Yahoo Sports Army football best seasons: Top finishes, win totals for Black Knights
Army football is in the midst of perhaps its best ever season as a program, even winning the American Athletic Conference championship game in its first season in the league.
The No. 18 Black Knights (11-1, 8-0 in AAC) — whose only loss this season came to Notre Dame — are hoping to cap off their outstanding season with a win over archrival Navy (8-3, 6-2 in AAC) at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, on Saturday.
Army has deployed the triple-option offense to perfection this season under coach Jeff Monken, as its discipline and efficiency keep opposing offenses off the field. Quarterback Bryson Daily has also been a phenomenon, with 1,480 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns along with 877 passing yards and eight touchdowns to an interception.
REQUIRED READING: Colorado's Travis Hunter, Boise State's Ashton Jeanty lead USA TODAY Sports All-America team
Army was one of the best college football programs in the early days of the sport, claiming five national championships, with the most recent coming in 1946. Army's current season in 2024, however, might just stack up with the best ever for the school in the modern era.
Here's a look at Army's best seasons ever amid its 11-1 2024 season so far:
Best Army football seasons ever
Army claims five national championships, which came in 1946, 1945, 1944, 1916 and 1914. For the sake of this look back on Army's best seasons, this story will factor in modern finishes as well.
Here are Army's best seasons ever:
2024
Army already has 11 wins on the season, and has a chance to win 12 games for the first time in program history when it faces Navy on Saturday.
The Black Knights could also reach 13 wins for the first time if they beat Marshall in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28. Army has only once ever won 11 games in a season, and with two more chances to reach a 12-win finish, 2024 certainly goes down as one of its best ever seasons.
2018
Army finished ranked for the first time since 1996 after it went 11-2 on the year with an Independence Bowl win over Houston. Army not only beat Houston, but also won in dominant fashion, 70-14.
The No. 20-ranked Black Knights lost two games all year, both of which came earlyin the season to Power Four programs in Duke and Oklahoma, the latter of which it forced into overtime in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners, of course, went to the College Football Playoff that season and possessed the Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Kyler Murray.
Army also beat Navy, 17-10 — a massive measuring stick in all Black Knights football seasons.
1944
The first of the two national championships Army was granted by the Associated Press came in 1944, when it finished with a 9-0 record, outscoring its opponents 504-35 on the season.
The Black Knights finished the season with top five-ranked wins over Notre Dame and Navy, which served as the de facto national championship.
1945
Army finished 9-0 again in 1945, once again winning the Associated Press national championship under coach Earl "Red" Blaik.
The Black Knights also defeated No. 2 Navy 32-13 in the season finale, effectively winning the national championship after also beating No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 6 Penn, No. 9 Michigan and No. 19 Duke on the season.
1996
Army had a historic season in 1996, finishing inside the top 25 of both the Coaches and AP Top 25 polls for the first time since 1958.
The Black Knights fell 32-29 in the Independence Bowl to Auburn that season but finished with a 10-2 record under coach Bob Sutton. It was one of two seasons that Army has finished the season ranked since 1953, although the Black Knights have a chance to do so again in 2024.
Army football most wins in a season
Here are the top seasons in terms of win total in Army history:
11 wins (2024, 2018)
10 wins (2017, 1996)
9 wins (2021, 2020, 1988, 1985, 1949, 1946, 1945, 1944, 1933, 1930, 1927, 1916, 1914)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Army football best seasons: Top finishes, win totals
