Comparison of 1996 vs 2024 is remarkable....

[PrideandDream]

So after some number crunching and I believe is pretty darn close but it's certainly "rough draft = final copy".

Here is how similar the 1996 season is to the 2024 season:

Through November 9th and roughly 9 games for most teams this is how close it is:

2024 Record: 9-0
1996 Record: 9-0

2024 Opponents had a combined record of 30-52 (36% win percentage) through November 9th 2024
1996 Opponents had a combined record of 30-52 (36% win percentage) through November 9th 1996

2024 Average Winning Score through 9 games is 35-10
1996 Average Winning Score through 9 games was 34-14

2024 Opponents on average have lost 25-31 when you average all the points for and against
2024 Average winning margin of 5 points per game

1996 Opponents on average hade lost 20-24 when you average all the points for and agains
1996 Average winning margin of 4 points per game

2024 we beat Air Force (2-7): 20-3
1996 we beat Air Force (5-4): 23-7

2024 we beat North Texas (5-4) on the road: 14-3
1996 we beat North Texas (3-6) on the road: 27-10

2024 has only one FCS opponent Lehigh: We won 42-7
1996 had two FCS opponents in Yale (39-13) and Lafayette (41-21): We won with an average score of 40-17

2024 we face ND in game 10:
ND is 8-1
ND opponents are a combined 40-41
ND average score across 9 games is 38-11
ND has played 3 ranked teams (Texas A&M #20, Louisville #15, and Navy #24)
ND is 3-0 vs ranked teams with a combined score of 105-51 or an average win of 35-17

1996 we faced Syracuse in game 10:
Syracuse was 6-2
Syracuse opponents were a combined 37-36
Syracuse average score across 8 games was 37-15
Syracuse had played 3 ranked team (North Carolina #24, Virginia Tech #18, and West Virginia #18)
Syracuse was 2-1 vs ranked teams with a combined score of 92-55 or an average win of 31-18

So eerily close to what we've seen before. However, we have a bye this week to prepare. This staff and Monken are clearly better than the 1996 staff if only looking at record and wins and losses. Our program has a history of success and playing in big games that we didn't quite have in 1996 even though some close tough losses in '95.

The other remarkable similarity is that Navy was 6-2 through November 9th of 1996. they are currently 7-2. Navy l lost to ND 54-27 in 1996, and lost 51-14 this year. ND did lose to AF in 1996 (20-17) at ND and ND was ranked , wait for it.......#8! Currently ND is #8 in the AP poll and 7th in the Coaches poll.

All pretty damn amazing when you put it together! It is time we finally get over the hump and beat this sons of bitches. Northern Illinois clearly took it to them. Navy moved the ball at will when they weren't fumbling. Our defense continues to bend and not break! This next game is pivotal to the history of Army Football!

PD

[wpgrad]

Great stuff PD

This is a legacy game for Monken in my opinion

For those who have never seen, sports illustrAted had a great article on the 1996 season

https://vault.si.com/vault/1996/12/09/a ... ll-revival

[gabn92]

Good stuff, P&D. 1996 was a great year of Army football for sure...seeing all those comparisons you highlighted bring back some fun memories, and you're right about there being some pretty cool comparisons.

As similar as the situations are, there are some numbers from this year's season that show some differences as well. The 2024 Army team is more dominant and playing more complementary football overall than the 1996 team. Some numbers for consideration:

2024 average margin of victory: 25
1996 average margin of victory (through 9 games): 20 (and that includes 2 FCS teams)

I don't know if these stats are findable for the 1996 team, but here are some rankings of the 2024 Army team through these first 9 games that tell the story of dominant, complementary football that I don't think the 1996 team compares to:

Scoring defense: #1 in the nation
Red zone defense: #1 in the nation
Rushing defense: #3 in the nation
Total defense: #6 in the nation

Turnover margin: #5 in the nation
Fewest penalties: #6 in the nation

And a few more on the offensive side of things that the 1996 team may be close to, but are also very impressive:

Rushing offense: #1 in the nation
Time of possession: #2 in the nation
Red zone offense: #16 in the nation
Scoring offense: #24 in the nation

The 1996 Army team was a great team, one of the best in recent Army history. We'll see how the rest of the season plays out, but the 2024 Army team has a chance to be very special. To this point, Army has been more dominant overall than the 1996 team and has a very good defense to complement a very good offense.

Fun to compare...but 100% agreement on the next goal: beat Notre Dame! Best chance to do so probably since that 1995 game!

[ARMORMAN]

Outstanding post P&D!

'96 has always been my favorite modern Army Team; however, this '24 version has now tied for first in my heart, because you are right Grasshopper; the similarities are striking.

Here are 2 more thoughts:

- Not only are the stats almost identical, but the CHARACTER of both teams is also. These 2 teams were/are laser focused on 1 and 0. The leaders on both teams, especially guys like McAda and Daily, were/are literally inspirational. The humility, dedication, brotherhood, and cohesion were/are off the charts, even for ARMY, where those values usually exist. You just love the players. You want them as sons or brothers or family members of some kind...

- Let there be no more bullshit posts over and over about the wisdom of scheduling the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. This game will not only capture the attention of the entire football world, but it is also a singular and once-in-a-lifetime chance to resurrect one of the greatest rivalries of all time on the anniversary of Grantland Rice's "4 Horsemen", a chance to finally destroy and bury many old ghosts, a chance to move into college football stratosphere, and a chance to "boldly go where no modern Army Team has gone before"....

We may not win this game. But we sure as hell BELONG on that field and I would not bet against the likes of Daily, Uhoh, Short, Reynolds, the MOB, Worley, DeDiminico, Fortner, Larken, Woody, Saturnio and all the rest of this Brave Old Army Team...!

[neumanna1]

I'd think that ESPN College Game Day will probably be on-site at Yankee Stadium next week too. Obviously it'll be hours before the actual game, but what a unique atmosphere for them to do that show in, with I'd imagine a lot of coverage about both the history of Army-Notre Dame (specifically the history of those games played in New York City) as well as coverage of this year's Army team with features filmed throughout the week at WP.

But....we could be playing UMass or maybe Lafayette instead at Michie that day at Noon, so who's to say what's better.

[wpgrad]

I'd think that ESPN College Game Day will probably be on-site at Yankee Stadium next week too. Obviously it'll be hours before the actual game, but what a unique atmosphere for them to do that show in, with I'd imagine a lot of coverage about both the history of Army-Notre Dame (specifically the history of those games played in New York City) as well as coverage of this year's Army team with features filmed throughout the week at WP.

But....we could be playing UMass or maybe Lafayette instead at Michie that day at Noon, so who's to say what's better.

I only know one person who doesn't like the idea of us playing Notre Dame or Oklahoma or whoever each year. I just don't like that we now have to play Tulsa and FAU year after year after year with zero schedule flexibility because 8 conf games, plus our 1-AA, plus AF and Navy leaves us a grand total of ONE game each year that we can play someone like this. ergo, ipso facto, joining a conference was lazy and stupid.

All said...this has been a magical year and the fruit is hanging right there on the tree to make this a truly special once in a lifetime experience.

[gabn92]

It will be interesting to see where GameDay goes next week. Ohio State vs. Indiana looks to be the only other likely competition. They were just at Indiana a few weeks ago, so not sure if that factors into their decision process of where to set up or not.

[ArmyRoadFan7]

Another parallel is this years team is likely to end up in the Independence Bowl like the 96 team if the majority of these bowl projections are accurate.