Army Wins Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl

Tuesday, December 27

Dallas, Texas

12 PM ET

Army West Point

8-5

North Texas

5-8

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Army

North Texas

Army Wins Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl

December 27, 2016 | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Highlights Story in Photos Postgame Quotes ({PDF)Postgame Notes (PDF)Postgame Quotes (PDF)

DALLAS – The Army West Point football team got some revenge Tuesday afternoon when it defeated North Texas 38-31 in overtime to win the Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl.

The victory marked Army's first bowl win since 2010 and the first time the Black Knights reached eight wins since the 1996 season.

Army closed out the year with three straight victories including an iconic win a little more than two weeks ago in Baltimore over rival Navy.

Tuesday's game was much different from the two teams earlier meeting back on Oct. 22 in which the Black Knights turned the ball over a season-high seven times.

Army controlled much of the opening two quarters but a late rally from North Texas pulled the Mean Green to within 24-21 at the break.

Heading into the final quarter, Army maintained a slim 31-28 edge until there were 28 seconds remaining. The Mean Green, forced with 4th-and-2, kicked the game-tying field goal from 37 yards out to eventually send the contest into overtime.

Army started with the ball first in the extra period and worked it all the way to the North Texas 3-yard line. With 4th-and-goal looming, head coach Jeff Monken opted to 'go big or go home' and sent his offensive unit back out on the field. On the ensuing play Jordan Asberry broken free and finished off what would be the game's final score to hand the Black Knights a 38-31 advantage.

North Texas gained four yards on its first play of overtime but never went past the line of scrimmage again. Jeremy Timpf tackled Jeffery Wilson for a 3-yard loss on the next play before two failed passes sealed Army's win.

Quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw was named the game's most valuable player with 129 yards rushing, including a score. He was the first quarterback since 1930 to run for 129 yards, eclipsing Texas' Vince Young's 127 yards against Oklahoma in 2003.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Army improves to 4-2 in bowl games.
Tuesday's win marked the Black Knights first bowl win since the 2010 Armed Forces Bowl, which was played just a few miles away at Southern Methodist University. The Cadets practices at SMU all week leading up to their sixth bowl appearance.
Army capped its season with an overall record of 8-5, which was the first time the Black Knights hit the eight-win mark in a season since 1996, when they went 10-2.
With Army's six rushing touchdowns in the game, the Black Knights finished with 46 end zone trips on the year, which broke the previous record of 45 set by the 1945 NCAA Championship winning team.
Tuesday's game was Army's first game at the Cotton Bowl since defeating Louisiana Tech, 35-16, in 2013.
The Black Knights ran for a Heart of Dallas Bowl record 480 yards. The Cadets also earned six rushing touchdowns in the game, which was a Heart of Dallas Bowl record as well.
Army rushed 74 times, which was a season high, beating its previous best of 72 set at UTEP on Sept. 17.
Army had two rushers with 100 yards or more in the same game for the third time this year.
Ahmad Bradshaw ran for over 100 yards for the fifth time in his career and third time in 2016.
Darnell Woolfolk scored his eighth and ninth touchdown on the season, which is second on the team.
Woolfolk scored multiple touchdowns for the second time in his career.
It was the first time in bowl history that they had two 100-yard rushers (129 yards – Bradshaw, 119 yards – Woolfolk).
Bradshaw's 129 rushing yards were the most by a quarterback at the Cotton Bowl since 1930, eclipsing Vince Young's 127 yards vs. Oklahoma in 2003.
Army ran for 213 yards in the first quarter, the most in a first quarter by any team in a bowl game so far this year.
Tyler Campbell ran for a 70-yard touchdown in the first quarter, which was a team high for 2016
Timpf posted his fifth double-digit tackle game this season and 13th of his career. He finished his Army career with 321 tackles, which is 9th all time.
Army recorded 17 interceptions this season and had at least one in 10-of-13 games played.
The Black Knights picked off two passes for the fifth time this year and forced at least one turnover in 12 games.

