Government shutdown could halt Air Force-Navy game

College football may end up being penalized because of the narrow-minded stubbornness of politicians in Washington, D.C. and their own little game on Capital Hill.

Air Force associate athletic director Troy Garnhart confirmed to the Capital Gazette that there “is a possibility” the game against Navy in Annapolis may not be played Saturday due to the government shutdown.  The Gazette wrote “upper-class cadets at the Air Force Academy are considered military personnel, which means they could be subject to travel restrictions under the shutdown.”

An email seeking comment from Navy on the possibility of the shutdown forcing the postponement/cancellation of the game between the two service academies has yet to be returned.

The paper reports that there should be some clarity regarding the game and if it will go off as scheduled later on today.

The longest government shutdown came in 1995 and lasted 21 days.  The good news for Air Force is that they don’t have another road game scheduled after this weekend until a Nov. 8 trip to New Mexico. Experts say this shutdown could last for weeks.

One thing that isn’t clear, and what we’re attempting to clarify, is whether Army and Navy upperclassmen fall into the same category as the upper-class cadets at the Air Force Academy.  If so, the shutdown could impact a handful of those games in the next month: Army at Boston College this Saturday; Army at Temple Oct. 19; Navy at Duke Oct. 12; and Navy at Navy at Toledo Oct. 19.