Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo never tires of the feeling that permeates the locker room in the moments before the opening kickoff of the annual matchup against Army.
“There’s a chill that goes through you unlike any other game,” Niumatalolo said. “It’s the craziest thing because you’re in the locker room and it’s quiet, a little bit serene, and then you step outside and there’s this rush and you know it’s different.”
The 121st meeting between the service academy rivals is Saturday, and this one will be very different. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, for the first time in 77 years the game will be played at West Point’s venerable Michie Stadium.