Shutdown Likely to Postpone Navy-Air Force Championship Game

Navy's football team may have to wait for another game day to defend the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy if the government shutdown continues.

The Midshipmen are scheduled to face off against Air Force on Saturday in Annapolis before a sold-out crowd, but the clash may be postponed if Congress doesn't agree on a spending plan for the new fiscal year.

The Department of Defense suspended all intercollegiate athletic competitions at the three military academies, USA Today reports.

The suspension will last throughout the shutdown, and the Navy-Air Force game, which CBS had planned to air live, will be postponed, a source told the newspaper.

Troy Garnhart, an associate athletic director for Air Force, told The Capital Gazette in Annapolis that the Air Force Academy's upperclass cadets are military personnel and may be subject to travel restrictions during the shutdown.

"The Air Force Academy Falcons will attempt to play all home intercollegiate athletic contests, but those may be canceled as well," Garnhart said "Academy officials are working with Mountain West Conference officials, those teams the Falcons were scheduled to play and officials at the Department of the Air Force to make up as many games as possible."

Both teams will have time at season's end to make up the championship game.

Navy has a break from Nov. 22 through Dec. 14, when it faces Army. Meanwhile, the Air Force Academy's season ends Nov. 30, and the team likely will not be making an appearance in the Mountain West's debut conference championship game, as the Falcons already are 1-4 for the season.

If the shutdown continues, it could also affect a handful of other games, including Army at Boston College on Saturday, Army at Temple on Oct. 19, Navy at Duke on Oct. 12, and Navy at Toledo on Oct. 19. Also, Army is scheduled to travel to Air Force on Nov. 2.