PHILADELPHIA — America’s Game was there for the taking, a decade-long losing streak about to be put to an end — right up until the gut-wrenching moment when Army’s Trent Steelman and Larry Dixon botched a handoff, fumbling away a shot at the biggest game they’ll ever play.
The sight of Navy’s players sprinting from the pileup like they’d been shot out of a cannon, and the image of a crying Steelman — the quarterback’s face buried in his hands on the bench, then later being consoled on the field — told the tale of Navy’s 17-13 come-from-behind win before 69,607, including Vice President Joe Biden, at Lincoln Financial Field.
True, freshman quarterback Keenan Reynolds had led Navy’s season back from the brink, and he did the same yesterday. He went 10-of-17 for 130 yards passing and ran for 43 yards and the go-ahead score to earn MVP honors in college football’s most hallowed rivalry game.
After the Navy offense had been throttled all day, Reynolds capped a long drive with an 8-yard touchdown run with 4:41 left. Army mounted an answering drive, but fumbled away the ball on the 13-yard line with just 1:04 left to seal their 11th straight loss to Navy (8-4).
“I felt like we deserved that game every which way possible, but we just didn’t have it,’’ said Steelman, who ran for his school-record 45th touchdown but graduates 0-4 against Navy. “We were wearing them down. There was nothing that was going to stop us. But that’s life. Things just don’t go your way sometimes.’’
Despite their record and losing skid against Navy, Army (2-10) had control late. After James Kelly forced Reynolds into a fumble — Alex Meier returned it to the Navy 37 — the Black Knights were forced to settle for a 21-yard Eric Osteen field goal and a 13-10 third-quarter lead. When Osteen missed wide left from 37 yards with 6:57 left, Navy made the Black Knights pay for not cashing in.
“When that drive started, I said to these guys in the huddle, ‘This is it, we’re going to win this one,’ ’’ Reynolds said. “They all looked at me and just said, ‘Let’s go.’ ’’
And they did, as a Navy team that was outgained 418 yards to 297 suddenly came alive. Reynolds evaded Hayden Pierce and Geoffrey Bacon for an 11-yard run, and one play later floated a perfect ball to Brandon Turner for 49 yards, beating Chris Carnegie on a fly pattern.And finally, Reynolds slipped a diving tackle in the backfield and sprinted around the right end for the go-ahead score. The win clinched the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, awarded to the service academy with the best record in the three-way series that includes Air Force.
“It means everything. That’s our No. 1 goal, to get the [trophy]. I’m so happy for these guys,’’ said Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo, whose team will finish its season Dec. 29 against Arizona State in the Fight Hunger Bowl. “To do it that long [11 straight wins against Army] just speaks volumes about the guys in the white jerseys.’’
It wasn’t sealed until Barry Dabney pounced on Army’s botched handoff.
“I just was thinking too much,’’ said Dixon, a sophomore fullback who fell on the proverbial sword. “I can’t even look [Steelman] in the eye.’’
Steelman was distraught. Niumatalolo offered him words of encouragement on the field before the Army senior broke down and cried in the arms of Army Command Sgt. Major Todd Burnett.
“We should be all proud as Americans that that guy is going to be defending our country,’’ Niumatalolo said. “They don’t get any tougher than Trent Steelman.”
Command Sgt. Major Burnett added, “I just told him I need him to lead in the Army the way he just led on the field. I’m very proud of him. This young man is going to be a great leader. Nobody deserved to win that more than Trent.’’