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Army-Navy Game: The Five Best-Looking Special Uniforms in the Rivalry’s History

The 126th Army-Navy Game takes place on Saturday in Baltimore.

Dan Lyons

Navy paid tribute to the World War II Naval aviators, the Jolly Rogers, during the 2024 Army-Navy Game, while Army’s uniforms were also WWII themed, honoring the 101st Airborne Division.
Navy paid tribute to the World War II Naval aviators, the Jolly Rogers, during the 2024 Army-Navy Game, while Army’s uniforms were also WWII themed, honoring the 101st Airborne Division. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images
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College football’s regular season is over, and the conference championships have come and gone. The College Football Playoff field has been announced. That means that this coming Saturday belongs to the Army-Navy Game, one of the sport’s greatest rivalries, replete with tradition.

The modern Army-Navy Game means watching two impressive American Conference teams battling it out with their unique takes on the option, while wearing some of the flashiest and most elaborately designed uniforms of the entire college football season, Oregon included. Both programs spend years designing and crafting the uniforms before they are unveiled weeks ahead of the game, and the effort by Nike (Army) and Under Armour (Navy) shows each season.

This year’s game takes on added significance as it is the 250th anniversary of both the U.S. Army and Navy, and the Black Knights and Midshipmen both celebrate that mark in their 2025 designs.

Ahead of Saturday’s game, we take a look back at some of the most creative and aesthetically impressive uniforms donned by Army and Navy dating back to 2008, when the custom uniforms made their debut.

2019 Army: ‘First Team!’

Army defenders tackle Navy Midshipment wide receiver Keoni-Kordell Makekau during the 2019 Army-Navy Game.
Army broke out a set of olive and white jerseys inspired by the Vietnam War era for the 2019 Army-Navy Game. / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Prior to the 2019 game, Army had typically gone with black-focused uniforms—appropriate for the Black Knights. Their first use of olive in the special Army-Navy game uniforms, these threads pay tribute to the “First Team,” the 1st Cavalry Division, utilizing a number of Vietnam War-era motifs in their design.

2008 Navy: Midshipmen dominate in epaulets for first Army-Navy Game with special jerseys

Navy Midshipmen running back Shun White runs for a touchdown against the Army Black Knights in the 2008 Army-Navy Game.
The 2008 Army-Navy Game was the first to feature custom Nike uniforms for both programs. / Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

The special uniforms for the rivalry is a relatively new concept, with both programs unveiling new looks for the 2008 game. Army matched some pretty standard black jerseys with camouflage helmets and pants, but it was Navy that really shined, with white jerseys featuring blue and gold shoulder designs that represent the classic Naval service uniform epaulets. The blue pants also included a red stripe—a nod to the Marine Corps’ dress uniforms. We’ve had nearly two decades of Army-Navy Games since, but these are still some of the best uniforms the game has seen.

2015 Navy: Custom fleet helmets

Army’s offensive line and Navy’s defensive line ready for the snap during the 2015 Army-Navy Game.
Navy’s 2015 helmets featured hand-painted ships corresponding to their position. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Navy’s dark blue uniforms were solid but probably wouldn’t crack this list on their own. The signature piece of the look, however, were the hand-painted helmets, featuring different Naval ships depending on a player’s position group. Star quarterback Keenan Reynolds, for example, had an aircraft carrier painted on his helmet, wide receivers had submarines and linemen on both sides of the ball featured amphibious assault ships (pictured above).

2018 Army: “The Big Red One”

Army Black Knights quarterback Kelvin Hopkins Jr. hands off to running back Darnell Woolfolk during the 2018 Army-Navy Game.
Army’s all-black 2018 uniforms paid tribute to the 1st Infantry Division, nicknamed “The Big Red One.” / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Army’s special uniforms often pay tribute to specific units and divisions, and their best look so far came in 2018, when they broke out an all-black look that featured nods to the First Infantry Division, or the "Big Red One,” for its 100th anniversary. After its formation in 1918 the division was deployed to France and was instrumental in winning World War I.

The uniform featured a number of red accents, including a literal Big Red One adorned on the front of the Black Knights helmet.

2014 Navy: “First Navy Jack”

Navy players celebrate a play during the 2014 Army-Navy Game.
Navy’s 2014 “First Navy Jack” uniforms are among the best in the history of the series. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Under Armour made its debut as Navy’s new apparel partner and it’s safe to say that they really embraced the opportunity. The red striping pattern and rattlesnake on the shoulders and the helmet logo reference the First Navy Jack flag, which was first flown by the Continental Navy during the American Revolution. It is one of the most unique visual motifs that Navy—which so often leans on deep blues—has utilized for the Army-Navy Game and remains one of the best looks of the series.

Uniforms for the 2025 Army-Navy Game

The Black Knights and Midshipmen have unveiled their threads for Saturday’s game over the last few weeks. The cadets from West Point will be wearing a set of 1775-inspired uniforms to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States Army, featuring marble-style pattering and font inspired by the constitution.

Meanwhile, Navy is also celebrating 250 years with blue uniforms featuring rope accents that represent the U.S. Navy’s original frigates and copper helmets that feature a sketch of the USS Constitution, among numerous other subtle details.

Both uniforms look pretty impressive in photos. We’ll have to see how they translate on the field and whether they can break into the rankings for next year.

Army-Navy Game series history

The historic rivalry began play in 1890, and has been played every year since except for 10 seasons between that inaugural matchup and 1930. The two sides haven’t missed a game since the ‘30 matchup (a 6–0 win for Army).

Navy owns the all-time record between the two, 63-55-7, due in large part to a dominant run from 2002 to ‘14 in which the Midshipmen won every matchup. Black Knights coach Jeff Monken flipped the script in his third season in West Point, leading Army to a 21–17 upset of a ranked Navy squad in 2016. The Black Knights have won six of the last nine matchups since that first win for Monken, though the Midshipmen dominated last year’s matchup 31–13, handing the No. 22-ranked cadets their second loss of the season.

Navy coach Brian Newberry scored his first Army-Navy Game win in 2024, moving to 1–1 in the rivalry. Monken is 6–5 in the game.

Saturday’s matchup, the 126th edition of the Army-Navy Game, kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on CBS, live from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

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Dan Lyons
DAN LYONS

Dan Lyons is a staff writer and editor on Sports Illustrated's Breaking and Trending News team. He joined SI for his second stint in November 2024 after a stint as a senior college football writer at Athlon Sports, and a previous run with SI spanning multiple years as a writer and editor. Outside of sports, you can find Dan at an indie concert venue or movie theater.

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