In one of the oldest grudge games in college history, AAC’s Navy Midshipmen and Army Black Knights took on each other. With the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy at stake, both sides brought aggression to the field. However, wide receiver Eli Heidenreich became a victim of the aggression.

Turns out Eli Heidenreich got punched in the face in the midst of a scuffle. But all went down when he was struck the second time after quarterback Blake Horvath threw an interception. CFB reporter Steve Carney shared the news in a post on X.

“There’s the second punch in the mouth by Army with the interception of Horvath. Heidenreich also looked like he tweaked his knee on the play. #ArmyNavy,” Carney’s post read.

Even after taking a visible hit, Eli Heidenreich played a key role in the Navy’s comeback win after trailing by nine points in the third quarter. Army kicker Dawson Jones drilled his third field goal of the game from 48 yards to extend the Black Knights’ lead to 19-7. The Navy responded when kicker Nathan Kirkwood kicked a 21-yard field goal, sparking hopes of a comeback.

The feeling culminated in the fourth quarter, when Blake Horvath delivered a precise pass to Heidenreich for an eight-yard touchdown, finishing a drive that nearly unraveled after a fumble. The win pushed Heidenreich’s season totals to 40 receptions for 805 yards, averaging 20.1 yards per catch, along with four touchdowns.

The victory secured the Navy’s second straight Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy and improved the Midshipmen to 10-2 on the season. Meanwhile, the Army fell to 6-6. Both teams still have postseason games ahead, as Navy will face Cincinnati in the Liberty Bowl, while Army takes on UConn.

Eli Heidenreich’s game-winning TD seals historic win for Navy

The 17-16 comeback win meant more than just another trophy for Navy. It marked the program’s first back-to-back victories over Army in a decade. The win also made history, as it represented the first time the Navy recorded consecutive double-digit wins over the Black Knights.

By defeating both Army and Air Force earlier in the season, Navy cemented itself as the top service academy program this year. For head coach Brian Newberry, the result validated the program’s decision to promote him from defensive coordinator rather than pursue an outside hire after parting ways with longtime head coach Ken Niumatalolo.

The game also marked the first Army-Navy matchup decided by a single point since 2017, when Army edged Navy 14-13 in Philadelphia.