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The Army Black Knights take on the Air Force Falcons. Check out our college football odds series for our Army Air Force prediction and pick. Find how to watch Army Air Force.
The Air Force Falcons are unbeaten. They are in great shape in terms of playing for the Mountain West Conference championship and earning the Group of Five title, which would lead to a New Year's Six bowl bid and a very special achievement for the program. Coach Troy Calhoun has done an outstanding job in Colorado Springs. He has stayed with the service academy program when he could have looked for other jobs at schools whose athletic directors would have loved to hire him. That loyalty to Air Force is being rewarded this season, and Air Force could soon play in a prestigious bowl against a national power.
Yet, as much as Air Force could achieve in the next month, and as much as the Falcons could elevate their national profile in the larger college football world, this game — right here, this weekend — matters more than the other ones Air Force will play. The reason is simple: Air Force can win the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy if it beats Army.
Air Force, Army and Navy battle for the CIC Trophy each season. Winning this prize means everything to the academies. Being able to sweep the other two academy teams and achieve unquestioned superiority on the gridiron is deeply cherished and eternally remembered. The Army-Navy Game might get the lion's share of national publicity when it is played every December, but that doesn't mean Air Force covets academy victories any less than its competitors in West Point and Annapolis. Air Force definitely wants a Mountain West title and a New Year's Six bowl bid, but the season would be incomplete without a Commander-In-Chief's Trophy.
Here are the Army-Air Force College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Army-Air Force Odds
Army Black Knights: +17.5 (-104)
Air Force Falcons: -17.5 (-118)
Over: 31.5 (-115)
Under: 31.5 (-105)
How To Watch Army vs Air Force
Time: 2:30 pm ET / 11:30 am PT
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TV: CBS Sports Network
Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Army Could Cover the Spread
The Black Knights aren't as good as the Falcons, but they don't have to be as good in order to cover the spread. You can see that the over-under for this game is very low, at 31.5. The markets are expecting a very low scoring game. Let's say for the sake of argument that 31 points are scored in this game. Air Force would need to score at least 25 of those 31 points to cover. If Air Force wins this game by a 24-7 score, Army covers. That's a very small window for Air Force in terms of covering the spread. The Falcons will likely need their offense to go wild in order to cover, but these CIC Trophy games are usually close and hard-fought. Army can probably play the level of defense it needs to cover.
Why Air Force Could Cover the Spread
The Army Black Knights are just not very good this season. We know Air Force is very good, but Army was a much better and stronger program just a few seasons ago under coach Jeff Monken. The Knights have regressed, and that's what enables Air Force to think it can win this game by a very big margin.
Final Army-Air Force Prediction & Pick
These service academy games are usually very close, but Army is just not good this year while Air Force is terrific. Air Force will get a 14-point lead fairly early in the game and will win by at least 20.
Final Army-Air Force Prediction & Pick: Air Force -17.5
