Navy Stuns No. 24 South Florida on Senior Day, 41–38

Navy earned its biggest win of the season on Senior Day in Annapolis, upsetting No. 24 South Florida 41–38 with strong runs, big plays through the air, and a final defensive stand that kept the Bulls from completing a late comeback. For head coach Brian Newberry, the effort was exactly what he had been waiting to see.

“I'm so proud of this football team. I told them after the game this is the team I've been waiting to see all year long and that's not to say that it was perfect, it certainly wasn't. What they did today is they came out and they competed, and that was the message this week. Just let it loose, compete your tails off, play for each other, play for the seniors.”

Navy has been at its best when starting fast, entering the game 6–0 this season when scoring first. They made it 7–0 by striking early. After forcing a South Florida punt, the Midshipmen moved the ball quickly, and fullback Alex Tecza broke free for a 76-yard touchdown run giving Navy a quick 7–0 lead. South Florida answered with a field goal, but Navy found another big play on its next long drive.

With the ball at the Navy 14, quarterback Blake Horvath threw the longest pass of his career—an 82-yard deep ball to Eli Heidenreich. The catch was also the longest of Heidenreich’s career and moved him into first place all-time in career receiving yards at Navy. An ensuing short run by Brandon Chatman on the next play made it 14–3 going into the second quarter.

South Florida cut the lead to 14–9 with a touchdown pass from Byrum Brown, but Navy answered again. Horvath completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tecza to push the lead back to 21–9. Moments later, defensive back Phillip Hamilton grabbed his second interception of the year to stop a Bulls drive near midfield. Navy used the next possession to set up a 44-yard field goal from Nathan Kirkwood, stretching the lead to 24–9.

South Florida tried to rally late in the half, driving inside the Navy 35, but the Mids stopped a fourth-and-one run to keep the lead at 15 points going into halftime.

The Bulls opened the second half with a touchdown run to make it 24–16. Navy answered with a defensive stop and eventually added a 31-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to go up 27–16. Only one play later, South Florida tightened the game again when Brown ran 60 yards for a touchdown and added a two-point conversion to cut Navy’s lead to 27–24.

Horvath then had to leave the game briefly with leg cramps, bringing in Braxton Woodson. Woodson took over and immediately helped settle the offense. He led an eight-play drive that ended with his first touchdown—a 20-yard run that made it 34–24. South Florida came back with another touchdown to get within 34–30 after a missed extra point.

On the next possession, Woodson came through again. He kept the ball on a zone read and broke into the open field for a 64-yard touchdown run, giving Navy a 41–30 lead and finishing the day with 103 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

South Florida refused to go away. Brown led a quick drive ending with a 41-yard touchdown pass and another two-point conversion to make it 41–38 with under two minutes left. The Bulls attempted an onside kick, but Navy recovered it. The Midshipmen ran the ball on the final plays to close out the win and send their seniors off with a strong finish in their last home game.

Horvath ended the day with 207 total yards, including the 82-yard pass to Heidenreich. Heidenreich recorded 146 receiving yards and reached another career milestone. Tecza added 126 rushing yards and two touchdowns. On defense, Coleman Cauley and MarcAnthony Parker combined for 21 tackles, and Hamilton’s interception helped stall South Florida’s momentum in the first half.

Navy improves to 8–2 and now prepares for a road trip to Memphis on Thanksgiving night. South Florida, now 7–3, travels to face UAB next week. 

Navy and South Florida Battle at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

South Florida heads to Navy on Saturday for a key conference matchup that could shape the American Athletic Conference standings. Both teams are 7-2 and part of a tight race at the top, with only one league loss each. Kickoff is at noon in Annapolis.

USF comes in with one of the best offenses in the country, averaging 42 points per game. Quarterback Byrum Brown has been the Bulls’ star all season. He has thrown for more than 2,200 yards and run for over 700, making him one of the most dangerous dual-threat players in college football. Last week against UTSA, Brown led USF to a 55–23 win by piling up 348 total yards in just over one half of action. The Bulls have also been very strong on the ground, rushing for more than 235 yards in six straight games.

Navy will counter with its own strong running attack. The Midshipmen lead the nation in rushing, gaining over 300 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Blake Horvath has rushed for more than 100 yards in six straight games and directs an offense built on long drives and ball control. Navy is 5-0 at home this season and has been tough to beat in Annapolis.

The teams have split their last two meetings. Navy beat USF 28–7 last year in Tampa, while the Bulls won in Annapolis in 2023. USF has usually played well when it can score early and speed up the game, while Navy prefers to slow things down and limit possessions. That contrast in styles will be a big factor on Saturday.

