The schools by their nature, a Federal service academy and a public university, differ radically in terms of culture and lifestyle.

A former Terrapins linebacker, Jerry Fishman, believed that many Midshipmen "thought they were far superior to the Maryland redneck coal miners.

Maryland supporters long held that Navy players used unnecessary roughness during play, a charge counter-accused by the Academy after the 1963 game.

Some Midshipmen would travel to College Park to meet female students, which served to aggravate the ill feelings.

[3] On October 25, 1905, the team then known as the Maryland Agricultural "Farmers" (or "Aggies") traveled to Annapolis to meet the Navy "Admirals" for the first time.

The remainder was a defensive struggle, and Navy and Maryland advanced to the opposing one- and nine-yard lines, respectively, before being rebuffed.

[9][11] The Maryland administration put a halt to the series in 1934 amidst claims that Navy scored the winning go-ahead, 16–13, on an illegal play after reviewing game tape.

[3] Maryland agreed to fill in for Georgetown and hosted the Academy for the Byrd Stadium dedication game in front of a then Washington area-record crowd of 43,836 fans.

[14] Fearing a renewal of post-game mischief, the Midshipmen attending the match were given strict orders: "Behave like gentlemen and go straight home after the Maryland–Navy football game in College Park tomorrow.

"[3] Newspapers predicted that Navy would win the 1950 game due to the inexperience of the Maryland quarterbacks, who were led by 19-year-old sophomore Jack Scarbath.

Then, 54 seconds later, end Lew Weidensaul recovered a Midshipmen fumble, which allowed Ed Modzelewski to rush five yards for the final score by the Terrapins.

Midshipmen were caught in the act of painting the letter "N" on various buildings on the Maryland campus and defacing the grass with the Navy emblem.

[3] The prediction was off the mark, as first-year head coach Wayne Hardin and future Heisman-winning halfback Joe Bellino helped Navy to a victory, 22–14.

He instructed the Terrapins' quarterbacks coach Lee Corso to find a black player who was academically and athletically suited to come to College Park.

Corso had been impressed by Roger Staubach's preferred receiver, Darryl Hill, during a freshman match between Maryland and Navy, and had also heard a rumor that he was considering leaving the Naval Academy.

In 1962, Corso convinced Hill to transfer to Maryland, a school that had just 32 African-Americans in its 35,000 student body, and become the first black player in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Roger Staubach, Navy's Heisman Trophy quarterback, said that "it was not a friendly game ... Jerry [Fishman] did not have friendliness in his eyes.

"[3] After a punt return, Fishman was penalized for a hard hit that injured receiver Skip Orr directly in front of the Navy stands, intensifying the ever-present heckling from the crowd.

Years later, Bud Thalman, Navy sports information director at the time, said the incident had taken place "when there was still some level of sportsmanship in athletes ...

Maryland's head coach, Tom Nugent, had a different opinion and said, "Both teams appeared to be just a bunch of red-blooded guys trying to kill each other.

With less than three minutes remaining, the Midshipmen kicked off and halfback Ken Ambrusko fielded the ball from the Terrapins' endzone.

[21] In 1997, Maryland had a new head coach, Ron Vanderlinden, and he immediately saw that Navy was a natural rival for his team, but was unaware of the past history.

He had also coached for nine years as Georgia Tech's offensive coordinator, and he harbored nostalgic feelings for a rivalry with the passion of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate.

[5][25] In the next postseason, Maryland declined an invitation to face Navy in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina.

According to Maryland athletic director Deborah Yow and coach Friedgen, the decision was based on the players' preference, a bigger school pay-out, warmer weather, a Big Ten opponent, and more media exposure.

[26] In 2008, Navy accepted a bid to play an ACC team in the inaugural EagleBank Bowl at Washington D.C.'s RFK Stadium.

The delay in scheduling was attributed to the need for a three-way contract between Maryland, Navy, and the stadium tenants, the Baltimore Ravens.

[37] The bowl "rests atop a mahogany base", engraved with "the results of the twenty previous Maryland-Navy games", which reach back to the rivalry's origin in 1905.