Army and Navy are no longer national powers, but that doesn't matter as the rivalry transcends the won-loss records. Given the state of world affairs, this year's game has special meaning.

	Navy quarterback Roger Staubach won the Heisman Trophy in 1963.

Not a bitter rivalry, like Auburn-Alabama, for example, this is still the most colorful rivalry in all of sports. One of the great scenes in college football (and arguably all of sports) comes at the end of the Army-Navy game. After playing 60 hard-fought minutes, the teams stand at attention while each alma mater is played. That is a true sign of respect for an opponent. That has always stood out to me when thinking about the rivalry.

Army and Navy used to be among the nation's elite, especially during the '40s. They also had good teams in the '50s. Navy beat Mississippi, 21-0 in the 1955 Sugar Bowl. That Midshipmen unit was referred to as "A Team Named Desire."

The famous 1946 clash was the last game for one of college football's most well-known duos, Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard. Out of this game came one of the most famous quotes in the history of sports. Navy had a chance to beat Army. With the score 21-18 in favor of the Cadets, the Midshipmen never got off a final play to get the win. To this day, over 50 years later, Navy still feels it got robbed.

If you viewed old film clips of that game, you would see people surrounding the field. Harry Truman had been at the game, but when Army led 21-6, he left and the brunt of the security force went with him. The fans climbed on the field and the Midshipmen never got to run a fourth down play.

After the contest, Navy coach Tom Hamilton, who was one of the school's greatest players in the '20s, was asked about kicking a tying field goal. He said, "A tie is like kissing your sister." That is a pretty well-known quote, don't you think?

Years later, Hamilton became the athletic director at the University of Pittsburgh, where he hired yours truly. He was my first boss in college athletics.

The first Army-Navy game I attended was back in 1948. I was 17 years old and I lived in Pittsburgh. I traveled to Philadelphia via train and saw a great game. Army was undefeated and heavily favored, yet somehow Navy ended up in a 21-21 tie.

In 1950, the Cadets were No. 1 in the country and the Midshipmen had a very weak team. In a surprise, the Navy prevailed, 14-2, costing Army a shot at the national championship.

The Army-Navy game has featured five Heisman Trophy winners: Davis, Blanchard, Pete Dawkins, Joe Bellino and Roger Staubach.

In the 1963 game, Navy and Staubach won 21-15. There was controversy because Army failed to get off a fourth down play and the Cadets screamed that they were cheated.

In other words, what goes around, comes around.

In 2000, the game was played in Baltimore and it was a big success. Army is reluctant to make this a regular site since this seemed to favor Navy. Look for this rivalry to be played in the Meadowlands, Philadelphia and Baltimore on a rotating basis in the future. I personally feel that every 10 years, they should take it on the road and let the country see the future Halseys and MacArthurs by playing at Orlando, Los Angeles, etc.

Just seeing this game once is enough to hook you on the Black Knights of the Hudson and the Midshipmen of Annapolis. It is something special in college athletics. It's not a game to affect the BCS…it is much more than that.

Beano Cook is a college football historian for ESPN.