Overall, the three military academies of college football made quite the noise in 2021. How will each one hold up in 2022?
Within the world of college football, the three military academies are filled to the brim with history. All-Americans, Heisman winners, and even national titles can be seen while looking over such a prestigious trio of programs.
And while there may not be any Heisman winners/national titles stemming from any of them in 2022, there is still a fair share of promise to go off of when looking to project how each one will hold up.
So without further ado, here is the ranking of all three military academies entering the 2022 college football slate.
3. Navy Midshipmen
Navy is the obvious choice for last place on this list, as while they easily did the worst of the three academies last season (4-8), they also have what is arguably the toughest schedule of the three entering the 2022 season.
Playing in the AAC is rarely a cakewalk, as the conference is one of the — if not the — best that the Group of Five has to offer on a consistent basis, and that will not change until Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF all book it for the Big 12.
Some noteworthy games on Navy’s schedule include a home game against Houston, neutral-site games battles with Notre Dame and Army, and visits to Air Force, SMU, Cincinnati, and UCF. Chances are that all seven of those meets will see the Midshipmen on the losing end.
Looking at their schedule in its entirety, Navy will most likely see an unflattering regular-season record of 2-10, leaving them as the undisputable runt of the military litter.
2. Army Black Knights
The level of competition between Army and Air Force is unbelievable. Both are solid college football teams by themselves, but it is especially hard to find a clear superior when considering both their schedules and how well they played against each other last year.
As an Independent power, the Black Knights have proven that they are not afraid to call up some stronger opposition. Their 2022 foes include the likes of Coastal Carolina, UTSA, Wake Forest, and Air Force — all of which won 10 games or more last season.
And while the aforementioned Navy Midshipmen are in no way a strong name entering 2022, the matchup between the two is still a big rivalry that unfolds at a neutral site. This goes without even mentioning the fact that Navy was able to stun the Black Knights last time in spite of their visual mismatch.
Looking at all of Army’s schedule, they will easily obtain yet another winning season, most likely entering the postseason with a record of 8-4.
1. Air Force Falcons
Air Force was quite possibly one of the most overlooked teams in college football last season. Finishing with a final record of 10-3, the Falcons were the best military squad in 2021, with wins over Navy, Boise State, Nevada, and Louisville.
As for the three losses that they endured, all were to teams with nine wins or more, and none of them were decided by anything more than seven points. In other words, the Falcons were already good, but they had the ability to be truly great last year.
In 2022, Air Force will have the “easiest” schedule of the military academies, along with being built to be the best all-around team of the three. They host the inferior Midshipmen and play the Black Knights in Arlington, Texas — two games that they are very much capable of winning.
Beyond that, if Air Force can hold on to beat both Utah State and San Diego State on the road, the Falcons could enter their next postseason at 12-0. However, that is unlikely.
Looking at their slate, 10-2 seems like an appropriate projection for how their regular season will treat them, but that will still be enough to cement them as the best military academy in college football for 2022.