The final weekend of lobbying for spots in the inaugural College Football Playoff has begun and Army wants to be in that discussion.
The Black Knights wrapped up a perfect first season in the American Athletic Conference, easily dispatching favored Tulane 35-14 in the title game on Friday night at West Point. No. 24 Army was 8-0 in regular-season play, and moved to 11-1 overall.
Army was the talk of the nation for a while this fall, winning its first nine games of the season and extending the nation’s longest win streak to 13 games. A powerhouse Notre Dame team put an end to that quite convincingly two weeks ago, but Army bounced back, knocking off Texas San Antonio to clinch home-field for the AAC final and then dominating the Green Wave in the championship.
The odds are certainly against the Black Knights being chosen for the one coveted playoff spot being offered to the second-tier Group of Five conferences – that appears to be going to Mountain West Conference champion Boise State – but Army coach Jeff Monken said his team deserves a closer examination.
“I would love to see this team get a crack at it,’’ Monken said after the Tulane game. “The way they’re playing and the determination that they play with, the confidence they play with … we’d give somebody some hell, I know that.’’
Monken has held his views on the CFP rankings close to the vest but finally laid out the argument barely two days before the committee finalizes the field following championship weekend, not least of which is there are only seven teams in the nation (after Friday night) that have won at least 11 games.
“This (Army) team played 11 regular-season games,’’ Monken said, reminding people that Army still has one more game to play, against Navy. “They have beaten everybody they put in front of us, except for the number four team in the country (Notre Dame), and they beat the pants off of us … I get it. But we beat everybody else and just beat another bowl team tonight.’’
Army is also the top rushing team in the nation and a top-10 team in total defense. The Black Knights have been ranked in the AP Top 25 for eight consecutive weeks – that is the first time since 1958. Army has also made the CFP Top 25 rankings for four of the past five weeks.
AAC commissioner Tim Pernetti said earlier in the week that his league’s champ – especially an 11-1 Army team – should receive serious consideration, a point Monken echoed on Friday.
“I think this team could compete as well as any Group of Five team in the country, in the playoff,’’ Monken said. “I don’t know what would happen when we get in there (the playoff). We would only be able to find out if we get in.’’
Monken often refers to his own squad as America’s Team, counting on a feeling of patriotism for the Army and what it stands for in defending the nation’s interests.
“Who in college football, who around America wouldn’t be excited to see the Army Black Knights in the playoff?’’ Monken posed. “I think everybody would. It’s a unique, different brand of football. Everybody in America can cheer for their home-state team and their alma mater, and still cheer for Army.
“I think there would be a lot of excitement to have this team in the playoff,’’ Monken added.
The College Football Playoff field, as well as the remaining college bowl games, will be announced on Sunday (noon ET, ESPN).
X / Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR
Top college football win marks in 2024
(through Friday night)
12 wins: Boise State; Oregon
11 wins: Army; Penn State; Indiana; Notre Dame; Texas
10 wins: Arizona State; Brigham Young; Georgia; Iowa State; Louisiana; Miami; Nevada Las Vegas; Ohio State; Tennessee
