The Military Bowl, More Than Just a Game
The Military Bowl is one of the best bowls of the year.
No, the matchups aren’t that alluring to outsiders unless you are a fan of the participants, but the purpose of the Military Bowl puts it far above the other bowl game.
Proceeds from the bowl game go to benefit the United Service Organization (USO). Most known for providing entertainment through Camp Shows to our troops overseas, the USO provides services for military members’ families throughout their deployment such as hospitality events when they come home and keeping them connected to their families while they are abroad – which can make the holiday season that we are in just a little bit better.
The tie-in with the Naval Academy makes this bowl even more special. I remember as a child when my uncle was first deployed watching the annual Army-Navy Game and wondering if he was on the field – I had not yet known the difference between the Naval Academy and active duty. I have always been a fan of the military academies and have so much respect for the players. Student-athletes are praised for the amount of ‘heart’ and ‘passion’ they have for the sport. That passion goes no deeper than the football players at Navy, Army, and Air Force.
There is a football game to be played, but during this holiday season let us not forget that once the clock hits 00:00, those seniors will not graduate early to prepare for an upcoming pro-day, but instead will be preparing to defend our freedom, to protect us from those who wish to do us harm because we have that freedom. One of which is to enjoy the sport we love – college football.
2015 Military Bowl
This year’s Military Bowl will feature the aforementioned 21st ranked United States Naval Academy Midshipmen facing the Pittsburgh Panthers.
Navy was able to crack the top-15 of the College Football Playoff ranking before a loss to Houston in a game that decided the American Athletic Conference Western Division champion and are led by their record setting quarterback Keenan Reynolds.
A four-year starter, Reynolds will leave Navy as one of the school’s most decorated quarterbacks. This past year, Reynolds set the FBS record for most career rushing touchdowns at 81. Reynolds finished fifth in the 2015 Heisman voting – the highest by a service academy player since Roger Staubach took home the trophy in 1963.
Pittsburgh will head to Annapolis after a surprisingly good season under first year coach Pat Narduzzi. Three of the Panthers four losses came against teams that were in the running for the final four of the College Football Playoff (Iowa, North Carolina, Notre Dame) to finish 8-4 on the year – the Panthers best record in five years.
The Battleground
The triple-option is a spectacle to watch when it’s working, but historically has not fared well when teams have time to prepare for it. Reynolds is certainly the player that Pittsburgh needs to watch for, but the Midshipmen have other threats the Panthers need to prepare for.
Fullback Chris Swain will more than likely top the 1000 yard mark as the Pittsburgh defense has allowed 126 yards a game (he currently sits at 909 yards on the year with a five yard per carry average). Fellow senior wide receiver Jamir Tillman leads the team with 570 yards and five touchdowns and Reynolds has shown that he is more than just an option quarterback – by Navy standards at least, and if Pitt’s defense allows itself to become too preoccupied with stopping Reynolds, the rest of the Navy offense will allow the Midshipmen to control the pace of the game.
Pittsburgh has its own Swiss army knife on offense. Wide receiver Tyler Boyd is second in the ACC in total yards – catching 85 passes for 873 yards and rushing for 294 yards. Just like Swain, Pittsburgh has its own secondary threat in quarterback Nathan Peterman.
In his first year after transferring from Tennessee, Peterman has thrown 19 touchdowns against five interceptions and has spread the ball out to his receivers with five other Panthers wide receivers snagging at least five catches on the year. This gives Pitt a slight advantage as Navy’s defense gives up 230 yards per game.
It’s difficult to determine the outcome of Tier 2 bowl games; predicted shootouts are defensive battles or blowouts while defensive struggles become barnburners. This year’s Military Bowl appears to have an achieved a balance with the team’s offensive styles. Between the triple-option of Navy and the balanced attack of Pittsburgh, Monday’s matchup will be an offensive clinic for fans of the intricacies of the game.
The 2015 Military Bowl will represent the best of college football in more ways than one.
Photo courtesy of the Military Bowl.
