12/1/2001 - Football
Army 26, Navy 17

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PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Last season, Navy avoided a winless season with a win over Army. This time, the Midshipmen were not as fortunate.

Freshman Ardell Daniels rushed for 131 yards on 23 carries as Army posted a 26-17 victory, saddling Navy with just its second winless season in school history.

A record Veterans Stadium crowd of 69,708 watched the 102nd meeting of the service academies that received greater attention this season in light of the United States' military action in Afghanistan.

Army leads the all-time series, 49-46-7.

In 1948, Navy finished 0-8-1, although it salvaged a measure of pride with a 21-21 tie against Army. On two other occasions -- 1951 and last season -- the Midshipmen defeated the Cadets after entering the contest with an 0-10 record.

On Saturday, Army (3-8) burned Navy (10-0) with big plays. The Cadets scored on their first two possessions to open a 13-0 lead before Omari Thompson sealed the Midshipmen's fate with a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to start the second half.

It was the second-longest kickoff return in an Army-Navy game, topped only by an 98-yard return by Army's Charles Daly in 1901.

Playing in just his sixth game, Daniels entered the contest with just 81 yards on 25 carries. He nearly matched that total on one play, scoring on a 60-yard run to give Army a 7-0 lead with 11:42 left in the first period.

The Cadets stretched their lead to 13-0 on Chad Jenkins' 42-yard TD pass to Brian Bruenton with 7:10 left in the first quarter.

After the teams traded field goals in the second quarter, Thompson's return gave the Cadets a 20-3 advantage.