Udoh scores two touchdowns and leads No. 21 Army over Air Force
Published
WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) — Kanye Udoh rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns Saturday to help No. 21 Army to a 20-3 win over Air Force and the Black Knights’ nation-leading 12th straight victory.
Playing without starting quarterback Bryson Daily, who missed the game with injury or illness per an academy statement, Udoh stepped up and carried the running load.
Udoh ran seven times for 48 yards on Army’s opening drive of the second half. The sophomore finished the possession off with a 12-yard touchdown run, his eighth of the season.
Army (8-0), the defending Commander in Chief’s champions, defeated Air Force for the fourth time in the last five meetings. The victory sets up a winner-take-all for the CIC trophy with Navy on Dec. 14 at Northwest Stadium.
Udoh accounted for 158 of Army’s 209 rushing yards.
Senior safety Max DiDomenico’s red-zone interception sealed the victory for Army with 1:51 left. DiDomenico returned the interception 69 yards to Air Force’s 25. Udoh scored his second touchdown on the next play.
Daily missed practice this week with the injury/illness. Junior Dewayne Coleman made his first start for the Black Knights in Daily’s place.
Army struggled in the first half, settling for Trey Gronotte’s 30-yard field goal on its first drive. It was the first time the Black Knights did not score a touchdown on its opening possession. Gronotte added a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter.
The loss was the seventh straight for Air Force (1-7).
Up in the air
Army safety Casey Larkin intercepted his third pass of the season on the Black Knights’ 7 to end an Air Force threat with 13:24 left in the game. Jaydan Mayes picked off his third pass of season with 36 seconds remaining.
Air Force quarterback Quentin Harris was sacked six times and threw an interception.
The takeaway
Army: The Black Knights found a way without Daily at quarterback. The Black Knights’ defense stepped up with important stops and Larkin’s interception. Army has allowed only 40 points in the last five meetings against Air Force.
Air Force: The defense kept the Falcons close in the first half. The Falcons stumbled on offense with only one red-zone drive that ended with Matthew Dapore’s 32-yard field goal with 1:47 remaining in the first half.
Poll implications
Army could move up in the AP Top 25 poll after another dominant home win.
Up next
Army: Travels to North Texas on Saturday.
Air Force: Hosts Fresno State on Saturday.
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