CAREER MILESTONES

Campbell's 70-yard run was a career rush and put the Black Knights up 12-7. The touchdown score was the third of his career.
Campbell also had a career-long 38-yard reception in the first quarter, which put the Black Knights in goof field position at North Texas' 29.
Bradshaw rushed for a career-high 65-yard touchdown, which handed the Cadets a 31-21 edge with 7:41 remaining in the third quarter.
Elijah Riley recorded his second and third interceptions of the season and had his first career two-interception game.

TURNING POINT

With the game in overtime and a 4th-and-goal situation on the line, the Black Knights converted from three yards out after Asberry burst into the end zone for his sixth career touchdown, fifth rushing.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Army wasted little time jumping out to the early 6-0 edge on its first drive of the game. The march, an 11-play, 75-yarder, was capped by Woolfolk's five-yard rush into the end zone. The Black Knights failed to convert on the point after.
North Texas responded immediately though taking a 7-6 advantage on its first offensive possession of the game.
It took Army only three plays following the Mean Green's score to pull back in front as Campbell muscled his way and broke free for a career-long 70 yard touchdown run. The Cadets' two-point conversion fell short.
After forcing the game's first1 punt, Bradshaw started the Black Knights next drive with a 38-yard connection with Campbell, which got Army into good field position at the North Texas 29. A few plays later the Cadets extended its lead to 18-7 when Woolfolk scored his second of the game. Bradshaw's two-point conversion failed.
North Texas started its third drive of the game with exactly 13 minutes remaining on the clock before the break. Strong defense held the Mean Green from gaining valuable yardage and North Texas was forced to punt.
On Army's ensuing drive, the Cadets scored their 18th unanswered point when Davidson found the back of the end zone, creating a 24-7 gap between the teams.
The Mean Green would not go away, however, pulling to with 24-21 at the break following two passing touchdowns in the final 4:19 of the second period.
To start the second half, North Texas worked its way to the Army 13-yard line before Elijah Riley intercepted Alec Morris' pass for the game's first turnover. Alex Aukerman was awarded a quarterback hurry on the play.
Following that pick, the Black Knights used a six-play, 84-yard drive to extend their lead back to 10 points at 31-21. Bradshaw highlighted the march with a career-long 65-yard scamper into the end zone.
The Mean Green tried to answer on their next drive but a key stop by senior captain Timpf on 4th-and-1 handed the Cadets back the ball at their own 48-yard line.
Army tested its fourth down conversion skills on its next offensive possession when it found itself in a 4th-and-4 situation. Unfortunately the Black Knights weren't able to convert, turning the ball over at the North Texas 33.
The defense held strong and forced a 3-and-out by the Mean Green but Army fumbled the punt return handing the designated "home" team back the ball at the Black Knights' 18-yard line. One play later North Texas had made it a 31-28 ballgame with 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
The Cadets had to punt early in the fourth quarter, handing North Texas the ball at midfield. Two plays later though the Black Knights were back on offense after Riley intercepted his second pass of the day at Army's 4-yard line.
The Black Knights then tried to milk some clock using an 18-play, 66-yard drive, which ate up 10:35 off the clock, but were unable to convert on 4th-and-4.
After taking over at its own 30, North Texas quickly moved the ball up the field using three-straight pass plays to get the ball into Army territory. The Black Knights stopped the Mean Green just short of a first down at the Army 20, forcing North Texas to kick a game-tying field goal and ultimately send the contest into overtime.
Army started with the ball first in the extra period and eventually worked it down to the North Texas three yard line. Unfortunately, the Black Knights were faced with 4th-and-goal. But the Cadets decided to go for it and it paid off as Asberry found the back of the end zone, handing Army the 38-31 edge.
North Texas opened its first offensive possession of overtime with a 4-yard rush to work the ball down to Army's 21-yard line. On the ensuing play, Timpf tackled Morris for a loss of 3 to push the ball back. The next two plays were huge as an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-9 set up a fourth down for the Mean Green.
With all eyes on the final play of the game, junior Rhyan England broke up a pass intended for Thaddeous Thompson to seal the victory. Raymond Wright was awarded a quarterback hurry on the play.