Army holds on with goal-line stand in final seconds, beats Navy 17-11

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Army held its ground on a goal-line stand in the final seconds to send Navy mascot Bill the Goat — and Navy superfan Bill, the G.O.A.T. — home disappointed.

Army linebacker Kalib Fortner scored on a fourth-quarter strip sack and then helped stuff quarterback Tai Lavatai inches from the end zone with 3 seconds left to lead the Black Knights to a 17-11 victory over Navy on Saturday and win the 124th meeting of the nation’s oldest service academies.

“Why’s it always got to be like that?” said Army coach Jeff Monken, whose team won last year in double overtime. “It is. It’s always like that. We had a 14-point lead, and with 1 second to go they’re standing there knocking on the door with a chance to tie the game. Unreal.”

Bryson Daily ran for 84 yards and threw Army’s first touchdown pass against Navy since 2015 to help the Black Knights claim the much-coveted bragging rights for the sixth time in eight tries. Kanye Udoh ran for 88 yards for Army, which also claimed the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy that goes to the team with the best record in head-to-head matchups against other service academies. (Army upset then-No. 17 Air Force last month.)

Lavatai came off the bench in the second quarter and rushed for 74 yards, completing 16 of 26 passes for 176 yards — the most passing yards for a Navy quarterback against Army since 2010. Jayden Umbarger caught six passes for 75 yards and a touchdown that made it 17-9 with 2:47 left.

“This game, in the grand scheme of things, is about more than football,” Navy coach Brian Newberry said. “It’s about celebrating some of the finest young men in the country on the field, and then celebrating and recognizing all those that have dedicated their life to service, that have served and are serving your country. Shining a light on them, celebrating them and showing gratitude for their sacrifice and their commitment. That’s what it’s all about.

“I think, at the end of the day, whoever was in the stands was proud of what they saw these young men do.”

The matchup of patriots at the Patriots’ home brought an injection of pomp and excitement to Gillette Stadium, where the six-time Super Bowl champions have stumbled