The Army-Navy game Saturday was watched by an unprecedented number of viewers.
The Midshipmen pulled off the upset in Landover, Maryland, 31-13, to increase their all-time series lead, 63-55-7, and end a two-game losing streak to the Black Knights.
For the first time since 2020, Donald Trump attended the game, this time as president-elect.
President Biden has not attended the rivalry game since being elected, but he did take in the contest in 2011 and 2012.
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President-elect Trump gestures to the crowd at a game between Army and Navy at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Trump took in the game with Vice President-elect JD Vance, Elon Musk, Pete Hegseth, Daniel Penny and others from a luxury suite. And it may be fair to say that many tuned in to get a glimpse of the soon-to-be 47th president.
In fact, with Trump in attendance, the game had its highest viewership on record.
The game drew an average of 9.4 million viewers, the most since at least 1990. Its previous high was 8.45 million in 1992, and this year’s figure is a 31% increase over last year’s audience of 7.2 million.
It’s undoubtedly the most-watched Army-Navy game since CBS took over airing rights in 1996. In fact, it was the most-watched game on CBS this year, behind only the Big Ten title game.
It now ranks as the 11th most-watched college football game this season, ranking ahead of three conference championship games, including the Big 12, and is the most-watched game that did not involve the Big Ten or SEC.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La.; President-elect Trump; Tesla CEO Elon Musk; and Vice President-elect JD Vance attend the 125th Army-Navy football game at Northwest Stadium Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Viewers of the game have increased since the game moved to the week after conference championship weekend in 2009. It is now the lone college game of the day. This year, both teams were ranked for the first time since 1960. This year’s game was also the highest-scoring Army-Navy affair since 2011.
Navy got out to a 14-0 lead, and despite Army cutting its deficit to four, the Midshipmen never looked back, scoring a 52-yard touchdown and then finding the end zone again shortly after a fake punt. With the victory, Navy earned the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, having also beaten Air Force earlier this year.
Army had won six of the previous eight meetings after Navy rode a hot streak of winning 16 of 17 meetings. The Midshipmen are 9-3 on the season, while Army fell to 11-2.
Running back Brandon Chatman (24) of the Navy Midshipmen scores a touchdown against the Army Black Knights during the first half of the 125th meeting between the teams at Northwest Stadium Dec. 14, 2024, in Landover, Md. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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Both teams now focus on their respective bowl games. Navy will face Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl, and Army will face Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl.