Portrait of four unidentified members of the Navy football team, all covered in mud following a game (against the Army team) at Rizal Stadium, Manila, Philippines, July 4, 1945. (Photo by US Navy/PhotoQuest/Getty Images)
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The Army-Navy football game remains one of the oldest and most enduring rivalries in college football. It was first played in 1890, and this year marks the 126th matchup between the nation’s two oldest military service academies. This year’s game, which will be held on December 13 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, is also notable because both the United States Army and the United States Navy celebrated their 250th anniversaries.
Each team is honoring the occasion with special uniforms.
The Black Knights Are Ready For Action
The Army Black Knights from West Point will wear Nike uniforms that pay tribute to the soldiers who have defended the United States over the past two and a half centuries.
Since 2016, Army Football, the United States Military Academy’s Department of History and War Studies, and Nike have collaborated on special gridiron uniforms to honor significant units. That has included the 82nd Airborne Division in 2016, the 10th Mountain Division in 2017, the 1st Infantry Division in 2018, the 1st Cavalry Division in 2019, the 25th Infantry Division in 2020, the Special Forces Command in 2021, the 1st Armored Division in 2022, the 3rd Infantry Division in 2023, and last year the 101st Airborne Division.
This year’s uniform won’t honor a specific unit, however.
Instead, it will commemorate the 250 years of the service, with the number “1775” prominently displayed on the backplate of the helmet to mark the founding of the Continental Army in June 1775.
The primary colors of the jersey and pants are marble, symbolizing the “enduring foundation of strength” of the American people that has been provided to the Army. The jersey features the Army’s Great Seal on the right shoulder to highlight the service’s dual responsibility in both peacetime and war.
“One of the most distinctive elements of the 2025 uniform is the purple streaking through the jersey numbers and along the helmet. Purple symbolizes the sacrifice made by Soldiers and Gold Star Families, tracing its lineage to the Badge of Military Merit, precursor to the Purple Heart, first authorized by General George Washington during the American Revolution,” the U.S. Army announced.
The uniform’s marble primary color featured on both the jersey and pants symbolizes the enduring foundation of strength that the American people have provided for the Army.
Photo courtesy Army West Point Athletics
The Midshipmen Of The Naval Academy Honor Old Ironsides
This year’s uniform for the Naval Academy’s Midshipmen will pay homage to the USS Constitution, one of the original six frigates authorized by the United States Congress with the Naval Act of 1794. The warship saw action during the War of 1812, when cannonballs were seen to bounce off her hull, earning her the nickname “Old Ironsides.”
Saved numerous times from being scraped, she returned to commissioned status in 1931 and remains in Boston, maintained by a partnership between the Naval History and Heritage Command’s Detachment Boston, the USS Constitution Museum, and the National Park Service.
The goal of this year’s football uniform, worn by the Midshipmen and produced by Under Armour, is to tell a “compelling story” that combines the history of the U.S. Navy, the six frigates, and the U.S. Naval Academy.
“The color, fonts, branding and detailing were all historically inspired,” the Naval Academy Athletic Association explained.
The football uniforms features multiple colors including Washed Navy, a faded blue that was derived from the original uniforms worn by the Continental Navy’s sailors; Stone, which ties to the color of the sails of the original frigates; Nautical Navy, the symbolic hull color of Old Ironsides, Heritage Red, which represents the color of the cannon carriages on USS Constitution; and Copper, representing the copper-cladding of the frigates hulls before launching.
The Navy wordmark and number fonts were also inspired by the typography found throughout the “Act to Provide Naval Armament” document, which authorized the construction of the original six frigates.
Embedded into the sleeves and collar are six ropes, representing the original six warships, along with exactly 250 knots that honor the 250th anniversary of the sea service.
The stone-colored pants are meant as a subtle nod to the uniform color of the sailors’ trousers. The helmet also features many of the color elements, as well as “Navy” spelled out on the front bumper in letting of the nautical navy, with the rear bumper spelling out “USN 250” in copper lettering. The helmet also features 63 rope knots on the front and 63 on the rear spine. It is meant to signify both the 126th game to be played between the academies and Navy’s 63 wins over Army.
Every element of the Navy uniform design draws inspiration from the rich history of the United States Navy and the original six frigates.
Photo courtesy Naval Academy Athletic Association
However, as the U.S. Army noted, it has won six of the three games since the official launch of its uniform rivalry series.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2025/11/19/army-navy-football-game-uniforms-are-250-years-in-the-making/
