with kickoff at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, set for 3 p.m. ET on CBS.
Both teams will wear alternate uniforms that honor the history of their respective branches, just as they have every season since 2011, with the Black Knights highlighting the 101st Airborne Division and the Midshipmen honoring the Jolly Rogers.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Bulge in Belgium where the soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division – known as the “Screaming Eagles” – underwent three weeks of close combat in freezing weather against Nazi forces in World War II.
It was the largest battle fought by the United States in the war and the third-deadliest campaign in the country’s history, but the paratroopers’ refusal to surrender played a significant role n stopping the Nazi’s “last great offensive” in the war.
Army’s all-black uniforms reflect the snow-covered forests where the battle was won, with a snowflake-like pattern on the helmets, shoulders, sleeves and numbers. The helmets display card suits, which were used by the members of the 101st Airborne Division to identify their unit affiliation for the jump into Normandy and throughout the European Theatre.
The Jolly Rogers, meanwhile, are considered the most lethal and history-rich squadron in naval aviation, and Navy’s alternate uniforms match the design of the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets flown by their current unit, Strike Fighter Squadron 103.
The all-white uniforms feature navy blue shoulder yoke containing the Jolly Rogers insignia, a yellow stripe on the collar that mimics the aircraft’s tail fin and angled (or victory) stripes on the sleeves and pants. The airbrushed helmets are also inspired by those worn by the pilots in the VF-84 and VFA-103 squadrons.
This marks the second time in school history that the Midshipmen have honored the Jolly Rogers, as they ore the flag on the front of their gold helmets in a 34-14 win over the Black Knights – known then as the Cadets – in 1962.
Photos courtesy of @ArmyWP_Football and @NavyFB on X/Twitter.
