Published Aug 31, 2019
Army Football preserves winning streak with a 14-7 win over Rice
Gordon Larson
GBK Sr. Analyst & Writer
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It was a beautiful day for football on the grounds of West Point, as minutes before kick-off, the sun gave way to the shade on Blaik Field.

Most Army fans came expecting an easy win over a Rice team that was ranked near the bottom in the FBS, but the Owls came ready to play, and the game was up for grabs going into the final minute of the game.

A well-prepared Rice defense held Army to a meager 231 yards on the ground and 284 total yards, but the Black Knight defense showed that they haven’t lost their touch under their new defensive coordinator, holding Rice to 243 total yards and 7 points. Two long touchdown drives of 95 and 98 yards accounted for over 19 of the 34 minute Time of Possession advantage for Army and more than 2/3 of the total yardage.

Adam Nunez, a transfer from TCU, pinned the Black Knights deep in their own territory with 4 punts inside the Army 20 and 3 inside the 10.

First Quarter - Scoreless

Rice took the opening kickoff on the 3 and the Black Knights kickoff coverage team stopped them on the 19. The Owls eked out 1 first down before the defense held them to a yard on the next series to force a punt. Nunez got off a great punt that rolled all the way to the Army 6, where the Black Knights started their first offensive drive of the evening.

Army picked up 9 yards on the first two plays, but after fullback Sandon McCoy was stopped for no gain, Jeff Monken opted to attempt the 4th down conversion and the Owls came up with another good defensive stop to take over on downs on the Army 15.

The Black Knight defense held Rice to 7 yards in 3 plays and the Owl’s kicker missed a field goal attempt wide right to turn the ball back to Army on their own 20. After senior slotback Kell Walker picked up a quick first down on an 11 yard run, th Owls held Army to 7 yards on 3 plays and Zach Potter came in to boot a 40 yard punt to the Rice 35, where the Owls started their third drive of the night.

The Army defense forced another 3 and out, and Nunez booted another long punt. A nice return by Akyah Miranda was nullified by a holding penalty, and Army started another drive deep in their own territory at the 5. Captain and quarterback Kelvin Hopkins and McCoy combined for a first down to the 18, and Army got off 2 more plays to the 25 before time ran out in the quarter.

Second Quarter - Army scores and Rice responds for a 7-7 tie at halftime

Army picked up a quick first down to start the quarter, but Rice held them to 9 yards on the next three plays, and Monken once again went for a 4th down conversion. Hopkins plunged over the back of Simpson for 3 yards to keep the drive alive. On the next series, wide receiver Christian Hayes came up with the longest run of the night to that point with a 35 yard gain on a reverse to the Rice 22. Two plays later, Hopkins found Hayes wide open for a 17 yard gain to the Rice 2, and Hopkins carried the ball in on the next play for the TD as Army took a 7-0 lead. The drive took 16 plays for 95 yards and ate up 9:48 on the clock.

Trammel called for a fair catch on the ensuing kickoff, and Rice started their first drive of the quarter on their own 25. After a run and a pass picked up a first down at the 44, Ellerbe found a hole in the Army defense and sprinted for a 56 yard TD to tie the score.

Army elected to run the kick out, but Rice stopped them at the 18. The Black Knights picked up one first down, but Rice held them to a 1 yard loss on the next series, and Potter was sent in to punt again.

Rice started their drive on the 31, and Wiley Green completed a 38 yard pass to Trammel to reach the Army 29. Three more plays got them to the 26, and Will Harrison missed his second field goal attempt. Army ran the ball once for 4 yards to end the half.

Third Quarter - No scores leaves the game tied at 7-7

Army elected to fair catch the opening kickoff and started their first drive of the half on the 25. McCoy ran for 9 yards, and Hopkins completed a 19 yard pass to Hobbes for a first down on the 34, but Hopkins was dropped for a loss on the next play to bring up a 2d and 12. An incomplete pass and a short run brought up a 4th down on the 48, and Potter got off another good punt that bounce out of bounds at the Rice 6.

Rice picked up two rushing first downs to their 30, but the defense held there and Rice had to punt it away to the Army 27.

After Hopkins was rushed into throwing an incompletion he carried the ball twice for a first down on the 40. Walker ran for another first down at the 50, but then McCoy fumbled the ball for a turnover on the Rice 38.

Rice got one quick first down to the Army 47, but the defense stopped them there and Nunez came in to punt the ball out of bounds at the Army 4, and a holding penalty moved the ball back to the 2.

McCoy was held to 2 yards on two carries and Hopkins threw the ball away to bring up another punt by Potter from deep in his end zone. Potter booted the ball 48 yards to the Rice 48 and Trammel returned the kick 17 yards to the Army 35. After a 2 yard gain, Ashton ran the ball 24 yards to the 19, but a holding call on Rice brought the ball back to the Army 42 where time ran out in the third quarter.


Fourth Quarter - Army drives 95 yards to go ahead and then holds on for the win

Rice failed to move the ball, but Nunez got off another excellent punt to pin the Black Knights back on their own 2 yard line.

A two yard gain by Hopkins was followed by two fullback dives to pick up a key first down at the 15, and the offense kept the ball on the ground to the Rice 12, but a false start penalty put Army back to the 17 with a 3d and 8; so Hopkins went to the air for a 17 yard completion to Walker to go ahead 14-7. The drive took 18 plays for 98 yards and took 9:21 off the game clock.

Rice elected to return the kickoff and the kick coverage team stopped Trammel on the 21. Ellerbe picked up a quick first down to the 36, and a pass interference call on Bordeau pushed the ball in Army territory at the 47. Two plays later, Jacob Covington nearly recovered a fumble by Green, but the officials ruled that he never had possession and Rice had another chance. Then with 3d and 7, Rice came up a yard short, but elected to pass the ball on 4th and 1. Jaylon McClinton made a game saving pass breakup fo preserve the win.


Quick Stats

- Kelvin Hopkins completed 3 of his 8 pass attempts for 58 yards and 1 touchdown for an efficiency rating of 134.4.

- Hopkins led all Army rushers with a modest 80 net yards.

- Sandon McCoy contributed 70 yards

- Christian Hayes had 35 yards on his solo carry plus a 17 yard reception.

- Three Army defenders tied for the lead in total tackles with 7 each.

- Cole Christiansen, Arik Smith & Cam Jones


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