The Army-Navy game is one of college football’s most cherished traditions, but FOX sports analyst Joel Klatt believes it’s time for a change to elevate the prestigious rivalry even further.
Speaking on his podcast, Klatt suggested moving the iconic game to Week 0, allowing it to serve as the official kickoff to the college football season.
“Think about it, let me just paint the picture for just a moment,” Klatt began. “No other football game happens in America until Army-Navy play on their own day. So there’s no college football in Week 0.
“We kick our sport in America off with Army-Navy. It’s the only game, and it’s Week 0 of college football, and we blow it out.”
Klatt went on to emphasize how the game already draws immense attention and could be positioned even more prominently.
“The commissioners of leagues are there, of the NFL, the President is there, there’s flyovers. We march cadets, and we do it at night. It’s on the network television, and, man, it is a showcase event, and every football fan in America is going to be right there, because guess what? That game is like the national anthem to the season, and it is the showcase game for our country that launches us into our favorite time of year, which is football season. Why? Because ‘Merica!'” Klatt said.
Klatt acknowledged that while Army-Navy is already a spectacular event, it could be presented even better.
“That game deserves that, it is being squeezed right now,” Klatt continued. “We could showcase it better, and we could kick off the season. And guess what? That would allow us to start the College Football Playoff right away after the conference championship games.”
Under Klatt’s proposal, moving the Army-Navy game to Week 0 would allow the College Football Playoff to follow a more streamlined schedule.
“So then you can start the College Football Playoff right away, conference championship games the first week in December, first round playoff games the second week of December, third week in December: quarterfinal games, fourth week of December: semi final games. And guess what? We are finishing the college football season at the latest, the week of January 1st,” he said.
This shift would not only preserve the grand pageantry of the Army-Navy rivalry but also give the College Football Playoff a more defined and consistent schedule, potentially ending the season on an even more exciting day and time.
(After all, don’t you think having the national championship played on New Year’s Day is much better than a random Monday night???)
Needless to say, Klatt’s idea has sparked conversation among college football fans, with many agreeing that the Army-Navy game deserves the spotlight of Week 0.
What are your thoughts on Klatt’s fascinating suggestion???
