WEST POINT, N.Y. – The first conference championship celebration in Army history took place at midfield, and Bryson Daily made it clear that it would be a short celebration.

The Black Knights will be looking for another trophy next week.

“Defeat the Navy,” Daily said.

He and the Black Knights should be tough opponents for the Midshipmen – or almost anyone.

Daily scored four touchdowns, tying the American Athletic Conference championship record, and No. 24 Army completed a perfect first season in the league by defeating Tulane 35-14 on Friday night.

Kanye Udoh rushed for 158 yards, including a 72-yarder for a daily TD and a score. The Black Knights averaged 126 yards a day on the ground (11-1), overwhelming their AAC opponents with their bloodthirsty, time-consuming rushing attack in their first league run and then running it perfectly in the championship game. Army won the first conference title in its 134-year history.

The Black Knights have one game left in the regular season and this is the one they want most: next Saturday against Navy for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.

“Now the biggest game of the year is coming up in eight days and we’re looking forward to it,” said Army coach Jeff Monken.

There were runs of 5, 3, 4 and 7 yards every day. The 221-pound quarterback’s four rushing scores gave him 29 this season, breaking the AAC record of 25 set by Navy QB Will Worth in 2016. The conference player of the year has scored multiple touchdowns in 10 consecutive games.

Aside from an unsuccessful stint in Conference USA from 1998 to 2004, the Black Knights had played as an independent team since their program began in 1890. Monken said this week that Army believes it needs to join a conference to find a path to college football’s expanded postseason.

As the cadets streamed from the stands to join the players in midfield to cheer, the Black Knights must have been thrilled with the decision.

Darian Mensah threw two touchdown passes for Tulane (9-4), which is playing in its third straight AAC championship game and has lost the last two. The Green Wave were hoping to host before losing at home to Memphis on Thanksgiving night, ending their 17-game winning streak in conference play.

On Friday they were even more uncertain, botching field goal attempts after their first two drives, then botching a kickoff and having a pass intercepted in their own territory on the next two.

Then Tulane could barely get its hands on the ball in the second half as Army had TD drives of 11 and 16 plays.

“When you start slow like we did and miss two field goals early, you’re doing yourself a disservice,” Tulane coach Jon Sumrall said, “because once they take the lead, score a couple, it’s really, really big difficult.” to overcome.”

A 29-degree temperature at the start of the third December game in Michie Stadium’s 101-year history required a strong running attack, and no one does it better than Army, which led the country with 312.5 rushing yards per game.

Army gained 335 on the ground and took a 4-5 lead on fourth down.

Daily didn’t attempt a pass until the second half, when he kept the scoring going with a 9-yard completion on fourth-and-5.

The Green Wave were asked throughout the week about playing in the chilly conditions on the Hudson River, and the weather may have been a factor as Tulane attempted a field goal after a good first drive. Owner Brice Busch dropped the snap on the Army 27.

Army immediately rushed for 72 yards on 11 plays, matching Daily’s 5-yard score. Tulane got inside the Army 20 again on its second drive, but had to settle for another field goal attempt. This time the Green Wave got the snap, but Patrick Durkin’s kick missed from 38 yards to the right.

Daily’s 4-yard run made it 21-0 before Tulane finally got on the field with 44 seconds left in the half with Mensah’s 42-yard pass to Mario Williams.

But Army regained control with a 6 1/2-minute drive to start the third quarter.

Tulane: The Green Wave will rue their untimely and uncharacteristically sloppy play at the end of the regular season after never losing the turnover battle in any game until the final two games.

Army: The Black Knights’ opponents know what’s coming, and only current No. 4 Notre Dame, which Army beat at Yankee Stadium last month, could stop it.

Tulane: The Green Wave was eliminated with the Memphis loss after entering the game ranked 18th and will not get back in.

Army: The Black Knights will be in the AP Top 25 for the ninth consecutive year, their longest stretch since their weekly ranking during the 1958 season.

Tulane: Waiting for its bowl goal.

Army: Meets Navy next Saturday in Landover-Maryland.

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