For Army, the 2018 campaign is officially over "on the field". There are a few unanswered questions that will keep my attention and anticipation however: Jeff Monken and Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award announcement as well as the final FBS AP and Coaches Poll rankings. I am very hopeful that both of those go Army's way to cap a historic season.
I love Army football and without being in-season I occupy myself looking forward to next year.
1. Spring football in just a few short months.
2. Finishing off the 2019 recruiting class in February.
3. Opening in earnest the 2020 recruiting.
4. Pre-season camp in August
and 5, Let's get it on with our first game against Rice August 30th (I will be in Michie for sure)
I took a look at next year's schedule with a focus on the Sagarin power rankings as an aid. Let there be no mistake, next year's schedule is not as hard compared to this year. 2018 saw seven of our opponents have a 6-6 or winning record, five went to bowls with one in the CFP hunt, and not counting the games against Army they were a cumulative 84-66. Not bad for what many nay-sayers called a weak schedule.
2019 will be an easier schedule and this is based on how our 2019 opponents finished 2018. Some will be better possibly (Navy, AFA, Tulane, maybe one or two others?), but next year's "thirteen" teams were a cumulative 45-100 this year, and only three were bowl teams with a winning record (Michigan 10-2, Tulane 7-6, & Hawaii 8-6). Only four 2018 opponents do we see in 2019 (Navy, AFA, SJSU & Hawaii)
Based on my Sagarin analysis, Army could conceivably have a 12-1 regular season record if they are unsuccessful in an upset over Michigan (got to perform on the field of course). My Sagarin comparison analysis comes from the differential of the "Recent" ratings and I show the "spread" that those power ratings creates along with that team's 2018 record.
Rice (2-11) 39.69 point Army favorite
@ Michigan (10-2) a 7.95 point Army being the underdog (closer than most might think)
UTSA (3-9) 37.88 point favorite
Morgan State (4-7) 48.25 point favorite
Tulane (7-6) 13.39 point favorite (closet of any team not called Michigan)
@ Western KY (3-9) 27.60 point favorite
@ Georgia State (2-10) 35.39 point favorite
SJSU (1-11) 34.84 point favorite
@ AFA (5-7) 19.33 point favorite
UMASS (4-8) 29.38 point favorite
VMI (1-10) 57.34 point favorite
@ Hawaii (8-6) 27.33 point favorite
NAVY (3-10) 27.53 point favorite
Most of these games show a wide Army margin which I think would be difficult to match each and every time, but it does give a sense of significant Army strength over each of these teams. Excluding Michigan, the closest projected margin of victory is Tulane at home by two touchdowns or AFA on the road by 19.0. I can only dream it works out that way where Army is that dominant over next year's opponents. But, it is something to think about as GBK keeps us up to date on all the off-season goings on with recruiting, injuries (K. Hopkins for example), break out player predictions, projected starter replacements, etc. etc.
Being a year round Army football fan has never been more fun in recent memory.
Go Army, Beat them all, but especially...Beat the hell out of Air Force and NAVY.!.!
I love Army football and without being in-season I occupy myself looking forward to next year.
1. Spring football in just a few short months.
2. Finishing off the 2019 recruiting class in February.
3. Opening in earnest the 2020 recruiting.
4. Pre-season camp in August
and 5, Let's get it on with our first game against Rice August 30th (I will be in Michie for sure)
I took a look at next year's schedule with a focus on the Sagarin power rankings as an aid. Let there be no mistake, next year's schedule is not as hard compared to this year. 2018 saw seven of our opponents have a 6-6 or winning record, five went to bowls with one in the CFP hunt, and not counting the games against Army they were a cumulative 84-66. Not bad for what many nay-sayers called a weak schedule.
2019 will be an easier schedule and this is based on how our 2019 opponents finished 2018. Some will be better possibly (Navy, AFA, Tulane, maybe one or two others?), but next year's "thirteen" teams were a cumulative 45-100 this year, and only three were bowl teams with a winning record (Michigan 10-2, Tulane 7-6, & Hawaii 8-6). Only four 2018 opponents do we see in 2019 (Navy, AFA, SJSU & Hawaii)
Based on my Sagarin analysis, Army could conceivably have a 12-1 regular season record if they are unsuccessful in an upset over Michigan (got to perform on the field of course). My Sagarin comparison analysis comes from the differential of the "Recent" ratings and I show the "spread" that those power ratings creates along with that team's 2018 record.
Rice (2-11) 39.69 point Army favorite
@ Michigan (10-2) a 7.95 point Army being the underdog (closer than most might think)
UTSA (3-9) 37.88 point favorite
Morgan State (4-7) 48.25 point favorite
Tulane (7-6) 13.39 point favorite (closet of any team not called Michigan)
@ Western KY (3-9) 27.60 point favorite
@ Georgia State (2-10) 35.39 point favorite
SJSU (1-11) 34.84 point favorite
@ AFA (5-7) 19.33 point favorite
UMASS (4-8) 29.38 point favorite
VMI (1-10) 57.34 point favorite
@ Hawaii (8-6) 27.33 point favorite
NAVY (3-10) 27.53 point favorite
Most of these games show a wide Army margin which I think would be difficult to match each and every time, but it does give a sense of significant Army strength over each of these teams. Excluding Michigan, the closest projected margin of victory is Tulane at home by two touchdowns or AFA on the road by 19.0. I can only dream it works out that way where Army is that dominant over next year's opponents. But, it is something to think about as GBK keeps us up to date on all the off-season goings on with recruiting, injuries (K. Hopkins for example), break out player predictions, projected starter replacements, etc. etc.
Being a year round Army football fan has never been more fun in recent memory.
Go Army, Beat them all, but especially...Beat the hell out of Air Force and NAVY.!.!
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