Consider Jeff Monken‘s turnaround of one of the three FBS service academies complete -- at least, as far as what turned into a storybook 2016 season for the Black Knights is concerned.
After jumping out to a 24-7 lead in the first half of the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl, Army watched as North Texas scored a pair of touchdowns in the last three minutes of the second quarter to slice the deficit to just a field goal. The second half turned into a defensive battle, with each team scoring a touchdown apiece before a late UNT field goal knotted the score at 31-all.
In the first overtime, Jordan Asberry‘s three-yard touchdown run gave Army a 38-31 lead. Asberry’s defensive teammates took care of the rest, keeping the Mean Green out of the end zone on four straight plays to secure the service academy’s first bowl win since 2010.
It was also Army’s eighth win this season, the program’s most since a 10-win 1996 season and just the third time since 1988 they’ve won at least that many games in a season.Wow! pic.twitter.com/y5qITbiWXz
— Army WP Football (@ArmyWP_Football) December 27, 2016
What a way to cap the season!! #Forever28 #GoArmy pic.twitter.com/z6vpNgT5Du
— Army WP Football (@ArmyWP_Football) December 27, 2016
The story of the game likely could best be told by a drive that didn’t end in a score -- and was quickly matched by one that did.
Taking over at their own 4-yard line and with 12:53 remaining in the fourth, Army proceeded to march 66 yards in 18 plays, bleeding a staggering 10½ minutes off the clock before turning it over to the Mean Green on downs. UNT got the ball back at their own 30 with just over two minutes and three timeouts remaining, and proceeded to move into field-goal range with just over a minute left. A pair of penalties, including a holding call, pushed them out of field-goal range; however, a pair of Alec Morris completions got them right back in range.
A 37-yard field goal by UNT’s Trevor Moore with :28 sent the game into overtime, setting the stage for Asberry’s game-winning touchdown.
Army, which came into the game second in the country in rushing (327.8 yards per game), totaled 480 on the ground on the afternoon. Morris, the former Alabama quarterback, passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns in a losing effort.
The win avenges Army’s 35-18 loss to UNT earlier in the season.
Also earlier this season, they snapped a 14-game losing streak to Navy. With this win, it marks the first time since 1984 that the Black Knights beat their rival and won a bowl game in the same season.