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Navy Football: Defense and power running lift Midshipmen over Virginia in Military Bowl

By Matthew Bartlett

ANNAPOLIS, MD - DECEMBER 28: The national anthem is preformed before the start of the Military Bowl between the Navy Midshipmen and the Virginia Cavaliers at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on December 28, 2017 in Annapolis, Maryland. (Photo by Alessandra del Bene/Getty Images)
ANNAPOLIS, MD - DECEMBER 28: The national anthem is preformed before the start of the Military Bowl between the Navy Midshipmen and the Virginia Cavaliers at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on December 28, 2017 in Annapolis, Maryland. (Photo by Alessandra del Bene/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
(Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) /

1. Bowl season is the perfect showcase for military academy football

Unless you’re fan of Georgia Tech or one of the military academies you probably didn’t watch much option football this year. Those that did watch these teams play were probably rooting for their opponent rather than stopping to appreciate the operation of this intricate offense.

With no rooting interest for either side, bowl season serves as the perfect showcase for option football. There’s something oddly beautiful and satisfying about the crisp execution of option football. Giving teams like Navy several weeks to prepare and get healthy adds to the precision and the wonder.

Option football is quirky in a strangely attractive way. It’s not intriguing enough for fans to want their own teams to install it, but it does have just enough razzle-dazzle to keep a bystander entertaining for a few hours.

Bringing attention to the service academies serves as a well deserved bonus. Win or lose, these young men deserve admiration and thanks for the service they provide to their country. Having a their game on tv by itself is a win for college football and a win for these academies.

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