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.
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