Bryson Daily and No. 19 Army spent much of this season playing with a lead.
However, in Saturday’s heavy loss to Navy, the Black Knights found themselves in an unfamiliar situation as they were behind after the first possession and never caught up, losing 31-13, which cost them the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy.
Daily, who finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting this year, was held to a season-low 53 yards rushing and threw a career-high three interceptions for Army (11-2), who had won the American Athletic Conference title just a week earlier.
“I turned the ball over too much,” Daily said. “That’s how you lose games. Giving the other team the ball and not hitting big plays when you need them.”
The senior quarterback had thrown only one interception all season before this game.
After Army fell behind 7-0 in the second quarter, Daily’s first interception set up a short field for Navy, which scored three plays later.
Daily, who had rushed for 1,480 yards and 29 touchdowns in 11 games, brought Army closer, cutting the deficit to 14-7 with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Reed with 6:29 left in the first half.
“We had some turnovers,” Army coach Jeff Monken said. “We forced some throws a couple of times and that’s not Bryson’s fault. He’s just trying to make a play. He missed some opportunities.”
Army was only able to score two field goals in the second half, while Daily continued to struggle to move the ball, both through the air and on the ground. The only other time this season that Daily didn’t rush for at least 100 yards was in the season opener against Lehigh.
Daily finished 7 of 16 for 65 yards. It was the third time this season that Daily attempted more than 10 passes.
Army had three drives in the fourth quarter. Daily threw interceptions on two of them.
“I made too many mistakes,” Daily said. “Too many bad decisions especially late in the game I felt myself pressing. That led to bad decisions. We just can’t put ourselves in a hole early to where we have to rely on the pass like that.”
Daily’s third interception with 3:35 left was Army’s final offensive play.
