Army pulls in first home victory of the season, 24-7
If you watched the first half of the Army–Charlotte matchup, then you basically saw the story of the entire contest unfold.
So what did that first half look like?
Fast Start for the Black Knights
To begin with, Cale Hellums got the starting nod at quarterback, that saw him rush for over 100 yards in the 1st half and the Army defense set the tone early—holding Charlotte on its opening possession, highlighted by a strong sack from sophomore defensive lineman, Jack Bosom, who ultimately had a strong game.
That defensive stand opened the door for the Black Knights’ offense to do what it does best: control the clock and pound the football. Army answered with a 9-play, 80-yard touchdown drive, capped off with a score that gave them an early 7–0 lead.
Defense Holds the Line
On Charlotte’s next series, the Black Knights’ defense shifted into bend-but-don’t-break mode once again, forcing another stop.
However, with 3:33 left in the first quarter and Army facing 1st & 10 at their own 23-yard line, RB Hayden Reed coughed up the ball, giving Charlotte another chance.
Looking for momentum, the 49ers went for it on 4th & 2 at the Army 16-yard line—but safety Casey Larkin delivered a clutch hit that shut the door on Charlotte’s scoring hopes.
Classic Army Football
From there, Hellums and the offense went to work—featuring a committee of running backs including Briggs Bartosh, Carson Smith, and Jake Rendina. The Black Knights pieced together a vintage Army drive: 17 plays, 65 yards, and 10:51 of possession time, ending in another touchdown and a 14–0 lead.
Before halftime, kicker Dawson Jones connected on a 38-yard field goal, sending Army into the locker room with a 17–0 advantage.
First-Half By the Numbers
- Rushing yards: 209
- Time of possession: 17:19
- Turnovers: 1
Army’s first-half performance reflected the essence of its identity—ball control, physicality, and defensive discipline—and it was more than enough to dictate the pace of the game from start to finish.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Charlotte | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| Army | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Let’s turn the overall game analysis to GoBlackKnights.com Football Analyst, Joe Iacono.
Post-Game (Army-Charlotte) with Head Coach Jeff Monken (10/11/25)
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