ANNAPOLIS, Md. — When Navy quarterback Blake Horvath returned to his dorm room during Army-Navy week last season, he discovered photos of Army quarterback Bryson Daily taped all over his door. Additionally, banners mysteriously appeared in the dining hall, declaring, «GO ARMY, BEAT NAVY.»
The likely culprits? Cadets from West Point spending a semester as exchange students in Annapolis, Maryland. This program is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year — one of several long-standing traditions between the two academies.
«I can’t confirm or deny that it was us that night,» Army senior cadet Jayram Suryanarayan said, «but I can tell you we were certainly involved in some mischief — so it could have been us.»
Simultaneously, similar antics were taking place at West Point, where Navy exchange students found their clothes and uniforms missing, replaced with costumes — including a smelly fish suit and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle outfit — to be worn for the entire week.
«They bought a Marine Corps raincoat, cut it up for fabric, and sewed — and what amazed me was the time and skill it took — they crafted a miniskirt for me to wear, and they cropped a Marine Corps sweatshirt,» Navy senior Michael Middleton recalled. «They took all my uniforms and my civilian clothes. It wasn’t just for school — I had to work out in it. It was quite the spectacle. Very entertaining.»
(Last year’s hijinks were relatively mild compared to «Operation Black Knight Falling» in 2022, when five Navy midshipmen led three flight crews in formation over the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, dropping thousands of BEAT ARMY ping-pong balls and flyers on campus.)
Brady Small remarked, «but you feel like you’ve let the Army down.»
While you may recognize some or all of these traditions from watching the game on TV, ESPN interviewed over a dozen individuals from both academies who orchestrate everything, providing insight into how each tradition occurs and what it means to be a participant.
Jump to section:
Alma mater | Uniforms
Ball run | March On
Mascots | Presidential visit
Alma mater
During preseason camp, every Army football player is tested on the school’s alma mater. It’s something they learn from the «Book of Knowledge,» which is mandatory reading for Cadet Basic Training and has been published since 1908. It contains the history and traditions of West Point.
«I can’t specify the exact page,» said receiver Noah Short regarding the alma mater’s location, «but it’s definitely in the initial pages.»
Hail, Alma Mater dear,
To us be ever near.
Help us thy motto bear
Through all the years.
Let Duty be well performed.
Honor be e’er untarned
Country be ever armed.
West Point, by thee.
«I have them write it down,» Army coach Jeff Monken stated, «they must write it out.»
«If you don’t do it precisely — word for word — Coach Monken won’t let you travel,» Army linebacker Kalib Fortner noted.
Both academies sing their alma maters at other games and events, but the tradition of performing it after the Army-Navy football game is unparalleled. The winner sings second.
«It’s incredible,» Monken remarked, «and the emotion and relief of being the ones singing second is immense… It’s equally gut-wrenching and emotionally draining to have to stand there and mumble the words of your alma mater if you have to do it first.»
Horvath, Navy’s quarterback, explained that the Midshipmen are quizzed on their alma mater about four days into their plebe summer. They would sing it nightly before bed around 10 p.m.
Now colleges from sea to sea
May sing of colors true
But who has better right than we
To hoist a symbol hue
For sailors brave in battle fair
Since fighting days of old
Have proved the sailor’s right to wear
The Navy Blue and Gold
«Singing first, it physically hurts a bit,» Horvath expressed. «You know your fans aren’t singing with as much enthusiasm, you’re not singing with the same volume and excitement as you would when singing second. It’s almost, as a player, embarrassing to sing first. Conversely, singing second brings joy and excitement, like after the Army-Navy game last year. It was the loudest I’ve ever heard our alma mater sung.»
Uniforms
Army and Navy unveil special uniforms each season, but don’t even think about sneaking a peek at either before the official reveal — it’s classified, and kept secret for an impressive two years.
«We don’t really keep files here, we just maintain things very confidential,» said Mike Resnick, associate athletic director overseeing internal operations at West Point. «Nike excels in shipping. It’s West Point; we have reliable people here.»
To enhance security, several nondisclosure agreements are signed along the way. Only around 14 to 15 people are privy to what Army’s uniform design will be — including individuals from the history department.
«We don’t inform the Pentagon,» Resnick noted. «We keep it very close to our chest.»
As parts of the uniform and other sideline gear arrive, Navy stores everything in a warehouse situated on the opposite side of the Severn River. The artist who handpaints their helmets resides in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, so when Navy played at Temple this year, some equipment staff members visited him to check on progress.
