A gutsy fake punt to an unlikely hero seals Navy’s upset win over Army in the rivalry’s 125th game

Throughout Saturday’s 125th Army-Navy game, Landon Robinson led the way for Navy’s defense. But on one play early in the fourth quarter, the 6-foot, 285-pound nose guard seized a moment of special teams glory that will live on in Naval Academy football history.

Throughout Saturday’s 125th Army-Navy game, Landon Robinson led the way for Navy’s defense. But on one play early in the fourth quarter, the 6-foot, 285-pound nose guard seized a moment of special teams glory that will live on in Naval Academy football history. The Midshipmen appeared to be stopped at their own 47, facing a fourth-and-5 that looked like it could be the stop Army needed to give themselves a chance to tie the game. Navy lined up to punt and the Corps of Cadets were in high spirits – many of them turning their back on the field to chant at fans in the second level above them. But when the direct snap went to Robinson, those chants fell silent. The big man had seen something in the Army punt return team – he wouldn’t say exactly what after the game, keeping those cards close to the chest – and called his own number. He took the snap and broke through the line, finding nothing but open green. He rumbled 29 yards to the Army 27-yard line, picking up a first down that broke the collective back of the Black Knights. “The fake punt is just something that we saw,” Robinson told reporters. “You know, just something that we worked on for pretty much all season. We showed it at the South Florida game as well. They just gave us the right look, and I just called it on the field.” The ball came out as Robinson was knocked to the ground, but senior linebacker Colin Ramos – following the play after he made his block jumped on the fumble to ensure Navy picked up the crucial first down.