Neal Brown and Shane Lyons Release Statements on the Opportunity to Play Army
On Monday evening, the Autozone Liberty Bowl announced the Army Black Knights will replace SEC representative Tennessee Volunteers after having to opt-out due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the football program.
Army finished the season 9-2 and ended the year capturing the Commander's-in-Chief Trophy with wins over Navy and Air Force in the final two weeks of the regular season.
“The opponent might have changed, but that’s it. As I said before, the Mountaineers are looking forward to playing in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl and coming to Memphis,” said WVU Director of Athletics Shane Lyons in a release by the Athletics Communications Department. “Our team deserves to be in a bowl, and so does the 9-2 Army squad. While we are disappointed that Tennessee couldn’t be in the game, Army needed a bowl and an opponent, and the Mountaineers are glad to solve the problem. Even though the two teams have not played since 1961, we are honored to face the Black Knights in a tradition-rich bowl game.”
“I have great respect for the Army football tradition and the sacrifice the Cadets make daily for our country. Coach Monken and his staff have done a terrific job at West Point with 43 wins in the last five years,” said West Virginia head coach Neal Brown. “We started the day preparing for one opponent and will end it preparing for another, but that’s how crazy 2020 has been.”
West Virginia is 1-2 all-time versus Army with all three matchups in West Point. The Mountaineers won the last meeting 7-3 in 1961.
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