Army Navy Betting | Odds, Predictions & Picks for 2026
Army Navy betting in 2026 centers on one of college football’s oldest and most distinctive rivalries. The game takes place on December 12, 2026, at MetLife Stadium and sits between the end of the regular season and the start of the College Football Playoff.
This guide covers current odds, expert picks, prop bets, historical trends and where to wager on the matchup. We also compare the best online betting sites for Army-Navy markets as lines become available during game week.
Army vs Navy betting odds 2026
Army Navy betting odds are usually posted about one week before kickoff rather than months in advance. We will update this page as soon as Bovada, BetOnline and Xbet publish their moneyline prices, then review the table weekly through game week.
You can use our calculate odds tool to compare potential returns. Spread, total and additional markets may also be available directly from the recommended operators.
What gives? Many things. For starters, this game is considered a regular-season affair, significant only for its enduring rivalry between the Army and Navy and for the bragging rights it gives for an entire year. Sportsbooks aren’t going to treat it any differently from other regular-season contests, and lines for those tilts aren’t offered until each team wraps up their previous week’s matchup.
It’s the same story with the Army-Navy showdown. You won’t get the betting odds much further out than a week or so. And because there are only two potential teams involved, you won’t have the opportunity to capitalize on any futures. That works for the college football playoff and National Championship, when the field is much larger, comprising basically every participating Division I squad in college football.
When the Army-Navy lines do become available, though, you can be sure we’ll have them ready for you.
Army-Navy game odds
| 2026 Army-Navy Winners' Odds |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army Black Knights | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Navy Midshipmen | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Last updated on: July 28, 2026
We will do our best to keep this page updated with the current Army-Navy odds. For live spread, total and moneyline prices, head directly to one of our recommended sportsbooks above.
Army vs Navy predictions and best bets 2026
We will publish our 2026 Army-Navy game betting pick when sportsbooks release a verified spread, moneyline and total. The 2026 season has not started, so there is not enough current performance data to support a responsible final prediction.
During game week, we will compare each team’s rushing production, defensive yards allowed, quarterback performance and confirmed injuries. Our projected score and recommended wager will use prices verified directly at the listed operators. See our wider NCAAF betting coverage for more college football markets.
Our best bet pick
No official best bet is available yet because the 2026 Army-Navy betting line has not been posted. We will add the selected team, market, line, odds and recommended operator here as soon as verified prices become available.
We will only recommend a wager when the available price offers measurable value. Bettors should verify the latest number at the sportsbook before placing a bet because Army-Navy lines can move quickly during game week.
Army vs Navy player props
No verified Army-Navy player props are available yet. Sportsbooks generally release these markets in the days before kickoff, with rushing yards and anytime touchdown scorer bets likely to receive the most attention because both teams rely heavily on the run.
We will assess the starting quarterbacks, fullbacks and primary option backs once the 2026 depth charts and prop prices are confirmed. Each published pick will include the player, market, odds and recommended operator.
Army vs Navy betting trends
Army-Navy betting trends can be more useful than those from many annual matchups because both teams maintain run-heavy offensive identities. We assess recent results across three areas: performance against the spread, total trends and head-to-head patterns. Bettors can compare this analysis with our wider NFL betting coverage.
Navy leads the series 64-55-7 and has won the last two meetings. Next, we examine the ATS, total and head-to-head trends.
Against the spread trends
| Season | Army ATS Record | Navy ATS Record | Result ATS |
| 2025 | 7-5-1 | 5-8-0 | Navy no cover |
| 2024 | 9-4-1 | 9-4-0 | Navy covered |
| 2023 | 5-6-1 | 4-8-0 | Army covered |
| 2022 | 7-5-0 |
7-5-0 |
Army covered |
| 2021 | 6-7-0 | 8-4-0 | Navy no cover |
This is one that surprises people. Navy has won three of the previous five matchups with Army. However, the Midshipmen have only covered once (the 31-13 win in 2024). Last year was a back-and-forth affair where Navy held off the Black Knights by a single point.
The 2025 line also moved significantly, shifting from Navy -2.5 to Navy -6.5. This type of movement can occur because Army Navy betting odds are posted within a short window before kickoff.
Public money pushed the line toward Navy in each of the last two years. Whether that happens again may depend on Army’s form entering game week.
Total trends
Army and Navy both use option-based offenses with a heavy emphasis on the run. Navy threw the ball slightly more often in 2025 and may do so again in 2026. Army quarterback Cale Hellums remains primarily a rushing threat and averaged only 6.7 pass attempts per game.
Both teams ranked inside the national top five in rushing attempts in 2025, allowing them to control possession and drain the clock. That is one reason the Army-Navy total often moves downward after opening.
Army averaged 57.4 rushing attempts per game in 2025, while Navy averaged 49.6. The contrast between earlier and more recent totals is significant:
- Average total from 2006 to 2017: 50.6
- Average total from 2018 to 2024: 35.9
The 2025 total moved from 39.5 to 38.5. We expect the 2026 line to open somewhere in the high 30s, although bettors should verify the number during game week.
Head-to-head trends
Since 2020, Army and Navy have split their six meetings, with each academy winning three times. Navy previously won 14 consecutive meetings from 2002 to 2015, while Army answered with three straight victories from 2016 to 2018.
Most recent games have been close, aside from Navy’s 18-point win in 2024. The margins over the last five meetings were one, 18, six, three and four points. Bettors should also account for December weather, particularly when the game is played in New Jersey or elsewhere in the Northeast.