A uniform 250 years in the making…https://t.co/168T92kRln#GoNavy | #Navy250 pic.twitter.com/N0LVQkHCKG
— Navy Athletics (@NavyAthletics) November 18, 2025
Every aspect of both uniforms is symbolically significant. For Navy, the six strands of rope on the helmets symbolize the six original frigates of the U.S. Navy, and the knots correlate to the 126 knots on the sides of the pants to honor the 126th Army-Navy game. The jersey features 250 knots around the neck and sleeves in commemoration of 250 years of the Navy.
«The guys are always eager for hints,» Navy senior associate athletic director Greg Morgenthaler stated. «During our initial team meeting with Coach Newberry, I spoke to the team in November about expectations, and they all ask, ‘What are we wearing this year? What’s the uniform?'»
Around noon on Nov. 17, Navy players, coaches, and staff began to come into Ricketts Hall’s auditorium. It wasn’t a mandatory team meeting, but no one wanted to miss the eagerly awaited uniform reveal for the Army-Navy game.
«Nobody’s leaking anything about the uniforms, is everyone okay?» Newberry asked.
«Yes, sir!»
Proud to honor an enduring symbol of service and sacrifice for the past 250 years.https://t.co/QlUpMO7VlC#GoArmy pic.twitter.com/5DeHAW0pm9
— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) November 15, 2025
Army’s marble print uniforms are created to resemble the marble headstones at Arlington National Cemetery and the ultimate sacrifice made. The Great Seal on the right shoulder signifies Army’s duty to the United States in times of peace and war. Each helmet features an old guard espontoon etched to represent Army’s role as the spearhead, starting at the back of the helmet and finishing with a point at the front.
Lieutenant Colonel John Zdeb teaches in the department of History and War Studies at West Point and has been supporting the accuracy of the football team’s uniforms for five years. He is a graduate of the academy and has completed two deployments to Iraq, one to Afghanistan, another to Eastern Europe, and one to Kuwait.
«There are always different aspects where they inquire of us, my team particularly, ‘Hey, the way we’ve represented this, is it historically accurate? Is it portraying the historical event appropriately? And if it strays a bit from accuracy, is that a creative freedom that makes sense and is worth undertaking?’ So we provide a lot of feedback.»
Ball run
At 3:30 a.m. Thursday morning, a group of 17 cadet marathon runners, four officers, and three vans departed from the West Point superintendent’s house on campus to cover 240 miles across four different states — all while carrying an Army game ball to be delivered to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore at 2 p.m. ET on Friday. On Saturday, both teams will jog the ball onto the field at a scheduled time and present it to their First Captain or Brigade Commander.
Approximately at 7 a.m. on Thursday, the team will transition from New York into Mahwah, New Jersey, and then proceed along Route 202 into Pennsylvania. The marathon team will then navigate southeastern Pennsylvania before entering Maryland, near Rising Sun. The concluding segment of their journey will lead them to downtown Baltimore via Route 1.
«The ball is always held by a cadet and is in constant motion from the moment we depart until we arrive at the stadium,» said senior cadet Michael Clay, who is participating in his fourth Army-Navy relay team and estimates he has run about 90 miles total to the past three stadiums.
The Navy relay team enjoys a slightly shorter route this week — over 200 miles less from Annapolis to Baltimore. The Midshipmen will gather in front of Bancroft Hall on Friday before departing at noon and heading out Gate 8. They will reach Fort McHenry in Baltimore at sunset and run the final miles to the stadium on Saturday.
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«It’s kind of enjoyable because we have the rest of the company waiting at the stadium for the ball’s arrival, and then those running the last leg dash toward the stadium,» Midshipman Connor Mollberg said. «The entire company is present. It’s a big celebration that we got the ball there.»
Although occasionally someone fumbles along the way.
«It never intentionally drops,» Clay noted, «especially in subfreezing temperatures while wearing gloves; it can be challenging to determine how securely you’re gripping the ball. So yes, it has been dropped, but never on purpose — and never more than by the 13th company.»
This tradition began with Navy’s 13th company, which has around 120 Midshipmen in it, and while no one is required to join in the ball run, «people generally are more than happy to carry the ball for a few miles and help out,» said Mollberg, who is part of Navy’s parachute team — not track or cross country.
While Army’s relay team is much smaller as it consists of the school’s marathon team, they tend to pass the ball to anyone who joins them for the last few miles — usually community members, first responders, and high-ranking West Point officers.
