2018 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
16th Armed Forces Bowl
Houston Cougars Army Black Knights
(8–4) (10–2)
The American Independent
14 70
Head coach: 
Major Applewhite		 Head coach: 
Jeff Monken
APCoaches
2225
1234 Total
Houston 0707 14
Army 14281414 70
DateDecember 22, 2018
Season2018
StadiumAmon G. Carter Stadium
LocationFort Worth, Texas
MVPKelvin Hopkins (QB, Army) & Romello Brooker (TE, Houston)[1]
FavoriteArmy by 3[2]
RefereeLuke Richmond (MAC)
Attendance44,738
PayoutUS$900,000 [3]
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
AnnouncersChris Cotter, Emmanuel Acho, Jim Mora and Quint Kessenich
International TV coverage
NetworkESPN Deportes
Armed Forces Bowl
 < 2017  2020 (Jan.) > 

The 2018 Armed Forces Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 22, 2018.[4] It was the 16th edition of the Armed Forces Bowl, and one of the 2018–19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. Sponsored by aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin, the game was officially known as the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. On December 18, it was announced that the game had officially sold out of tickets, the first such sellout in the Armed Forces Bowl's 16-year history.[5]

Army's 70–14 victory tied the then largest margin of victory in a bowl game, 56,[6] set by Tulsa in the 2008 GMAC Bowl when they defeated Bowling Green 63–7. Army's 70 points tied the record for most points in an FBS bowl game,[7] set by West Virginia in the 2012 Orange Bowl, when they defeated Clemson 70–33. The then-tied record of largest margin of victory in a bowl game would go on to be broken in the 2023 National Championship game, where Georgia would defeat TCU by a final score of 65–7.[8]

Teams

The bowl originally planned to invite teams from the Big 12 Conference and the American Athletic Conference (The American). When fourth-ranked Oklahoma was selected for the College Football Playoff, a Big 12 bowl tie-in was left open. Army, an FBS Independent, was selected to fill this opening, facing off with The American member Houston.[9]

Army Black Knights

Main article: 2018 Army Black Knights football team

Army received and accepted a bid to the Armed Forces Bowl on December 2.[9] The Black Knights subsequently won the Army–Navy Game on December 8, and entered the bowl with a 10–2 record.[10]

Houston Cougars

Main article: 2018 Houston Cougars football team

Houston received and accepted a bid to the Armed Forces Bowl on December 2.[9] The Cougars entered the bowl with a 8–4 record (5–3 in conference).

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP HOU ARMY
1 3:58 14 80 7:47 ARMY Kelvin Hopkins Jr. 1-yard touchdown run, John Abercrombie kick good 0 7
1 0:00 2 80 0:50 ARMY Kelvin Hopkins Jr. 77-yard touchdown run, John Abercrombie kick good 0 14
2 14:46 ARMY Fumble recovery returned 23 yards for touchdown by Cameron Jones, John Abercrombie kick good 0 21
2 12:04 9 77 2:42 HOU Romello Booker 3-yard touchdown reception from Clayton Tune, Dalton Witherspoon kick good 7 21
2 10:46 3 62 1:18 ARMY Kelvin Hopkins Jr. 1-yard touchdown run, John Abercrombie kick good 7 28
2 7:24 3 8 1:22 ARMY Kelvin Hopkins Jr. 2-yard touchdown run, John Abercrombie kick good 7 35
2 0:51 8 69 4:33 ARMY Artice Hobbs IV 11-yard touchdown run, John Abercrombie kick good 7 42
3 12:09 5 47 2:51 ARMY Kelvin Hopkins Jr. 1-yard touchdown run, John Abercrombie kick good 7 49
3 1:21 6 35 3:21 ARMY Connor Slomka 3-yard touchdown run, John Abercrombie kick good 7 56
4 10:31 8 54 4:59 ARMY Jordan Asberry 15-yard touchdown reception from Cam Thomas, John Abercrombie kick good 7 63
4 6:25 13 74 4:06 HOU Clayton Tune 6-yard touchdown run, Dalton Witherspoon kick good 14 63
4 1:58 7 75 4:27 ARMY Cam Thomas 20-yard touchdown run, John Abercrombie kick good 14 70
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 14 70

Statistics

1 2 3 4 Total
Cougars 0 7 0 7 14
No. 22 Black Knights 14 28 14 14 70
Statistics HOU ARMY
First downs 23 27
Plays–yards 73–317 62–592
Rushes–yards 41–87 58–507
Passing yards 230 85
Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–32–0 4–4–0
Time of possession 24:55 35:05
Team Category Player Statistics
Houston Passing Clayton Tune 21/32, 230 yds, 1 TD
Rushing Patrick Carr 9 car, 52 yds
Receiving Marquez Stevenson 8 rec, 72 yds
Army Passing Kelvin Hopkins Jr. 3/3, 70 yds
Rushing Kelvin Hopkins Jr. 11 car, 170 yds, 5 TD
Receiving Jordan Asberry 2 rec, 22 yds, 1 TD

Records set or tied

NCAA FBS

Armed Forces Bowl

Army (football program)

References

  1. ^ Wilson, Jeff (December 22, 2018). "Army West Point dominates en route to 70-14 victory". armedforcesbowl.com. Archived from the original on December 23, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  2. ^ Fawkes, Ben (December 10, 2018). "Odds for every 2018-19 CFB bowl game". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  3. ^ "2018 Bowl Schedule". CFP.com. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  4. ^ "2018-19 College Football Playoff and bowl schedule". ESPN. May 2, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  5. ^ "Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Sold Out". armedforcesbowl.com (Press release). December 18, 2018. Archived from the original on December 19, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  6. ^ Linton, Chance (December 22, 2018). "Army has record-setting day in 70-14 rout of Houston". 247sports.com. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  7. ^ "Postgame Notes: Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl". armedforcesbowl.com. December 22, 2018. Archived from the original on December 23, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  8. ^ "Georgia blasts TCU 65-7 in the College Football Playoff championship game, wins back-to-back titles". NCAA.com. January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Houston and Army West Point selected for 2018 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl | Armed Forces Bowl". Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  10. ^ "Navy vs. Army - Game Recap - December 8, 2018 - ESPN".

External links

2018–19 NCAA football bowl game season
Fort Worth / Armed Forces Bowl
Army Black Knights bowl games
Houston Cougars bowl games
Categories