TAMPA — Players from both sides of the Army-Navy game have similar reviews of one of the best atmospheres in college football.
"It’s super-electric," said Navy striker and Northeast High School grad Xavier McDonald. "Exhilarating. It’s super-fun. It’s like nothing else."
"You know this game isn’t just a game," said Jesuit High School grad and Army linebacker Brett Gerena. "It’s something that’s part of your identity."
The 124th edition of Army vs. Navy kicks off Saturday, and when it does, it'll be the only time of the year when both service academies aren't on the same team.
It's one of the things that makes this rivalry different from any other in college football.
"They’re not doing all the stuff outside of football that we’re doing," Gerena said via Zoom call. "That’s what makes our brotherhood very strong. That’s what makes Navy’s brotherhood strong. At that point, we go out to the field, and we’re competing. Who has a better culture, and who’s a tougher team."
"We’re trying to beat them. But after the game, we’re still together. We’re still an armed force," McDonald added. "We’re still working together to help secure this country and defend it."
McDonald said he wants to pursue a career as a naval aviator after his playing days are over, and he got an assist on his career choice from a very popular movie.
"'Top Gun' definitely played a role in there," he laughed. "We have training during the summers here. During the aviation portion of that training I just fell in love with how they live their life and how they went to work every day. I don’t know, just flying a jet or a huge plane- not that many people can say they’ve done it. I feel like that would be a huge accomplishment for me."
Gerena's father, Joe, played quarterback for Army from 1998-2000. Brett said he grew up watching Army games on TV, and there was no doubt where he was going to play his college football.
"We’re representing the Army football team, West Point, and the United States Army to the whole world," Brett explained. "So what better than playing division one college football at a place where you find a purpose in. And this was the place."
Every year, both teams break out specialty uniforms and helmets to honor their respective academies. This weekend, Army will wear uniforms honoring the historic 3rd Infantry unit, while Navy will wear submarine-themed threads.
"That helmet's sick because it changes colors, too, when you turn to the side," McDonald said when asked about the sleek look of the uniform. "That’s definitely my favorite feature on it. Super-dark. I like the dark theme. Then the 'Silent Service' theme of it all, too. I think it’s sick. It’s cool."
"We need to represent that on the field," Gerena said about the historic aspect of their uniforms. "We need to represent how they were structured. How they approached things. We’re playing this game for something bigger than ourselves."
Kickoff from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA is set for Saturday at 3 P.M. (CBS). Army won last year's game 20-17 in double overtime. Navy leads the all-time series 62-54-7.
