Celebrating the centennial of the creation of the Four Horseman legend, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Army Black Knights take on each other under the lights of Yankee Stadium. Even with all the history connected to this clash, the game itself pits the 9-1 Irish against the undefeated Black Knights
Notre Dame has been in high gear but can’t afford any slip-ups or they might say goodbye to a College Football Playoff berth. Army is coming off a bye, so fatigue won’t be a factor for them. However, they haven’t defeated the Irish since 1958, dropping the last 15 contests.
Below are some key numbers to consider on Saturday night:
Who’s Running Things
Both teams enter with strong ground games, with Army relying on it for the bulk of its offensive production. This season, the Black Knights have been most productive during the first and third quarters, averaging 7.5 yards on their carries. During the second and fourth quarters, that average drops to 4.6 yards.
Notre Dame offers more balanced numbers, with their biggest running quarters coming during the second and third periods. Those have seen Irish runners average 7.0 yards per carry. Regarding the opening and final periods, the 5.6 average in the first is still good but might be affected by the team’s slow starts at home. Five blowout wins offer an explanation for the 4.5 average in the fourth.
Army has a strong run defense, but if the Irish want to put a dent in that, it may come during the second quarter. The Black Knight defenders have allowed an average of 4.3 yards during that period, a marked difference from the other three quarters. In those, Army holds opponents to just 2.8 yards per carry.
For Notre Dame, the first half has been more of an issue when focusing on stopping the run. The Irish have allowed 4.2 yards per carry in the opening two quarters but then clamped down following intermission. During the latter half, Notre Dame defenders have given up just 2.9 yards on each handoff.
Third Down Efforts
When it comes to moving the chains on third down, Army holds the edge. The Black Knights’ success rate of 53.5 percent is due in part to the team’s consistency. In all but one 2024 game, Army has gained a first down at least 40 percent of the time. On four occasions, that level of success has surpassed 60 percent, including in the North Texas win two weeks ago.
Notre Dame’s offense hasn’t been as prolific on this down, currently possessing a success rate of just 37.7 percent. That number has been the byproduct of consistency issues. The Irish have three games of better than 50 percent or higher success and three games of 20 percent or less. Notre Dame is coming off its worst effort of the season on third down, achieving just a single first down on 12 third-down tries. They hope to have the same type of success on Saturday as they did in their other meeting with a service academy. In that rout of Navy, they succeeded over 61 percent of the time on eight of 13 attempts.
On the other hand, Army’s third-down defense sits in the middle of the pack among all FBS teams at 38.7 percent. The Black Knights have only been above that average during a three-game stretch in which they made 20 stops in 42 attempts. Their other six games saw Army making the necessary stops on 23 of 69 attempts, a rate of one for every three occasions.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame enters with the fourth-best FBS number in this category at 28.9 percent. That’s better than last year’s 34.9 number, with the Irish having better luck on the road in 2024 with a rate of 26 percent. The Irish have actually allowed a higher percentage than the season number in six games but dominant performances against Purdue, Miami of Ohio and Florida State helped bring the overall number down.
Kicking Things Around
Any field goal attempts on Saturday night could simply come down to how close the teams are to the opponent’s goal line. That’s because Army kicker Nathan Kirkwood has only been used for six three-point attempts all season. After starting with two field goals of over 40 yards, his longest of two successful three-pointers has been just 22 yards. Both of his most recent attempts of 40 or longer failed, which makes his range a potential question mark.
The continuing rehabilitation of Mitch Jeter makes Notre Dame’s kicking distance potential a concern. Jeter handled extra points and was given a limit of 42 yards on field goal attempts last week to reduce the strain on his leg. He may have a longer leash this week, which would be a positive since he’s four-of-seven from 40 and beyond. That 57 percent average is better than the other options: Zac Yoakam has made just two of his entire five attempts, while Marcello Diomede’s long-range attempt last week missed badly.
Historical Connections: 1924 and 1995
The significance of Saturday night’s clash extends beyond the current playoff race. It also draws a direct line to one of Notre Dame’s most iconic seasons: the 1924 national championship campaign. That year, under legendary head coach Knute Rockne, Notre Dame faced Army at the Polo Grounds in New York City. The game ended in a decisive 13-7 victory for the Fighting Irish, immortalized by sportswriter Grantland Rice’s description of the “Four Horsemen” — Harry Stuhldreher, Don Miller, Jim Crowley, and Elmer Layden. That quartet led the Irish to an undefeated season and a Rose Bowl victory, cementing their place in college football lore.
Fast forward to 1995, when Notre Dame and Army rekindled their rivalry at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands. In a hard-fought contest, the Fighting Irish held off a resilient Black Knights squad for a 28-27 victory. The game highlighted Notre Dame’s ability to prevail in close contests, as the Irish overcame a fourth-quarter Army rally to escape with the win.
Saturday night’s game at Yankee Stadium serves as the next chapter of this storied rivalry – a bridge between these historical moments, reminding fans of the rich history shared by these programs.
