One if by land: Navy running game dominates Army

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- At least this one was competitive -- for a

half.

Adam Ballard ran for 192 yards and two touchdowns, leading Navy

to a 42-23 victory over Army in the 106th meeting between the

service academies.

Bowl-bound Navy had 490 yards rushing, including 99 from

quarterback Lamar Owens. Reggie Campbell added a 54-yard TD run and

Owens had three TD runs for Navy (7-4).

The Midshipmen have won four straight and six of the last seven

games against Army to take a one-game lead in the overall series at

50-49-7.

Zac Dahman tossed three TD passes for Army (4-7), which had a

four-game winning streak snapped.

Navy outscored Army 134-31 in the previous three meetings,

winning each one by 28 points or more. But the much-improved Black

Knights came out strong, and led 10-7 midway through the second

quarter.

The Midshipmen responded with TD runs of 28 and 1 yards by Owens

to take a 21-10 lead at halftime. Ballard's 67-yard scamper made it

42-17 just 9 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Navy captured the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy outright for the

third straight year, a first in school history. The coveted trophy,

awarded annually to the winner of the football competition between

the three major service academies, was on the line for both teams

for the first time in nine years.

One of the most storied rivalries in college sports, for many

the game has taken on even more significance in recent years

because of the ongoing war against terrorism.

Army linebacker Barrett Scruggs wore on his uniform the actual

patch of a soldier who was recently killed in action in

Afghanistan.

Fighter jets and helicopter gunships roared over the stadium

before kickoff, electrifying the sellout crowd of 69,322 at Lincoln

Financial Field. The Army's Golden Knights and the Navy's Leapfrogs

were supposed to parachute onto the field, but strong winds

canceled their jumps.

President Bush, who participated in the coin toss last year,

didn't attend the game.

After Army went ahead 3-0, Campbell took an option toss from

Owens and sprinted untouched past the entire defense down the left

side for his fourth TD this season.

But the Black Knights answered with Dahman's 30-yard TD pass to

Jeremy Trimble to make it 10-7. Trimble split two defenders and was

so wide open that it appeared he was a punt returner making a fair

catch.

On the ensuing possession, Owens faked an inside handoff,

bounced outside, broke several tackles and ran 28 yards down the

left sideline for his ninth TD rushing. Owens' second, 1-yard TD

run made it 35-10 late in the third quarter.

Dahman tossed an 18-yard TD pass to Carlton Jones to cut it to

35-17, but Ballard broke loose on the next play.

Jones finished with 80 yards rushing and became the second

player for Army to run for 1,000 yards twice in his career. Mike

Mayweather did it in 1989-90.

Navy tried to make a statement on the opening possession by

going for a fourth-and-6 from the Army 36. Owens tossed a backward

pass to burly offensive lineman Matt Pritchett, who was stopped

after a 2-yard gain.

Army's last victory over Navy was 26-17 in 2001.

Navy started this year with losses to Maryland and Stanford, but

won its next four games. The Midshipmen are headed to the inaugural

Poinsettia Bowl against Colorado State on Dec. 22 in San Diego.

It'll be the third straight bowl appearance for Navy, a first in

the academy's history.

Under second-year coach Bobby Ross, Army was respectable this

season. The Black Knights started 0-6, but won four straight before

losing to their rival.