Army Black Knights vs Navy Midshipmen Point Spread Picks

The UNDER is 16-2-1 the past 19 meetings, and the 2022 game would have gone UNDER if not for overtime. Army is on a current 6-2 UNDER run while allowing only 19.0 points per game in that span. Navy stayed UNDER by 13 points in its 28-17 win over Memphis in its last regular-season game. The Tigers were held scoreless in the second half, and Navy enjoyed its usual prolific running game, racking up 200 yards on 60 carries. QB Blake Horvath threw only nine passes and completed five for 100 yards and a TD. The Midshipmen lead the nation with 298.7 yards rushing per game, and Army is #5 with 257.2. Obviously, both teams use a lot of clock running the ball, which explains the low-scoring trend. The UNDER is 21-6-1 in Navy's past 28 December games. Take the UNDER.

Few things are automatic in the betting world, but the Army-Navy game total is as close as one can get. The UNDER is 16-1-1 since 2006 and this year we have the luxury of a 40-plus posted total as opposed to a microscopic 28 last season when Army won 17-11 and the total pushed. Navy has a current 4-0 UNDER streak this season after beating East Carolina 34-20 on Nov. 29 after averaging only 13.0 points its previous four games. Army just won the American Athletic Conference championship with another clock-eating rushing attack gaining 335 yards on the ground on 57 carries while defeating Tulane. Army QB Bryson Daily had two pass attempts and ran for 126 yards on 25 carries against the Green Wave. The Midshipmen ran 53 times for 293 yards against East Carolina. Take the UNDER.

Navy is out to avenge a heartbreaking 20-17 double-overtime loss in last year's rivalry game, which would have gone UNDER for the 17th consecutive time if it hadn't gone into OT. The teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime and Army kicked a field goal in the second extra period to win it. Navy has a better team than the 4-8 squad in 2022 as the Midshipmen already have won five games (although it got clobbered by SMU on Nov. 25). However, Navy had won four of its previous six and five of its past seven have gone UNDER. The Midshipmen allowed no more than 17 points in four of their past six games. Army had lost five in a row before rebounding to win its past three against Air Force, Holy Cross and Coastal Carolina. Both teams, as usual, average more than 200 yards rushing and use a lot of clock by staying on the ground. Army is 5-3 UNDER its past eight games and the Black Knights are just 2-5-1 ATS in those games. Take Navy to cover, and bet the UNDER as a Max Play.

Death, taxes and the Army-Navy game going UNDER are some of the surest things in life as this rivalry has stayed UNDER 16 years in a row no matter how low the oddsmakers make the posted total. The main reasons are both teams know how to defend the option offense because they use it themselves and both seldom throw a pass. Navy hasn't played since Nov. 19 when it upset Central Florida 17-14 and it stayed UNDER by 21.5 points. Army has allowed an average of only 11.8 points its past four games, including two games that went UNDER by 20.0 and 26.0 points. The Midshipmen lost starting quarterback Tai Lavatai to a knee injury in October and Xavier Arline took over and he has thrown a grand total of 10 passes while completing three in eight appearances this season. Army's QB, Tyheir Tyler, has completed eight passes in 10 games and has rushed for 601 yards on 120 carries. Army is 30-8 UNDER following a bye week and the Black Knights have stayed UNDER five of their past six after scoring at least 40 points their previous game. Navy is 5-1 UNDER following a win and I'll look for these trends to continue. Game of the Month: Play the UNDER.

Navy's option offense isn't what it used to be as it doesn't have the right talent to run the ball, and opposing defenses finally have made adjustments. The Midshipmen had trouble scoring in the red zone most of the season, although they did manage a 38-14 win at Temple on Nov. 27. Tai Lavatai completed only 5 of 11 passes for 57 yards, but that is about normal for a Navy QB, and the Midshipmen ran for 219 yards (just 3.6 yards per carry). Navy averages only 20.4 points per game while Army allows 22.8, and that includes a 70-56 loss to Wake Forest. Take away that anomaly, and the Black Knights allow 18.1 points per game. They have gone UNDER six of their last eight games, including their 31-16 victory over Liberty that stayed UNDER by 4.5 points. Navy has gone UNDER five of its last seven, and it is 21-6 UNDER its past 27 December games. Amazingly, the last 10 meetings have gone UNDER, and last year's meeting stayed UNDER by 21 points as Army won 15-0. The Black Knights are 27-8 UNDER after a bye week and 19-7 UNDER their past 26 neutral-site games. Take the UNDER for a Max Play.