With both teams fighting for a spot in the conference championship game, this matchup carries extra weight. USF is trying to stay on track for its first league title, while Navy hopes to finish the regular season unbeaten at home. It should be one of the most important games of the weekend in the American.

 

Navy Looks to Remain Undefeated Against Florida Atlantic

Navy will try to stay unbeaten and extend one of the longest winning streaks in the country when it hosts Florida Atlantic on Saturday afternoon at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

The Midshipmen, 6–0 overall and 4–0 in the American Conference, face the Owls, who are 3–4 and 2–2 in league play. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. Navy has won nine straight games dating back to last season, tied for the second-longest active streak in the nation. A win would give the Mids their first 7–0 start since 1978.

Saturday’s matchup features a clash of styles. Navy leads the nation in rushing with an average of 305 yards per game. Senior quarterback Blake Horvath has been the driving force, rushing for more than 100 yards in four straight games while ranking among the most efficient passers in the country. Horvath has eight rushing touchdowns and has given the Mids a consistent spark in close wins over Air Force and Temple.

Senior receiver Eli Heidenreich has been one of the team’s biggest playmakers. He holds the school record for career receiving touchdowns with 14 and averages more than 21 yards per catch. His 243-yard, three-touchdown performance against Air Force earlier this month was the best receiving day in Navy history.

Florida Atlantic relies on the pass. Under first-year head coach Zach Kittley, the youngest head coach in the FBS at 34, the Owls run an Air Raid offense led by quarterback Caden Veltkamp, who leads the nation in completions per game. His favorite target, Easton Messer, tops the NCAA in receptions per game, while receiver Jayshon Platt ranks among the national leaders in all-purpose yards.

The Owls are celebrating their 25th season of football and are looking for their first win over Navy in three tries. A victory would give Kittley his fourth career win and the program its second-ever victory over a service academy. Linebacker Tyler Stolsky leads the FAU defense with back-to-back double-digit tackle games.

Navy has won its last three Homecoming games and hasn’t lost one since 2021. The Mids have also won 76 straight home games when leading after three quarters, the longest streak in the country. With bowl eligibility already secured and momentum building in conference play, Navy will try to keep its perfect record intact and continue one of the most impressive runs in program history.

Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Saturday on CBS Sports Network.

 

Heidenreich’s Record-Breaking Day Lifts Navy Past Air Force

Eli Heidenreich etched his name into Navy football history on Saturday, while Blake Horvath delivered a career performance to lead the Midshipmen to a dramatic 34-31 win over rival Air Force before 37,517 fans - the 10th-largest crowd in Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium history.

Heidenreich tied and then broke the program’s single-season touchdown receptions record with a pair of spectacular long scoring plays, finishing with eight catches for 243 yards and three touchdowns. Horvath was equally dominating, passing for 339 yards and three scores while rushing for 130 yards and another touchdown, accounting for 469 yards of total offense.

“I thought Blake (Horvath) was tremendous today,” Navy head coach Brian Newberry said. “Eli Heidenreich played out of his mind. He's a special player. He had a bunch of records today. I thought we offensively did some really, really good things today outside of the penalties and outside of the one turnover. Proud of our guys. Great to get a win. Again, hats off to Air Force. Couldn't have more respect for those guys.”

Eli Heidenreich

The Midshipmen struck quickly on their opening possession. On the very first play, Horvath found Heidenreich streaking down the middle for a 36-yard gain, setting the tone for the afternoon. Navy moved inside the 25 but stalled, settling for a 39-yard field goal by Nathan Kirkwood for an early 3–0 lead.

Air Force responded immediately with a 75-yard
drive capped by Liam Szarka’s 7-yard touchdown run. The drive’s opening play - a 61-yard keeper by Szarka - was the longest run surrendered by Navy this season and marked the third time this year the defense allowed points on the opponent’s opening drive.

Navy’s next drive ended in disaster when Horvath fumbled on a 14-yard scramble, giving the Falcons a short field. But Jacob Medina missed a 35-yard field goal, allowing Navy to dodge further damage.

Trailing 10-3 midway through the second quarter, Horvath engineered two quick-strike scoring drives. First, after a 43-yard kick return by Isaiah Bryant set up Navy near midfield, Horvath connected with Nathan Kent for 36 yards and then hit Heidenreich on a 19-yard scoring strike to tie the game at 10.

