Big plays help Navy beat Army

The Associated Press | ? Published December 12, 2010Ricky Dobbs threw the longest touchdown pass in the 111-year history of the Army-Navy game, Wyatt Middleton had the longest fumble return in Navy history, and the Midshipmen (9-3) extended their winning streak against the Black Knights (6-6) to nine straight with a 31-17 victory Saturday in Philadelphia.Dobbs, one of 24 Navy seniors to never lose to their West Point rivals, passed for 186 yards and two touchdowns, including a 77-yarder to John Howell in the first quarter.Dobbs, who lost three fumbles and threw a pickoff, also ran for 54 yards.?Those turnovers drive you crazy,? Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said, ?but that?s Ricky.?Army QB Trent Steelman threw for 128 yards and two scores, but his fumble just before halftime put the Black Knights in a deep hole when Middleton returned it 98 yards for a TD and a 24-7 Navy lead.GATORS GET COACHFlorida hired Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp to replace Urban Meyer, who resigned after winning two national titles in six years.Florida AD Jeremy Foley said he targeted the SEC veteran early and Muschamp was the only candidate he offered the job.PLAYOFFSMount Union and Wisconsin-Whitewater, both 14-0, will meet for the NCAA Division III title for the sixth consecutive year. ? Minnesota-Duluth (14-0) will meet Delta State (11-3) for the Division II title.EXTRA POINTSArkansas? Bobby Petrino agreed to a new seven-year deal that raises his average annual pay to $3.56 million. ? Temple coach Al Golden is a leading candidate for the Miami job. ? Kentucky suspended QB Mike Hartline after his arrested on charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct. Similar stories: Navy beats Army for ninth straight time, 31-17Navy beats Army for ninth straight time, 31-17Ricky Dobbs sat in a small room deep inside Lincoln Financial Field and recalled a team meeting from earlier this season. Navy had just lost to Air Force, the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy was slipping away, and the season was on the verge of doing the same."We had some very high expectations for ourselves and maybe they got the best of us," the senior quarterback said.Nothing is more fun than beating Army. Navy continues mastery of ArmyNavy continues mastery of ArmyIn the nearly three weeks his team had to prepare for the Army-Navy game, Mids coach Ken Niumatalolo repeatedly emphasized the importance of not turning the ball over.After his quarterback, Ricky Dobbs, lost three fumbles and threw an interception Saturday, Niumatalolo said,Niumatalolo, however, could smile because the Midshipmen emerged with the biggest turnover of the game, an Army fumble that Wyatt Middleton returned 98 yards for a touchdown, and went on to a 31-17 victory over the Black Knights before a crowd of 69,223 at Lincoln Financial Field. Resurgent Army looks to end Navy dominanceResurgent Army looks to end Navy dominanceRich Ellerson is sponsoring a cadet from Slovenia at West Point, and Thanksgiving only validated what Army's second-year coach has long known."His family came to visit. It was only their second time in the country," Ellerson said.Easier said than done, of course. Army aiming to break losing skid against NavyArmy aiming to break losing skid against NavyStephen Anderson owns a sense of satisfaction in that Army football turned around during his final season, particularly after he came back from two torn knee ligaments to play a pivotal role on defense.Though the Black Knights are headed to a bowl game for the first time since 1996, there remains one task for Anderson and his fellow seniors - go out with a victory over Navy on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field to break an eight-game losing streak that seems like 50 games to Anderson."Everybody is talking about the bowl game and stuff, but we just look at it as, hey, we haven't won this game in eight years," said Anderson, Army's middle linebacker and leading tackler.From the first day you get here, they teach you when you square your corners and all, whether you're a football player or a regular student here, you say, 'Go Navy, Sir, Beat Army, Sir,'" senior quarterback Ricky Dobbs said.

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