As long as you're playing NCAA Division I football, you have an opportunity to compete for a national title.
West Point's coaches and players feel that way, and it was a key reason they joined the ranks of affiliated football for just the second time since the program's founding in 1890.
This week, Army was a welcome partner to the American Athletic Conference, which held its annual media days Monday and Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.
“I think it's great for college football just knowing that the range of teams that actually have a chance (to win) has expanded,” said promising fourth-year quarterback Bryson Daly.
Newcomers:The Army Football Club welcomed 73 new members, 46 of whom came from prep schools.
ALL-AAC Preseason:Which Army football players were selected to the All-American Athletic preseason team?
The AAC, also known as the American Association of College Football, will likely see its conference champions take part in the newly expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff.
“When a Group of Five school goes undefeated and doesn't make the playoff,” freshman safety Max DiDomenico said, “it's demoralizing and it defeats the purpose of trying to win every game. 'We're undefeated and we're not going to make the playoff?' The new 12-team playoff is super cool, it's going to be a super cool opportunity. I think American is the perfect path to get there, so I'm super excited about it.”
Coming off a 6-6 season as an independent team, Army isn't expected to challenge teams such as Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama, who are 2023-24 CFP participants.
“I'm under no delusions,” said head coach Jeff Monken, who will be in his 11th year as manager when preseason training begins next Tuesday.
“It's hard to win college football games at this level.” Any “It's very hard for us to win games in this league, but the fact that there's not really a path forward, especially in recruiting, means we felt like we needed to be in a position to get it done. So we're excited that there's a path forward for a Group of Five team to compete in the playoffs. I think this is a great first step.”
To achieve that goal in the AAC's inaugural season in 2024, Army will have to beat several teams picked higher than them. The Black Knights were picked fifth in the media poll behind Memphis, Texas-San Antonio, Tulane and South Florida. The highly-respected Phil Steele Magazine's top picks are UTSA, Tulane, Memphis, USF and East Carolina, with Army projected to finish 10th.
Recently appointed commissioner Tim Pernetti emphasized that the AAC has teams in 13 of the top 51 media markets in the country and that Army would be a welcome addition to the No. 1 New York market.
“I couldn't be more excited to have Army in our conference,” said Pernetti, a former Rutgers tight end who played against Army and now AAC member Navy. “There's something different about football there. It means something different. … Those student-athletes fought until the last snap.”
“They're going to bring great value,” he reiterated of the Army.
The addition of Army will not change the annual matchup with Navy for the Commander in Chief Trophy and will instead be designated a non-conference game (Dec. 14 at Landover, Maryland).
“I think it's great for our conference,” said Brian Newberry, who is in his second year as head coach at the Naval Academy. “We have a lot of respect for Army and their players. They're our brothers. What's great is it doesn't affect the integrity of our game or the rivalry when we play that game. So I think it's great to have them in the league and I think it's great for the American Conference.”
Florida Atlantic University's Tom Herman, whose team opens its AAC season against Army on Sept. 7, said playing two option-heavy teams (Army and Navy) will be a challenge.
“The defensive coordinator is going to be mad, but I'm excited,” Herman said, but he also said he wished he didn't have to play in Week 2.
“I think the leadership of this conference is being questioned right now as college sports as we know it is exploding. The Americans said, 'Oh, Army, you're an independent … you're looking for a place. OK, we'll help you.'
Army Joins AAC:Army football will give up its independent status and join the American Athletic Conference.
“We welcome (Jeff Monken) and the Army Black Knights to the conference and are excited to have them in the mix,” Rice University coach Mike Bloomgren said. “We look forward to our trip to West Point (Sept. 21).”
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AAC 2024 Media Vote
1. Memphis (23 first place votes) 409 points, 2. Texas-San Antonio (4) 368, 3. Tulane (2) 362, 4. South Florida 339, 5. Army (1) 236, 6. Florida Atlantic 228, 7. East Carolina 219, 7. Rice 219, 9. North Texas 216, 10. Alabama-Birmingham 192, 11. Navy 150, 12. Tulsa 95, 13. Charlotte 77, 14. Temple 40.
schedule:Army football opens American Athletic play on Sept. 7 at Florida Atlantic.
Army Football 2024 Schedule
Friday, August 30 – vs. Lehigh, 6 p.m. (CBSSN); Saturday, September 7 – vs. Florida Atlantic, noon (CBSSN); Saturday, September 21 – vs. Rice, noon (CBSSN); Thursday, September 26 – vs. Temple, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN); Saturday, October 5 – vs. Tulsa, TBA (ESPN Network); Saturday, October 12 – vs. Alabama-Birmingham, noon (CBSSN); Saturday, October 19 – vs. East Carolina, noon (CBSSN or ESPN Network); Saturday, November 2 – vs. Air Force College, noon (CBS); Saturday, November 9 – vs. North Texas, TBA (ESPN Network); Saturday, November 23 – vs. Notre Dame, Yankee Stadium, 7 p.m. (NBC); Nov. 30 – vs. San Antonio, Texas, noon (CBSSN); Dec. 6 (Fri.) – potential AAC Championship, 8 p.m. (ABC); Dec. 14 (Sat.) – vs. Navy, Landover, Maryland, 3 p.m. (CBS)