Blake Horvath

Minutes later, after Air Force punted, Horvath found Heidenreich over the middle, and the senior sprinted 80 yards to the end zone. That score gave Navy a 17-10 lead with 4:02 left in the half and tied Heidenreich with the school record of 13 touchdown receptions.

Defensively, Landon Robinson and Julien Moutome combined for a sack late in the half to stop a Falcon drive and preserve the lead heading into the locker room.

Air Force came out of halftime and marched 70 yards on nine plays. Szarka scored his second rushing touchdown from a yard out to tie the game at 17. The sophomore quarterback was a dual-threat all day, finishing with 152 rushing yards and 249 passing yards with two touchdowns through the air.

Navy answered with its most methodical drive of the day. Starting from their own 3-yard line, Horvath led an eight-play, 97-yard drive, capped by his 59-yard touchdown run. Kirkwood’s extra point made it 24–17.

The Falcons weren’t done. Szarka completed a 37-yard pass to Bruin Fleischmann to set up an 18-yard touchdown strike on the opening play of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 24-24.

On the ensuing drive, Horvath and Heidenreich delivered again. Facing 2nd-and-long from their own 29, Horvath dropped back and connected with Heidenreich who raced 60 yards for his record-breaking 14th touchdown reception, giving Navy a 31-24 lead with 12:55 remaining.

Air Force answered two minutes later when Szarka found Jonah Dawson for a 53-yard touchdown, knotting the score at 31-31.

With the game on the line, Navy’s offense drove 60 yards in nine plays. Kirkwood’s 34-yard field goal with 6:47 left proved to be the difference.

From there, Navy’s defense delivered the crucial stop. Robinson’s penetration on first down set the tone, and Navy forced a fumble at the Falcon 49 with 3:07 left. The Midshipmen drained the remaining clock to seal their fifth win of the season.

Robinson finished with 1.5 sacks, while Luke Pirris led the defense with 12 tackles. Navy’s front line held Air Force scoreless on its final two drives after the teams traded scores on five consecutive possessions.

In addition to the action on the field, the Brigade of Midshipmen set a new Guinness World Record during the game, with 3,068 people doing pushups simultaneously for one minute, breaking the Air Force Academy’s previous mark of 2,926 set in 2023.

With the victory, Navy improved to 5–0 and retained control of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy race. The Midshipmen will travel to Philadelphia next week to face Temple. Air Force (1–4) travels to Las Vegas to battle UNLV.

Navy and Air Force Ready to Battle

Navy and Air Force continue one of college football’s traditional rivalries on Saturday when they meet at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis in the first leg of the 2025 Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy series. The sold-out matchup will air nationally on CBS.

 

The Midshipmen (4-0, 3-0 AAC) enter riding a seven-game winning streak dating back to last season — tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the FBS. Navy’s powerful rushing game leads the nation at 352.3 yards per game, led by senior quarterback Blake Horvath, who set program records last year and has guided Navy to four straight games of 450+ yards of offense. Horvath rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns in Navy’s 34-7 win at Air Force last season.

 

Air Force (1-3, 0-3 Mountain West) has dropped three straight but still leads the all-time series 34-23, including a 17-6 victory in its last visit to Annapolis in 2023. The Falcons are honoring the F-16 Fighting Falcon with special Air Power Legacy Series uniforms for this year’s game.

 

The Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, awarded annually to the winner of the round-robin series between Army, Navy and Air Force, has often hinged on this matchup. In 40 of the 53 years the trophy has been awarded, the winner of the Navy-Air Force game has gone on to claim it. Navy, the defending CIC champion, has won the trophy 12 times in the last 22 years.

 

Head coach Brian Newberry has the Midshipmen off to their best start since 1978-79. A victory Saturday would make him 20-10 in his first 30 games, the best start by a Navy coach since Wayne Hardin. Meanwhile, Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun looks to rally his team behind a high-powered offense that ranks seventh nationally in rushing (254.3 ypg) and first in yards per completion (21.6).

 

Saturday’s pre-game festivities will add some extra excitement. The Brigade of Midshipmen will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most people doing pushups simultaneously for one minute. The current record belongs to Air Force, which set the mark in 2023 when 2,926 participants performed pushups to cadence. The Naval Academy is aiming to top that with a target of 3,300 participants on Saturday, adding a spirited twist to the rivalry before kickoff.

 

The day will also include the traditional March-On of the Brigade of Midshipmen and a flyover featuring F/A-18F Super Hornets, an EA-18G Growler and an F-35B Lightning.

 

Kickoff is set for 12:08 p.m. ET.