Black Knights, Midshipmen jerseys explained

College football’s preeminent rivalry is here: Army vs. Navy.

For the 125th time in both programs’ rich histories, the Black Knights (11-1 overall, 8-0 in AAC play) and Midshipmen (8-3, 6-2 in AAC play) will meet on Saturday at 3 p.m ET at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.

The Army-Navy meeting also means the introduction of two new, unique and meaningful alternate uniforms – one of many to look forward to in “America’s Game.” The Army has beaten the Navy in six of the last eight meetings since 2016.

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This year’s alternate uniforms for the Black Knights and Midshipmen pay homage to the legacy of the 101st Airborne Division and the Jolly Rogers, respectively.

Saturday’s Army-Navy game will determine who takes home the Commander in Chief’s Trophy and potentially earns a visit to the White House in the spring. It is currently owned by the Black Knights after going 2-0 against Navy and Air Force last season.

Here’s what you need to know about the Army and Navy uniforms for Saturday’s 125th Army-Navy Game meeting:

Navy Jolly Rogers uniform for the Army-Navy game

The Midshipmen’s uniform for the 2024 Army-Navy Game is named “Jolly Rogers.” The uniform was designed by Under Armour, the Navy’s official uniform supplier.

As noted in the Navy press release, the Jolly Rogers are the deadliest and most historic squadron in naval aviation. It is the second time the Navy has honored the Jolly Rogers, founded in 1943, with its uniforms in the Army-Navy game.

The slogan for the Jolly Rogers is “Fear the Bones.” The Jolly Rogers are “guardians of freedoms in heaven,” as the Navy uniform unveiling video says.

The last time the Midshipmen honored the Jolly Rogers was in 1962, when “Captain America” Roger Staubach led the Navy to a 34-14 victory.

Here are some notes on the Navy’s Jolly Rogers uniforms:

The helmet contains parts from previous and current Jolly Rogers aviator helmets.
The jersey’s color blocking reflects the iconic design of the Jolly Rogers plane.
The numbers on the uniform reflect the aircraft side number on the fuselage and trailing edge flap of the wings of the aircraft used by the Jolly Rogers.
The Jolly Rogers slogan “Fear the Bones” is featured on the back of the helmet.
The slanted stripes on the sleeves and helmet pay homage to the nine aircraft that the Jolly Rogers flew.
The gloves feature Jolly Rogers’ skull insignia, which can be seen together when both gloves overlap.
The pants feature micro text representing the six Jolly Rogers squadrons: VF-17, VF-5B, VF-61, VF-84, VF-103 and VFA-103.

Army Screaming Eagles uniform for the Army-Navy game

The Black Knights’ uniform for the 2024 Army-Navy game is called the “Screaming Eagles.” The uniform, designed by Nike, is black as it “reflects the canopy of mist and snow fading into the shadows beneath the snow-covered pine forest in the Ardennes.”

The uniform itself pays homage to the 101st Airborne Division, particularly its history during World War II in the 1944 Battle of the Bulge.

As noted on the Army website, the Screaming Eagles’ calling card and motto was “Rendezvous with Destiny.” For three weeks in the cold, the 101st Airborne Division refused to surrender to the Nazis.

The typography on the back of the Black Knights’ uniforms is a version of Anthony McAuliffe, the acting commander of the 101st Airborne Division,’s response to “Nuts!” (or “Go to Hell!)” to the Nazi commander leading the 101st . calls for surrender.

Here are some additional notes on the Army’s Screaming Eagles uniform:

The star patch on the jersey is “The Invasion Star,” which was used on American aircraft and vehicles to aid in identification on the battlefield.
The seven gaps on The Invasion Star patch represent the seven streets of Bastogne.
The patch on the left sleeve is the 101st Airborne patch, while the patch on the right sleeve is the American flag worn on the 101st Paratroopers’ jumpsuit.
The helmets will feature a parachute logo and “Screaming Eagles” on the front.
Players are randomly assigned one of four helmets in card colors: “Clubs”, “Diamonds”, “Hearts” and “Spades”, with each card color representing a symbol for the 101st Paratroopers and Glider Troops with which they represent the respective units can identify.

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Black Knights, Midshipmen jerseys explained

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