Finally, Everything Turns Navy’s Way

Navy found the ideal way to put an end to its perfectly awful season--just let Army make more mistakes.

Quarterback Brian Broadwater ran for 121 yards and a touchdown and also passed for a touchdown as Navy avoided a winless season with a 30-28 victory over Army on Saturday.

Looking for their first win since last year’s Army-Navy game, the Midshipmen (1-10) built a 20-point lead late in the third quarter and held on to defeat the bumbling Black Knights, who committed five turnovers. Navy lost the ball twice.

Army (1-10) used two fourth-quarter touchdown passes by Curtis Zervic to pull within 30-28 with 2:44 left, but an onside kick failed and Navy retained possession when the Black Knights were called for running into the kicker on a 43-yard field goal try with 1:29 to go.

“I’ve never been around more ups and downs and peaks and valleys as this in an Army-Navy football game,” said Navy Coach Charlie Weatherbie, “but what makes it special is what these guys stand for.”

The victory gave Navy consecutive victories in the series for the first time since 1982-83, but Army still holds the lead at 48-46-7. The Midshipmen also avoided their first winless season since 1948, when they went 0-8-1.

Navy concluded its season on a high note in part because Broadwater finished his career with a flourish. The senior quarterback, who missed last year’s Army game with a broken collarbone, directed the option attack with precision and passed just enough to keep the Army defense honest.

He averaged 6.6 yards per carry in the first half, when Navy held the ball for more than 23 minutes.

Navy went up 27-7 with 3:22 left in the third quarter when Brad Wimsatt took an Army fumble three yards into the end zone.

The Midshipmen then let the Black Knights back into the game. First, Army scored a touchdown on a blocked punt. Then, after Navy lost a fumble, Army closed to 27-21 on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Zervic to Brian Bruenton on a fourth-and-16 play.

Navy appeared on the verge of collapse before it got a reprieve on an Army turnover. Four plays after Omari Thompson fumbled a punt, David Hills kicked a 27-yard field goal to give the Midshipmen a 30-21 lead with 5:32 to play.