Navy seeks record 6th straight win over Army

11/30/2007 1:08 PM

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE (AP) -Army wide receiver Jeremy Trimble respects the football players at Navy and would be proud to serve with any of them while fulfilling his military commitment.

None of that will matter Saturday during the 108th Army-Navy game.

``I don't hate anybody, but this rivalry probably comes as close to that feeling as I can get,'' Trimble said. ``As soon as we graduate, I understand we're going to become brothers and sisters in arms. We're going to work together. But right now we're focused on beating them.''

Trimble, a senior, has never experienced the thrill of defeating Navy. He's 0-3 with one shot left.

``It's been burning in my stomach and in my mind ever since freshman year when I lost to them the first time,'' Trimble said. ``Then, every year it's been building. When I walk onto that field knowing it's going to be my last chance to beat them, I'm going to leave everything out there.''

The Midshipmen (7-4) have won five straight in the series, tied for the longest streak by either team.

``I don't really feel sorry for them, and I don't think they'd want me to,'' Navy senior running back Reggie Campbell.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was raised in Annapolis, Md., where his father, Steve, was an assistant football coach at Navy. During that time, Belichick realized just how important the game was to each academy.

``There's a lot at stake within the brigade, within the institution, that is a little bit special relative to just another college football game,'' he said. ``You walk around there in March or April or May or whatever, and there's signs all over of, '261 days until we beat Army' or '173 days until we beat Army.' I mean, literally, a lot of times the calendar in that Navy football office is just reflected on how many days to the Army-Navy game.''

The big day arrives Saturday for the Midshipmen, who have outscored Army by 134 points during their five-game streak.

``Unless they'll let us carry some points over,'' Navy coach Paul Johnson said, ``it probably doesn't mean anything.''

A victory would make this a successful season for Army (3-8).

``A win over Navy would mean everything to the football team and the corps of Cadets,'' Trimble said. ``They've been there all year supporting us. It would change the way everyone went about their business. In the Army, it would allow the soldiers to talk back to all those Navy guys out there.''

Army coach Stan Brock served as an assistant under Bobby Ross for three years before taking over in January. This will be his first game in a series that began in 1890.

``To be part of the coaching history at West Point is something that's very special. To be part of the Army-Navy history, the significance probably won't come until much later in my life,'' he said. ``Right now, we're just trying to get our seniors a win and to get things rolling. For it to be a rivalry, you have to win some. And I think that's important for our troops overseas right now.''