Army ends Navy's 14-game streak (Army 21, Navy 17)

The 2016 Army–Navy Game, played on December 10, 2016, had added stakes because Navy had won the previous 14 meetings dating back to 2002 [5][6]. Army entered the game under head coach Jeff Monken, whose system and program improvements were credited in coverage with returning competitiveness to West Point [6]. Army won the contest 21–17, handing Navy its first loss in the series since 2001 and snapping the 14-game streak that had defined the rivalry in the early 21st century [5][2]. Specific game details include Army's effective running attack and defensive stands in critical moments; contemporary reporting cited Army's control of key possessions and an ability to limit Navy's signature triple-option effectiveness at decisive junctures [6][2]. The final score — Army 21, Navy 17 — immediately rewrote the modern narrative of the rivalry, shifting momentum toward Army and validating Monken's program-building approach [5][6].

Ending a 14-game streak is rare in any longstanding rivalry; Army's 2016 victory altered public and institutional perceptions of the two programs. The win reestablished Army as a contender in the rivalry, buoyed recruiting and morale at West Point, and demonstrated that sustained program building under Monken could overcome Navy's long run of success [5][6]. For Navy, the loss closed a dominant chapter and began a period of reassessment about how to regain consistent superiority.

In the immediate aftermath, Army celebrated the end of Navy's streak as a milestone for Monken's tenure and the program's trajectory, while Navy examined tactical and roster adjustments to respond in subsequent seasons [5][6]. The result is commonly cited in modern Army–Navy histories as the turning point that restored competitive balance after more than a decade of Navy dominance; it also set up future competitive matches including the closely contested games of the late 2010s and early 2020s [2].