This past Saturday, I arranged for and attended the annual Army–Navy Game tailgate with around 75 of my fellow Frostburg State alumni in Baltimore, MD. We were a party within a much larger tailgate of more than 1,000 people put on by the wildly popular TailGOAT, owned by Jimmy’s Famous Seafood. In addition to the amazing food and open bar, entertainment was provided by country music star Chase Rice.
Our crew definitely got their money’s worth with the libations, chow, and entertainment. More importantly, it was an incredible mix of people from different chapters of my college life—some I’ve known for decades, some I’ve just met—along with many spouses and friends. That’s what these weekends are really about.
Instead of going into the game this year, we opted for a watch party at the legendary Pickles Pub. I’ve been inside the stadium for about ten Army–Navy games over the past 15 years, so I didn’t mind pivoting. The celebrations continued, including a “Chug for Charity” showdown between my fraternity, KZX, and our closest ally fraternity, DPO. KZX took the victory, and DPO was tasked with making a $100 donation to a veterans charity of our choice—Sentinels of Freedom.
The Game
As is customary every year, it’s the pageantry surrounding the game that makes Army–Navy so special. Parachute teams from both branches, flyovers, the walk-on of the Cadets and Midshipmen, and the coin toss with the Commander-in-Chief all combine to create something uniquely American. Not to mention the teams singing their alma matters, win or lose after the match.
The game itself—what most of America saw—was a tight contest, Army played far better than expected. With Army leading 16–10 midway through the fourth quarter, Navy star QB Blake Horvath tossed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Eli Heidenreich. With the PAT good, Navy took a 17–16 lead and held on over the final six minutes for the victory.
As I say every year: while these two teams battle fiercely on the field, they will be brothers in arms come spring when the seniors graduate and move on to their respective military assignments. These two schools embody the very best that America has to offer when it comes to the true meaning of a collegiate athlete—especially considering the added responsibility of daily military duty throughout their four years on campus.
Around the Country
In the FCS quarterfinals, Montana and Montana State defeated their respective opponents and will meet once again next Saturday in the semifinals for Round Two of the “Brawl of the Wild.” Illinois State continues to roll and will play at Villanova, who also advanced with a win. Winners of those two games will meet in the FCS Championship on 1/5/26 In Nashville.
Heisman
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the first Hoosier to secure the coveted Heisman Trophy. Runner-ups were Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin.
Bieber
By now, if you’re a college football fan, you’ve heard about the downfall of former Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, who was fired for cause early last week. What initially surfaced as an inappropriate relationship with a younger staffer spiraled into an increasingly bizarre and troubling story.
It was documented that Moore got the staffer pregnant, encouraged her to have an abortion, and allegedly increased her pay afterward. Following his termination, he went on what can only be described as a psychotic-fueled journey—first threatening to kill himself at his wife’s house, then traveling to his mistress’s home and threatening her. He was ultimately tracked down by police and arrested.
This is less a “Bieber Award” moment and more a deeply sad episode, but it still needs to be documented given the sheer number of missteps. A young coach with known temptation issues should never place himself in a situation like this. The cover-up was worse than the crime, and the alleged misuse of university funds only compounded matters. Reports indicate others within the organization may have known and did nothing, leading to the termination of the athletic director as well.
Michigan now has a mess to clean up and must find a coach with a squeaky-clean reputation to restore credibility. But since national championships don’t appear to be in their immediate future, we’ll be shipping them a life-size statue of Justin Bieber instead.
Ginger
The seniors on both the Army and Navy teams who will begin serving our country this May deserve the spotlight. I highlight these young warriors every year because their commitment is meaningful beyond football. Many will serve in dangerous parts of the world, and some will make the ultimate sacrifice.
In an era dominated by entitled NIL-hopping players who believe they are God’s gift to the game, let’s remember who truly matters. These young men and women will be playing the game of life for at least the next five years—and for many, an entire career. We salute you.
Next Up
Rest and relaxation over the next couple of weeks with the entire extended Tailgate family under one roof for Christmas. I have been on a four month gauntlet and need to recharge a bit. Depending on how Oklahoma finishes, that will determine my next stop back out on the tailgate road.
Happy Tailgating!
What a perfect wrap up! I see that Frostburg education paying off, 10 out of 10 for the blue book writing challenge. We Bobcats know…
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