Army wins bowl game in overtime

With the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl on the line, Army decided to keep doing what had worked all game long: run the ball.

In the first overtime, on fourth and goal from the three, Army slotback Jordan Asberry took a pitchout from quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw and followed blockers into the end zone to give the Black Knights a 38-31 victory over North Texas on Tuesday.

Early on it looked like Army might just dominate the rematch of an Oct. 20 game at Michie Stadium, which North Texas won 35-18. In that game, Army lost four fumbles and had four passes intercepted.

But in the bowl game, the Black Knights rushed for 175 yards in the first quarter, scoring on a Darnell Woolfolk 5-yard run. However, Army missed the point after touchdown kick.

Overall, Army broke the Heart of Dallas Bowl record for rushing by the third quarter on its way to finishing with 480 yards on the ground.

After North Texas took the lead 7-6 on a Jeffery Wilson 22-yard run, Army took control with three successive touchdowns. Tyler Campbell scored on a 70-yard run, then Woolfolk got his second TD of the game on a 1-yard run, and Andy Davidson added a 6-yard run for a 24-7 lead midway into the second quarter. The Black Knights tried two-point conversions after each of those scores but failed each time.

North Texas mounted a 93-yard drive, scoring on a 22-yard Alec Morris pass to Wilson, his second touchdown of the half. Morris later connected with Rico Bussey on a 27-yard touchdown, cutting Army’s lead at the half to 24-21.

After the halftime break, Bradshaw found a gaping hole down the left side and sped through for a 65-yard touchdown that gave Army a 31-21 lead.

Army remained in control until a botched punt gave North Texas life. The Black Knights fumbled a punt and gave North Texas the ball at the Army 18. On the first play, Morris found Wilson again for a score, cutting Army’s lead to 31-28.

As the defenses tightened in the fourth quarter, Army had a chance to put the game away when it faced fourth-and-1 on the North Texas 28-yard line. However, the Knights failed to convert and turned the ball over to North Texas with 2:18 left in the game.

North Texas then marched down the field to the Army 20. Facing a fourth-and-2 with 28 seconds left, Trevor Moore kicked a 37-yard field goal to tie the game.

After Asberry’s touchdown in overtime, the Army defense took over and stopped the Mean Green on four plays to win the game.

Army senior inside linebacker Jeremy Timpf finished his career with 15 tackles in his final game, tying a bowl game record. Bradshaw led Army with 129 yards rushing and was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

This ends the most successful season for coach Jeff Monken’s Army team in at least 20 years. The team’s 8-5 record includes a victory over Navy, breaking a 14-game losing streak, and a bowl win for the first time since it defeated Southern Methodist University six years ago in the Armed Forces Bowl.

The bowl game day featured the West Point Band and the very large North Texas Band, a flyover of U.S. Army helicopters, and recognition of hundreds of Dallas-area first-responders from police, fire and emergency response organizations.

Ken Kraetzer is executive director of Sons of the American Legion Radio, based at Squadron 135 White Plains, N.Y. More on Facebook: West Point Football Report and Twitter: @SonsLegionRadio