Navy’s Dominant Ground Game and Opportunistic Defense Propel Mids Past USF, 28-7

Tampa, FL — On a sunny afternoon at Raymond James Stadium, the Navy Midshipmen got back to their winning ways, overcoming two consecutive losses with a solid 28-7 victory over South Florida. Navy’s ground game amassed 321 rushing yards, while the defense forced multiple critical stops, shutting out USF for three quarters and allowing only a late game touchdown.

The Midshipmen scored on four drives and relied on their dominating defense to keep USF's offense from putting points on the board. 

Navy wasted no time in setting the tone. Just minutes into the game, running back Eli Heidenreich broke loose for a 60-yard touchdown run, putting Navy up 7-0. Navy’s defense then capitalized on an interception by Kyle Jacob, giving the Midshipmen excellent field position.

Navy turned the turnover into points with an efficient, 13-play, 79-yard drive capped off by Brandon Chatman’s 20-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 14-0.

The second quarter saw a defensive battle, with Navy forcing multiple punts while controlling the clock. Just before halftime, Navy's sophomore cornerback, Ira Oniha intercepted a Bryce Archie pass and returned the ball 36 yards to the Navy 47 yard line. 

The Navy offense struck quickly with a quick two-play drive, highlighted by a 38-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Blake Horvath to Alex Tecza, sending Navy into the half with a commanding 21-0 lead.

The third quarter was a defensive showcase for Navy. South Florida struggled to find any rhythm, gaining just 14 yards on the ground in the quarter. Navy’s defensive front, led by Landon Robinson and Luke Pirris, shut down the USF offense.

Navy continued to dominate possession in the fourth quarter. Horvath capped an impressive 13-play, 87-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run, increasing Navy’s lead to 28-0 and put the game out of reach.

USF managed to avoid the shutout with a late score as Archie connected with Michael Brown-Stephens for a 13-yard touchdown. 

Heidenreich sparked Navy’s offense finishing the day with 84 yards on six carries, averaging an impressive 14 yards per carry and one touchdown.  Horvath completed 6 of 11 passes for 58 yards and a touchdown while adding 56 rushing yards on 19 carries, including his 10-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Landon Robinson and MarcAnthony Parker anchored Navy’s defensive front, combining for three sacks and consistent pressure throughout the game, limiting USF to just 60 rushing yards on 25 attempts.

With the win, Navy improves to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the American Athletic Conference, maintaining their third-place standing and positioning themselves as contenders for the AAC Championship Game. 

Navy hosts conference rival Tulane, next Saturday and Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium at Noon.

Turnovers Costly as Notre Dame Rolls Past Navy, 51-14

East Rutherford, NJ — At MetLife Stadium on Saturday, the Navy Midshipmen’s hopes for a marquee win were crushed by a series of costly turnovers, as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish capitalized on six Navy miscues en route to a dominant 51-14 victory. Despite Navy’s strong start to the season, their seven fumbles—five of which were lost—and one interception proved too much to overcome against a talented Notre Dame squad that executed on both sides of the ball.

“Obviously, really disappointed with the outcome,” said Navy head coach Brian Newberry. “We were really excited about this one, and our kids believed that we could win. You know, I did too. Having said that, I knew that we were gonna have to play extremely well. We were gonna have to be at our best in all three phases, and we obviously were not today.”

Notre Dame (7-1) wasted no time taking control. On their opening drive, quarterback Riley Leonard engineered a 75-yard march downfield, capped by his own 1-yard rushing touchdown, putting the Irish up 7-0 just four and a half minutes into the game.

Navy’s first offensive possession started with promise but ended in disaster when Alex Tecza lost a fumble at the Navy 35-yard line. Notre Dame quickly capitalized, with Leonard finding wide receiver Kris Mitchell for a 6-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-0 by the end of the first quarter.

Navy finally found some rhythm early in the second quarter. Quarterback Blake Horvath broke free on a 47-yard touchdown run, cutting Notre Dame’s lead to 14-7. But the momentum was short-lived. On the ensuing drive, Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love broke loose for a 64-yard touchdown run, re-establishing a two-score lead at 21-7.

Later in the quarter, Navy’s offensive woes continued. After a promising drive, Nathan Kirkwood missed a 40-yard field goal attempt. Notre Dame took advantage of the miscue, with Love punching in his second touchdown of the game from two yards out. A late field goal from Zac Yoakam extended the Fighting Irish lead to 31-7 at halftime.

The Midshipmen opened the second half with a determined drive. Eli Heidenreich capped a 12-play, 75-yard series with a 1-yard rushing touchdown, trimming Notre Dame’s lead to 31-14. But Navy’s hopes of a comeback faded soon after. Notre Dame responded with another touchdown drive, as Leonard connected with Beaux Collins on a 37-yard touchdown pass, making it 38-14.

The game took a decisive turn on Navy’s next drive when Horvath fumbled at his own goal line, and Notre Dame’s Jaylen Sneed recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown. The score jumped to 44-14, and Notre Dame’s defense seemed unstoppable.

“I think we went five games without turning the football over, and turned it over six times today. It put us in a bad position on defense, quite a bit,” Newberry shared after the game.

With a comfortable lead, Notre Dame controlled the tempo in the final quarter. After Navy’s last turnover—a Luke Hutchison interception—the Irish went on another scoring drive, capped by Kedren Young’s 4-yard rushing touchdown to seal the final score at 51-14.

