The recent Army-Navy football game drew an unprecedented audience, attracting the highest viewership since at least 1990. The Midshipmen's 31-13 victory over the Black Knights in Landover, Maryland, captivated an average of 9.4 million viewers. This impressive figure marks a significant 31% increase compared to last year's 7.2 million viewers and surpasses the previous record of 8.45 million set in 1992.
Former President Donald Trump's presence at the game, his first since 2020, undoubtedly contributed to the surge in viewership. He attended with Vice President-elect JD Vance, Elon Musk, Pete Hegseth, Daniel Penny, and others. This marked the first time a president-elect attended the game since Trump did so in 2020. President Biden has not attended the rivalry game since his election but was present in 2011 and 2012.
The game's broadcast on CBS proved to be a major success, becoming the network's most-watched game of the year, second only to the Big Ten title game. It also secured the 11th spot among the most-watched college football games of the season, outperforming three conference championship games, including the Big 12. Notably, it achieved this distinction without involving teams from the Big Ten or SEC.
Several factors contributed to the heightened interest in this year's Army-Navy clash. The game's strategic placement the week following conference championship weekend, making it the sole college football game on that day, undoubtedly played a role. Furthermore, both teams held rankings for the first time since 1960, adding to the excitement. The game also became the highest-scoring Army-Navy matchup since 2011.
Navy's commanding performance, establishing a 14-0 lead and maintaining control throughout the game, culminated in their victory and the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy, having also defeated Air Force earlier in the season. This win disrupted Army's recent dominance, having won six of the previous eight encounters, while Navy had previously won 16 of 17 meetings. With the season concluded, Navy boasts a 9-3 record, while Army stands at 11-2.
Both teams now shift their focus to their respective bowl game appearances. Navy is set to face Oklahoma in the Armed Forces Bowl, while Army will take on Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl.
