'The Forward Pass Is Communist' — Army student's sign steals the show as running remains their weapon

Ahead of the matchup against Air Force at West Point, an Army student's sign caught everyone's eye in front of Fox's Big Noon Kickoff cameras. It read: 'The Forward Pass is Communist.'

Former football star Mark Ingram II noticed the sign, walked over and chest-bumped the student. The moment quickly became a talking point.

Army football has made the running game its identity. The Black Knights treat the forward pass almost like something un-American — moving the ball on the ground is their philosophy instead of throwing it through the air.

Through eight games of the 2026 season, Army leads the entire FBS in rushing yards per game at 342.5. In those eight games they have run for 2,740 yards on 431 carries — an average of 53.9 rushes per game.

They average 6.4 yards per carry and have scored 31 rushing touchdowns. The numbers alone show how one-dimensional — and how effective — Army's offense is.

The passing picture is the exact opposite. Army ranks 137th out of 138 FBS teams in passing yards per game, at just 69.1. They have attempted only 85 passes all season, 10.6 per game, the second-fewest in the country behind Air Force.

Against 31 rushing touchdowns, they have thrown for only four. Nearly 83 percent of their offensive plays have come on the ground.

Quarterback keepers, fullback dives and option pitches — this old-school, physical football grinds down opposing defenses, dominates time of possession and keeps the clock moving.

On Saturday, Army (5-3) hosts Air Force (6-2) at Michie Stadium in West Point, New York. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

The matchup is part of the annual Commander-in-Chief's Trophy competition. Army is looking for a fourth consecutive victory over the Falcons, in a battle featuring the nation's top two rushing offenses.

During the show, Fox's Tom Rinaldi also shared the story of former Army quarterback Chad Jenkins, who carried the lessons he learned at West Point into service and beyond football.

While most college programs are obsessed with throwing the ball all over the field, Army's philosophy is much simpler — why throw the football when you can run it down your opponent's throat?