The Navy Midshipmen will step back in time before stepping onto the field to battle Army West Point on Saturday in Baltimore, donning uniforms inspired by the team's successful 1963 season.
The school unveiled the uniforms Tuesday, one day after Army showcased its gear based on off-field standouts — namely, soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division.
As the influences differ, so do the results: Navy's gear brings bright colors to battle Army's blacks and grays, with a simple, star-laden design comparable to what Roger Staubach and teammates wore during a 9-2 1963 season that ended with a Cotton Bowl berth. Instead of a gold helmet, the 2016 headgear features a more modern "high gloss yellow finish," according to the announcement, to go with "Academy Gold" pants.
The school's athletics department posted a video of the uniform's reveal to players, complete with some close-up images:
Other design features include:
- An "N" with four stars atop each shoulder, similar to what the 1963 team wore when it defeated Army.
- The "Beat Army" motto on the jersey hem and the gloves.
- A blue stripe and fouled anchor on the helmet — a radical departure from last year's position-specific ship designs.
Navy's yellow-and-blue design honors the 1963 team that defeated Army and played in the Cotton Bowl.
Photo Credit: ArmyNavyGame.com
Staubach's 1963 team — coached by another College Football Hall of Famer, Wayne Hardin — finished the year ranked second in The Associated Press poll and went undefeated outside the state of Texas, losing to Southern Methodist on Oct. 11 and to national-champion Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 1964.
Staubach earned the Heisman Trophy in 1963 on the same day the schools announced plans to postpone the Army-Navy game until Dec. 7 as part of a period of mourning after President Kennedy's assassination. No academy player has won the award since.
Navy's 14-game win streak over Army dates to 2001. The 1963 team was on a successful "drive for five" straight wins against Army, notching a 21-15 victory; the Mids lost the next year, 11-8.
The Under Armour-designed duds will debut at 3 p.m. Eastern on Saturday at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium.
Kevin Lilley is the features editor of Military Times.