Due to Army’s longer journey, their runners aim for between six and 13 miles per leg, while Navy will complete seven segments of four miles per runner. Both teams have formed bonds with small communities they frequently pass through. Children from elementary schools and older kids line the streets, cheering for both teams along their route — even at 2 or 3 a.m. when the runners least expect it.
«They let us know who they are cheering for quite early on,» Clay mentioned. «Certainly a healthy mix.»
‘March On’
Texas Longhorns’ mascot. Brady is a member of the commandant’s staff responsible for training and operations. «Nobody pays attention to Bevo until something goes awry. We must be mindful of that. They are a significant draw. Kids adore them, parents love them. People try to get close. But we need to ensure we care for the animals, while also recognizing that they are wild creatures, and much larger than the Navy goat.»
«There are various aspects we have to consider,» Brady said. «Logistically, some of that is, can we even accommodate them in the stadium? From a safety standpoint, how can I safely usher a startled mule out of the stadium? We need to assess that, whether it’s here at home with our ongoing construction, or the various stadiums. The sidelines can be much tighter than one might anticipate.»
This year, another live mascot may attempt to take the spotlight.
Chesty, an English bulldog serving as the mascot for the United States Marine Corps, might make a surprise appearance during the coin toss.
«That’s the plan,» Ann McConnell, the Naval Academy’s director of protocol, confirmed. «However, that may change. The Secretary of War might join us to walk out with the President. That’s still subject to adjustment.»
Presidential visit
Dear Mr. President:
On behalf of the Department of the Navy and the Department of the Army, we are privileged to invite you and Mrs. Trump to the 126th Annual Army-Navy football game, on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.
The home team sends the formal invitation to the White House, and this year that is Navy. Both institutions have confirmed that President Trump will attend — alongside hundreds of other high-ranking officials, dignitaries, and celebrities. It’s an immense coordination effort that takes a year of planning and, above all, — ensuring security.
Jeff Reynolds, Chief of Protocol, United States Military Academy, West Point, anticipated around 800 celebrities and dignitaries in Baltimore, and is responsible for credentialing over 600 seats on Army’s 50-yard line — extending from the first row to the first few rows in the upper deck.
Throughout his career, Reynolds has credentialed Elon Musk, Phil Knight, Gary Sinise, Rachel Ray, Charles Barkley, Mark Wahlberg, Peyton and Eli Manning. However, there is one person at the top of his list — Army superintendent Lieutenant General Steven W. Gilland, «who out-ranks everyone else for me. I work directly for him. I must ensure he is well taken care of.»
Reynolds, whose first Army-Navy game was in 2008 when President George W. Bush was in attendance, has collaborated with Presidents Bush, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, and Trump.
«The challenging aspect is ensuring the fan experience remains excellent,» Reynolds explained. «We want everyone attending the stadium to have a marvelous time and enjoy America’s Game.
«However, the logistics,» he expressed. «The White House’s staff sets the President’s itinerary. The Secret Service’s role is to secure that itinerary for the President — and everyone — but they primarily focus on the President. My aim is to integrate all of that into the fan experience and the team, so they can still take the field at the appropriate time, fulfilling whatever requirements the coaches have.»
Ann McConnell, who has been in the Naval Academy’s protocol office for 27 years and has been its director for nine, stated that an additional 500 distinguished visitors (DVs) would occupy Navy’s 50-yard line, including senators, congressmen, cabinet members, and senior military leaders. This year’s coin toss will feature: President Trump, the secretary of the Navy, chief of naval operations, master chief of navy, command master chief at naval academy, president of USAA, superintendent, commandant of marine corps, and the sergeant major of marine corps.
(And Chesty.)
Most dignitaries typically arrive between 11 a.m. and noon, but the President generally arrives just before kickoff for security purposes.
«I actually never sit down,» McConnell admitted, who enlisted in the Navy in 1992 as a yeoman, following in her father’s footsteps. «I am in constant motion. I am down on the field ensuring everyone is in place for the coin toss and the crossover. I am in the Midshipmen’s seats when our [distinguished visitors] come up to interact with the Midshipmen; I am on the seating section ensuring everyone has what they need. I am in the warming room making sure everything is ready. Sometimes I end up at the gates ensuring that those who can download the tickets can enter. So from the time we arrive at eight o’clock, I do not sit until I get back in my car at seven and head home.»
