DENTON, TX. – The Army Black Knights are proving that their 2024 season is more than just a fluke.
With their 14-3 victory over North Texas on Saturday in Denton, Texas, the #18-ranked Black Knights extended their nation-leading winning streak to 13 games, improving to 9-0 overall and 7-0 in the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
This win also solidified their place as one of the most dominant teams in the country.
The game marked a successful return for quarterback Bryson Daily, who had missed the previous week’s victory over Air Force due to an undisclosed injury or illness.
Despite missing critical practice time, Daily showed no signs of rust, rushing for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.
The performance marked his seventh multi-touchdown game of the season and further solidified his reputation as one of the top quarterbacks in college football.
Army’s defense, which entered the game ranked #1 in the nation for scoring defense, also delivered a standout performance.
North Texas entered the game averaging 40.8 points per game, but Army’s defense held them to just a field goal.
The Black Knights were especially clutch in the red zone, where they forced a key goal-line stand in the first half and intercepted two passes in the red zone in the second half to prevent any further scoring.
The Black Knights faced adversity early in the game when North Texas’ offense, led by quarterback Chandler Morris, marched down the field on an 18-play, 8-minute drive to open the game.
The drive ended with a 31-yard field goal by Kali Nguma, giving North Texas a 3-0 lead. For Army, this was the first time they had trailed in a game all season, having gone 8 games without facing a deficit. North Texas’ opening drive was aided by a couple of crucial fourth-down conversions, including one on a short pass from Morris to wide receiver Blair Conwright.
However, Army’s defense responded when it mattered most. After the field goal, North Texas attempted an onside kick, but Army was prepared. Linebacker Hamilton Baker recovered the ball for Army, giving the Black Knights excellent field position at the North Texas 48-yard line.
Army’s offense took advantage of the favorable field position. On their opening drive, slotback Tyrell Robinson rushed for 8 yards on the first play to get Army into North Texas territory. After a third-and-one conversion, Daily capped off the 9-play, 48-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run, giving Army a 7-3 lead. The touchdown was Daily’s 20th of the season, cementing his place among the nation’s elite rushers.
North Texas, not one to go quietly, responded with another methodical drive on its second possession.
The Mean Green converted another fourth down and reached the Army 1-yard line. It appeared that North Texas was poised to retake the lead, but Army’s defense rose to the occasion.
The Black Knights stopped three consecutive rushing attempts inside the 2-yard line, including a critical fourth-down stop by defensive lineman Kyle Lewis and cornerback Chance Keith.
Army took over on its own 2-yard line, but the offense struggled to make progress. A holding penalty and an incomplete pass forced Army to punt the ball back to North Texas. However, the Black Knights’ defense stepped up once again, forcing a turnover on downs after North Texas failed to convert a fourth down attempt from their own 41-yard line.
With excellent field position at the North Texas 41-yard line, Army’s offense looked to build on its lead. After a couple of positive runs, Daily broke free for a 17-yard gain, putting him over 1,000 rushing yards for the season and making him the first Army player to achieve that milestone since Kelvin Hopkins Jr. in 2018. Daily’s 1,000-yard rush is also the fourth 1,000-yard rushing season by a quarterback in the Jeff Monken era.
Despite Army’s momentum, the Black Knights were unable to capitalize on the drive, reaching the North Texas 14-yard line before opting for a fake field goal attempt. Kicker Matthew Rhodes took the snap but was tackled at the North Texas 2-yard line as time expired in the first half. Army went into the locker room with a 7-3 lead, having controlled the clock for 17:58 compared to North Texas’ 12:02.
The second half began with a flurry of action. Army’s offense moved down the field but Daily threw his first interception of the season, a rare misstep that saw North Texas’ Brian Nelson II pick off a pass intended for wide receiver Casey Reynolds. However, Army’s defense immediately responded, forcing a quick three-and-out to get the ball back for the offense.
After a few positive runs to start the drive, Daily took off on a 17-yard run, breaking the 1,000-yard mark for the season. With the Black Knights now on the North Texas 36-yard line, Army’s offense went for it on a crucial fourth-and-four at the 30-yard line. Out of a gun-empty formation, slotback Noah Short took a handoff from Daily and ran for the first down, moving the chains and keeping the drive alive.
As the third quarter came to a close with Army leading 7-3, the Black Knights were in prime position to extend their lead. After picking up a first down, Daily led the charge into the fourth quarter, where Army capped off the longest drive of the season with a 21-play, 94-yard march that took 13:54 off the clock. Daily punched in the two-yard touchdown to give Army a commanding 14-3 lead.
North Texas threatened twice in the final minutes to narrow the deficit, but Army’s defense was impenetrable. After a lengthy pass attempt to Blair Conwright, cornerback Donovan Platt intercepted the ball in the end zone. Later, safety Justin Weaver also picked off Morris in the red zone, preventing any chance of a late North Texas comeback.
While Daily was the star of the game, running back Kanye Udoh added 65 yards on 13 carries to help Army maintain its time-of-possession advantage. Army converted 9 of 13 third downs and was a perfect 3-for-3 on fourth downs, showcasing their ability to execute in critical situations.
For North Texas, quarterback Chandler Morris finished 24-for-37 with 214 yards and two interceptions. Despite Morris’ solid yardage, the Mean Green offense was completely stifled in the red zone and failed to score a touchdown in the game.
The victory was another testament to Army’s dominance, and it further cements their position as one of the most complete teams in the country. With their defense ranked #1 in the nation in scoring defense and Daily’s standout performance, Army is poised to make a run for the College Football Playoff if they can continue their strong play.
Army will now head into a well-timed bye week before facing off against No. 10 Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium on November 23. Following that, they will close the regular season with a game against UTSA and a showdown with Navy on December 14. With everything still in front of them, the Black Knights will look to continue their remarkable run as they chase an AAC championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.