- - Army vs Navy 2025 uniforms: Explaining jerseys for 126th meeting

Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAYDecember 13, 2025 at 5:05 AM

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Army vs. Navy is one of the most special games in all of college football, and one element that makes it such a spectacle is the uniforms worn by each program.

The Black Knights and Midshipmen — continuing a tradition that first started in 2008 and has been repeated every year since 2012 — wear alternate uniforms to mark the occasion between the service academies. They aren't just uniforms, but rather a piece of storytelling that tells the history of the respective United States military.

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That remains true for the 126th edition of the game, with both teams wearing similar themes to honor the 250th anniversary of their respective branches. It's a yearslong, secretive process. But each and every year they not only wow viewers, but also pay great tribute to those who sacrifice their lives for the United States.

"The cool thing is that everything on the uniform has a reason," Army director of football equipment Thomas Cancalosi told USA TODAY Sports.

Here's what to know about the uniforms for the 2025 Army vs. Navy Game:

Navy uniforms for Army-Navy Game

Navy's uniforms centers on the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy. It is inspired by the USS Constitution, the only remaining of the six frigates that made up the first fleet of the branch. Here is how the frigate is weaved into the design:

Washed blue uniform: uniform of sailors.

Copper helmet: represents the copper sheathing of the ship, the tradition of coins being placed under the mast and the Save "Old Ironsides" Campaign in 1924, when students across the country donated pennies to fund the restoration of the USS Constitution.

Stone: The color of the sails that propelled the USS Constitution.

Nautical Navy: Symbolic of "Old Ironsides" hull color.

Heritage Red: Color of the USS Constitution cannon carriages.

Navy's uniform for the 2025 Army-Navy Game, which honors the 250th anniversary of the United States Navy.

Other elements include the American flag on the left sleeve of the jersey to honor USS Constitution's undefeated battle record (meaning it never lowered its flag). On the upper back of the jersey, the eagle and six stars mimic the decoration of the USS Constitution's stern.

Colby Smith, Under Armour graphic designer for team sports, was part of the uniform design and noted there are some Easter eggs incorporated into the uniform's design. On the sleeves and collar of the jersey, for example, are six ropes to represent the original six frigates. Then, there are a total of 250 knots on the jersey to represent 250 years of the U.S. Navy.

On the pants are 63 knots on each side of the pant leg to represent the 63 wins Navy has over Army. When you combined the amount of knots, it equals 126: the number of meetings Navy-Army will have, including the 2025 game.

"Our team put extensive care into the craftsmanship, testing and development process to ensure that all of the historical details were accurate while still delivering on a modern kind of take," Smith said.

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Army uniforms for Army-Navy Game

Similarly, Army is honoring the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. The overall theme, according to Cancalosi, is "service and sacrifice."

"It truly represents all of the soldiers that have served and sacrificed in our army for 250 years," Cancalosi said.

The uniform has several different nods to the history of the branch. Notable aspects include:

Marble print uniform color: Nod to marble headstones at Arlington National Cemetery, representing "the sacrifice of generations of soldiers who have upheld the Army's values and given their last full measure of devotion to their nation."

Constitution typography: The typography of the uniform matches the styles of the U.S. Constitution.

U.S. Army seal: The seal of the U.S. Army adorned the helmet.

Purple number outline: The numbers of the uniform are outlined in purple, which refers to George Washington's military badge of merit, which eventually became the Purple Heart.

This We'll Defend.https://t.co/QlUpMO8tba pic.twitter.com/1e06plwjkI

— Army Football (@ArmyWP_Football) November 12, 2025

Cancalosi said the purple outline is his favorite part of the uniform and it "really pops" in-person.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Army vs Navy uniforms: Explaining jerseys for 2025 rivalry game

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