Army combines trick play with dominant running game and blocks FAU with 24:7

BOCA RATON – Bryson Daily threw a surprise touchdown as Army's running game dominated and the Black Knights capped the game with another trick play to make their American Athletic Conference debut with a 24-7 victory over Florida Atlantic on Saturday.

A play after Daily's second touchdown pass was dropped in the end zone on a third-and-12 play led to holder Matthew Rhodes scoring a 23-yard run around the left end on a fake field goal with 13:57 left in the fourth quarter.

If that 15-play, 96-yard, 10 1/2-minute drive after a Max DiDomenico interception didn't decide the game, DiDomenico's fourth-and-goal stop of FAU quarterback Cam Fancher from the one-yard line with 8:44 left on the ensuing possession certainly did.

Army (2-0, 1-0) needed 14 plays to run down the clock and finished the game with 38 minutes and 39 seconds of possession.

The Black Knights, who began playing football in 1890, are in only their second conference appearance. They played in Conference USA from 1998 to 2004. They joined the AAC as a football-only member, joining rival Navy, which joined in 2015.

Kanye Udoh capped an 82-yard drive on Army's first possession with an 8-yard run. On the next possession, Daily found Casey Reynolds completely free behind the defense and scored a 44-yard touchdown.

The Owls (0-2, 0-1) took advantage of a fumble when Fancher hit Omari Hayes just before halftime.

Army opened the second half with a field goal before DiDomenico's pick started the decisive drive.

Noah Short, who had fewer than 100 yards rushing in his career, surpassed that number by halftime, finishing with 160 yards for the Black Knights. Army finished the game with 405 yards on the ground, and Daily had 117 yards on 18 goalies.

Fancher threw for 193 yards for FAU. The Owls only managed 42 yards.

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Originally published: September 7, 2024 at 16:08