Revealed: Navy celebrates 175 years of the Academy in uniforms vs. Army

Navy’s football uniforms for its annual clash with Army are here.

And they’re pretty cool.

While Army chose to honor the 25th Infantry Division with its uniforms for the best rivalry in college football, Navy is celebrating the 175th birthday of its institution.

Opened in 1845, the U.S. Naval Academy has produced a U.S. President, 16 Ambassadors, 24 Members of Congress, five state governors, five Secretaries of the Navy, one Secretary of the Air Force, two Nobel Prize Winners, 73 Medal of Honor recipients, 54 astronauts and more — including 61 football teams that have beaten Army.

Navy’s uniform pays tribute to the Academy with some neat features. On the helmet and shoulders is a blue and white marble pattern, meant to resemble the stone on the Naval Academy grounds. It can be seen in the crypt of John Paul Jones and within Bancroft Hall. The custom pattern was named “Ocean Camo” by the Under Armour design team.

The Naval Academy Seal — which was established on Jan. 25, 1899, and designed by Park Benjamin (Class of 1867) — is highlighted in gold on the shoulders and gloves of the uniform.

Navy Blue & Gold is entrenched throughout this year’s uniform and each of the original six frigates of the Navy are remembered in each facet as well. The Marine Corps emblem is embroidered on the pants.

The Midshipmen are 61-52-7 all-time vs. Army. Navy won last season in Philadelphia, breaking a three-year winning streak for the Black Knights. This year’s game will be played at West Point for the first time since 1943.

Navy is 3-5 on the season and faces No. 22 Tulsa on Saturday in Annapolis. The 121st Army-Navy Game will be played Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. EST on CBS.

For more on Navy’s uniforms, click here and here.