Previewing sporting events in 2020 more than a few hours before start time is a risky proposition, but as of Dec. 9, Saturday’s Army-Navy rivalry showdown is a go.

So let’s get caught up: From the twists and turns of a coronavirus-cluttered season to a brief history lesson on some standout moments in the series, here’s what you need to know:

The Basics: The Army Black Knights (7-2) host the Navy Midshipmen (3-6) at 3 p.m. Eastern on Saturday at Michie Stadium, on the campus of the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. The game airs on CBS-TV, and West Point also will host ESPN’s College GameDay pregame show, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon Eastern.

The Fans: Only the Corps of Cadets and the Brigade of Midshipmen will be in the stands, per reports, with one notable exception – President Donald Trump, who attended the 2018 and 2019 Army-Navy clashes in Philadelphia while president and the 2016 game while president-elect.

The Site: West Point has hosted three Army-Navy games, and the visiting Midshipmen have won every one of them, including a series-opening 24-0 shutout victory on “The Plain” in 1890 and a 12-4 win at the same place in 1892. Touchdowns were worth four points at the time.

In 1943, the Mids blanked Army 13-0 at West Point, the last time the game wasn’t played on a neutral site. The year before in Annapolis, Md., about 1,500 members of the Brigade of Midshipmen were ordered to cheer for Army, as wartime travel restrictions prevented cadets from attending. The team’s mascot had to stay home, too, so an Annapolis-area mule took over. It didn’t go well for the mule or for the visitors – Navy won 14-0.

Judging by some overhead shots of the Michie Stadium field making the rounds on social media, West Point stands ready to welcome its rivals with open arms.

The History: Navy leads the series 61-52-7 and broke a three-year Army win streak in 2019 with a 31-7 victory in Philadelphia.

Under Armour's design team calls the blue-and-white pattern on the Navy Midshipmen's 2020 Army-Navy uniforms "Ocean Camo." (Navy Athletics photo)

The Uniforms: Army will honor the soldiers of the 25th Infantry Division with its gear; learn more about the uniforms and the history behind them at this link. Navy’s uniforms celebrate the academy’s 175th year with a marble-and-gold motif.

Army's 2020 uniforms pay tribute to the service of the "Tropic Lightning" Division during the Korean War. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Army Athletic Communications via Army)

The Year So Far: Haven’t been following the coronavirus-induced craziness of college football scheduling this season? This should give you some idea of what the year’s been like:

• For the first time ever, Army will play Air Force after facing Navy to settle the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. That game takes place Dec. 19; the teams were supposed to meet Nov. 7, but COVID-19 cases at the U.S. Air Force Academy led to a postponement. Army would claim the trophy with back-to-back wins, Air Force takes it with a win over the Black Knights, and 2019 winner Navy keeps the hardware with a win over West Point and an Army victory over Air Force.
• Navy’s season-opening rivalry game against Notre Dame, initially slated to take place in Ireland, was moved to Annapolis, then canceled outright. Navy then added a season-opening game against BYU and lost it, 55-3.
• Army’s entire schedule all but evaporated when many of its opponents announced plans to postpone their seasons or reshuffle their travel plans to accommodate new conference schedules or restrictions. Games against Bucknell, Rice, Oklahoma, Miami (Ohio), Princeton, Eastern Michigan, Buffalo, UMass, and UConn scheduled at the start of the season were never played, the Air Force game was moved, and even a late add of BYU was scratched after a COVID-19 flareup. Aside from Navy, the only game on Army’s original schedule that stuck was a trip to Tulane on Nov. 14; Army lost, 38-12.

Get Pumped: Finding it tough to ignite the rivalry spirit? Check out MOAA’s 2019 Army-Navy “superfans” video to get motivated: