There was some more realignment news last week as it was announced the Army Black Knights will join the American Athletic Conference starting in the 2024 season.
Recall, the Army Black Knights is one of the last remaining truly Independent schools left in college football. Army’s biggest concern about joining a conference was the fear of losing their traditional game with Navy at the end of the season. However, the traditional Army-Navy Game will remain the last game of the season after Championship Saturday.
There is now a chance that Army and Navy could play in back-to-back weeks, with both of them now being part of the AAC. The American Athletic Conference Championship is played on the first Saturday of December. With the Army-Navy Game being played the following week as a non-conference Game.
“I am excited to start the next chapter of Army football,” said Director of Athletics Mike Buddie in a statement. “In today’s evolving collegiate athletics landscape, it is great to partner with established, respected programs to secure the future success of Army football. New NCAA rules, the evolution and growth of the College Football Playoff, the transfer portal, and name, image and likeness have all impacted our competitive landscape, so having a clear path to a Conference Championship, while continuing to fight for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, will help us attract, retain, and showcase our exceptional coaches and cadets. What better pairing than to have America’s Team joining the American Athletic Conference?”
College: Changes To The 12-Team College Football Playoff Put On Hold
College: AP Top 25 College Football Poll: Oklahoma Stays in Top 10 With Loss
College: USC Trojans Defense Not Elite Enough To Win A National Championship
Since 2017, head coach Jeff Monken has turned this program around. He has a record of 52-31 since 2017. In addition, he has given the program to two of its three 10-plus-win seasons. Monken is the only Army head coach to lead two 10-plus game-winning seasons during a head coaching tenure in Academy history. Not to mention he has taken the Black Knights to five bowl games going 4-1 the best in the nation since 2016. Monken also became the first Army head coach to win three bowl games in his career (2016, 2017, 2018, 2021).
He is excited about the opportunity.
“Like many of the proud moments that Army Football has enjoyed over the last several seasons including victories over our academy rivals, record-setting seasons, Commander-in-Chief’s trophies, and multiple bowl games, Army’s alliance with the American Athletic Conference is a source of pride for our Academy, our program, and for me personally,” Head Coach Jeff Monken said in a statement last week. “I am proud to be West Point’s coach as we take this step from a history of independency to conference affiliation and take on the challenges of the competition in the American Athletic Conference. Our membership in the AAC partners us with outstanding Universities and athletic programs from around the nation and will give our football program the opportunity to compete for a conference championship and for our exceptional Cadet-Athletes to represent and showcase America’s premier service academy.”
Now all three military academies are in a conference. Army and Navy are in the AAC, while Air Force is in the Mountain West.
Air Force looks to lock up the Commander-in-Chief Trophy this week when they play Army.
But what a historic moment in college football.
More must-reads: