College football is about history — some rivalries go back generations! Trophies that have been around for decades and awards that go back even further than that are what make the game so special.

No matter what team you root for, Saturday (Dec. 14) will feature a one-of-a-kind rivalry that shows what this sport is truly all about.

It’s the 125th meeting of Army vs. Navy, a match-up that looks fantastic on paper, but the events around it truly make it a crown jewel in the world of college football. 

The 125th meeting of Army vs. Navy is set for a 3PM Eastern kick-off on Saturday at Northwest Stadium in Maryland, home of the Washington Commanders. The teams will be battling for the Commander-in-Chief trophy, a prize that Army would love keep for another year. 

If you have never seen the cadets enter the stadium before the game, it is one of the most unique sights college football fans get to see anywhere in the country.

Both sides will have their own flyovers when the teams enter the field on Saturday, both trying their best to show off their wares and of course, send fear down the spines of the other side.

Watch this clip of the teams coming onto the field from 2021:

The coin toss also features a “prisoner exchange” as the sides “give back” seven cadets and midshipmen that have spent the previous year with the other academy as part of the Service Academy Exchange, a program which helps build camaraderie between the ranks. The joy of the 14 young men and women returning to their side is amazing.

As for the game, the 19th-ranked Army Black Knights are eyeing their 12th regular season win, which would be the most in school history. Navy would love nothing more than to keep Army from that lofty goal, and the Midshipmen are not going to be an easy out. In fact, with their 8-3 record, the 19 combined wins for the teams are the most ever between the two heading into this matchup.

It’s a game that everyone wants to see — even President-elect Donald Trump will be in attendance. Obviously, it’s not his first rodeo there:

So even if you don’t love college football, (which is the greatest sport in the world, what is the matter with you?), set aside a little time on Saturday to watch the pageantry of this game.

These young men will obviously leave the football pads behind soon enough to join a much more important team, with a much more important goal, but for one Saturday in December, it is all about “beat Army!” or “beat Navy!”.