The 2018 Armed Forces Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 22, 2018. It was the 16th edition of the Armed Forces Bowl, and one of the 2018âÂÂ19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. The game was officially named the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl after its corporate sponsor Lockheed Martin. On December 18, it was announced that the game had officially sold out of tickets, the first such sellout in the Armed Forces Bowl's 16-year history.
Army's 70âÂÂ14 victory tied the then largest margin of victory in a bowl game, 56, set by Tulsa in the 2008 GMAC Bowl when they defeated Bowling Green 63âÂÂ7. Army's 70 points tied the record for most points in an FBS bowl game, set by West Virginia in the 2012 Orange Bowl, when they defeated Clemson 70âÂÂ33. The then-tied record of largest margin of victory in a bowl game would go on to be broken in the 2023 National Championship game, where Georgia would defeat TCU by a final score of 65âÂÂ7.
The bowl originally planned to invite teams from the Big 12 Conference and the American Athletic Conference (The American). When fourth-ranked Oklahoma was selected for the College Football Playoff, a Big 12 bowl tie-in was left open. Army, an FBS Independent, was selected to fill this opening, facing off with The American member Houston.
Army received and accepted a bid to the Armed Forces Bowl on December 2. The Black Knights subsequently won the ArmyâÂÂNavy Game on December 8, and entered the bowl with a 10âÂÂ2 record.
Houston received and accepted a bid to the Armed Forces Bowl on December 2. The Cougars entered the bowl with a 8âÂÂ4 record (5âÂÂ3 in conference).
NCAA FBS
Armed Forces Bowl
Army (football program)