These patterns can create value on the underdog. Weather, ball control and rivalry intensity often keep the game closer than the teams’ wider season records suggest.
How Army-Navy betting works
Army-Navy betting works differently from most college football matchups because the lines open late, both teams rely heavily on the run and betting activity is concentrated into a short period. The game also carries additional significance through the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.
These factors can affect the spread, total and moneyline differently from a typical National Championship or bowl market.
Why lines open just days before the game
Army Navy betting numbers typically become available seven to 14 days before kickoff. The short release window turns the matchup into its own small betting event on the college football calendar.
Sportsbooks still treat Army-Navy as a regular-season game despite the ceremony surrounding it. Spreads, totals and moneylines generally appear after Thanksgiving, often around the first weekend of December.
Keep checking Bovada, BetOnline and Xbet for updates as game week approaches.
How the option offense affects totals
Navy led the nation in rushing yards in 2025, while Army ranked fourth. When two teams average close to or above 50 rushing attempts per game, they drain the clock and reduce the number of possessions.
Army averaged only 80.8 passing yards per game in 2025, while Navy averaged approximately 130. Navy may throw less often in 2026 as it replaces Eli Heidenreich and reshapes the offense.
The average weekly college football total is generally much higher than the Army-Navy number. Since 2018, this matchup has produced an average total of roughly 36 points. The option offenses are a major reason sportsbooks continue to set this game below the typical NCAAF range.
Line movement in the Army-Navy game
Army Navy game betting odds can move differently from year to year. In 2025, Navy shifted from -2.5 to approximately -6 within days. In 2023, weather concerns had a greater effect on the total.
Bettors who prefer Navy may benefit from acting early before public money pushes the spread upward. Those backing Army may find a better number by waiting, although delaying too long can also mean missing the most valuable line.
The commander-in-chief’s trophy factor
The Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy is another important factor. Army, Navy and Air Force compete for it through their three head-to-head games, with the best record determining the winner.
The academies take great pride in claiming the trophy. When the Army-Navy game decides the competition, bettors should account for the added motivation. The December 12 matchup may again play a major role in determining the winner.
About the Army-Navy game
The Army-Navy game is a historic rivalry that carries significance well beyond its betting odds. Its tradition, military connection and late-season position on the calendar give the matchup a character unlike any other college football game.
The rivalry has produced dramatic momentum swings, distinct academy celebrations and a national television audience. Army and Navy also compete for the Secretary’s Trophy, while either program may still qualify for a bowl game afterward.
History and tradition
Tradition is the lifeblood of the Army-Navy game. The academies first met in 1890, and the rivalry has since become one of the most recognizable late-season fixtures in college football.
The game has been hosted in Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, New Jersey and the Washington area. The 2026 meeting is scheduled for December 12 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Its military significance and year-round bragging rights create an intensity that remains high regardless of rankings, records or bowl position.
The Secretary’s Trophy
The Army-Navy game also features the Secretary’s Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the annual rivalry matchup.
The trophy is separate from the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, although the Army-Navy result can also help determine that three-academy competition. Navy leads the all-time rivalry series 64-55-7.
The Secretary’s Trophy is presented to the winning team after the game. The year-round bragging rights often matter more to the academies than national rankings.
Can Army or Navy play in bowl games?
Yes, Army and Navy can play in bowl games after their annual rivalry matchup. Bowl eligibility is determined by each team’s season record rather than by the timing of the Army-Navy game.
The matchup traditionally marks the end of the regular-season calendar, but it does not necessarily end either academy’s campaign. A confirmed bowl appearance may influence preparation, injuries and scheduling, although the rivalry remains the immediate priority.
Army vs Navy historical results
Historical Army Navy betting lines and results provide useful context because both academies maintain consistent offensive identities. The table below covers every meeting since 2017.
Rosters change from season to season, but scheme, coaching continuity and rivalry intensity make past Army-Navy results more relevant than those from many other matchups.
| Year | Result | Venue | Spread | Total |
| 2026 | TBC – December 12, 2026 | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ | TBA | TBA |
| 2025 | Navy 17, Army 16 | M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD | Navy -6.5 | U 38.5 |
| 2024 | Navy 31, Army 13 | Northwest Stadium, Landover, MD | Army -6.5 | O 39.5 |
| 2023 | Army 17, Navy 11 | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA | Army -3 | Push 28 |
| 2022 | Army 20, Navy 17 (2OT) | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA | Army -2.5 | O 32 |
| 2021 | Navy 17, Army 13 | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ | Army -7 | U 35.5 |
| 2020 | Army 15, Navy 0 | Michie Stadium, West Point, NY | Army -7.5 | U 36 |
| 2019 | Navy 31, Army 7 | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA | Navy -11.5 | U 41.5 |
| 2018 | Army 17, Navy 10 | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA | Army -7 | U 38.5 |
| 2017 | Army 14, Navy 13 | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA | Navy -2.5 | U 44.5 |
Army-Navy prop bets
Army-Navy prop bets usually focus on rushing production because both academies rely heavily on option-based offenses. Quarterback rushing yards, anytime touchdown scorers and team rushing totals are among the most relevant markets.
Passing touchdown props may also appear, but they generally attract less attention because both teams throw at a low rate.
Prop availability varies by sportsbook and normally expands three to five days before kickoff. Bettors should also watch for team-level rushing and scoring props throughout game week.
Army Navy Betting FAQ
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