The Midshipmen’s offensive, which had been effective all season, struggled against Notre Dame’s dominating defense. The Irish held Navy to just 88 passing yards and forced six turnovers. Navy’s costly turnovers repeatedly set up Notre Dame in prime scoring position, which the Irish capitalized on efficiently.

Despite the loss, Coach Newberry remained proud of his team’s season-long effort, though he acknowledged the lessons to be learned from Saturday’s defeat. “Hats off to Notre Dame. It’s a really, really good football team, and they were a better football team today in every way,” Newberry said. “But I love this football team. I love these players. I'm still really proud of them. We talked about it's only a failure if you don't learn from it and grow from it.”

Next week Notre Dame has a bye week while Navy travels to Rice.

Navy vs. Charlotte Highlights

 

Navy Remains Undefeated and Cruises Past Charlotte, 51-17

Annapolis, MD — The Navy Midshipmen remained undefeated with a commanding 51-17 victory over Charlotte on Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, with the defense leading the way in a game full of big plays. Navy set the tone early, thanks to three first-quarter touchdowns from Alex Tecza and an opportunistic defense that scored twice and set up four other scores.

Brian Newberry

Navy head coach Brian Newberry was proud of his team’s all-around performance, especially the defensive effort: "I was really proud of the way we played on the defense side of football today. We were super opportunistic. Scored twice, and we set up four other scores. The first quarter was really wild."

Navy came out of the gates quickly, capitalizing on both sides of the ball. On Navy’s opening drive, quarterback Blake Horvath found running back Alex Tecza for a 46-yard touchdown pass to put the Midshipmen ahead just two minutes into the game. It was the first of three touchdowns Tecza would score in a dominant first quarter.

After forcing a Charlotte punt, Navy struck again, with Tecza rumbling into the end zone on a 12-yard carry to cap a five-play, 50-yard drive. Minutes later, linebacker Kyle Jacob grabbed his first career interception, setting Navy up deep in Charlotte territory. Tecza capitalized on the turnover with a 2-yard touchdown run, making it 21-0 before the game was barely 10 minutes old.

Jacob wasn’t finished, as he recovered a fumble on Charlotte’s next possession, once again giving Navy prime field position. The Midshipmen added a 22-yard field goal from Nathan Kirkwood to end the quarter with a 24-0 lead.

The Navy field goal was the first time this season that the Midshipmen did not score a touchdown when entering the red zone.  The Mids were 20 for 20 going into the drive.

The second quarter saw more fireworks from Navy’s defense. After Cody Howard’s 11-yard touchdown reception made it 31-0, cornerback Dashaun Peele intercepted Charlotte quarterback Max Brown and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown. Peele’s interception return was the first of two on the day, setting a Navy record for the most interception touchdowns in a single game.

Dashaun Peele

"The first pick that Dashaun had, we were in zero blitz. He had eyes on the quarterback where they should be," Newberry said. "He read the play and jumped the route. And then the second one was a great play and just a fantastic return."

Charlotte finally got on the board with a 39-yard field goal by Stephen Rusnak, followed by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Brown to O'Mega Blake just before halftime, but Navy still held a commanding 38-10 lead at the break.

Charlotte attempted to mount a comeback early in the third quarter, but Navy’s defense held strong. After Horvath connected with Brandon Chatman for a 19-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 44-10, Charlotte responded with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Duane Thomas Jr., cutting the deficit to 44-17.

Just when Charlotte appeared to gain some momentum, Peele struck again. Late in the third quarter, Peele picked off Brown for the second time, returning the interception 84 yards for a touchdown. It was Peele’s second interception return for a score, setting a Navy single-game record for most pick-sixes.

With the game well in hand, Navy’s defense continued to frustrate Charlotte in the final quarter, holding the 49ers scoreless. Charlotte drove deep into Navy territory late in the game, but the Midshipmen defense held firm, forcing a turnover on downs to end the threat.

For Navy, the win not only secured bowl eligibility but also continued their perfect season. "I’m so proud of these guys," said Newberry. "Hadn't won six games around here since 2019, and that makes us bowl eligible, which is huge. It’s a great reward for our players. And you know, we're not satisfied with that, obviously, but it's good to get to that sixth win, and first time we're 6-0 since 1979."

Navy will host Notre Dame next Saturday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  The kickoff is at Noon and will be televised on ABC. Charlotte travels to Memphis.

Horvath Leads Navy Past Memphis in Offensive Shootout, 56-44

Annapolis, MD — Navy head coach Brian Newberry said it best after the Midshipmen’s exciting 56-44 victory over visiting Memphis on Saturday, “I’m exhausted, physically and emotionally.” In a high-scoring affair at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, quarterback Blake Horvath was unstoppable, accounting for six total touchdowns in a game that saw momentum swing wildly between both teams.

"I couldn’t be more proud of our players," Newberry added. "They deserve a win like this. It’s a monumental win for our program and the things we want to do."

Navy’s offensive firepower proved too much for the Tigers, as Horvath rushed for 211 yards and four touchdowns while throwing for 192 yards and two more scores. Memphis, led by quarterback Seth Henigan, did everything they could to stay in the game, but it was a fourth-quarter interception return for a touchdown by Rayuan Lane that ultimately sealed the victory.

Memphis struck first, marching 65 yards on their opening possession to take a 7-0 lead. Running back Mario Anderson Jr. capped the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run, setting the tone for what would be a back-and-forth battle.

But Navy wasn’t about to be outdone. Horvath quickly responded, leading the Midshipmen down the field on a 77-yard drive that ended with his own 5-yard rushing touchdown, tying the game at 7-7.

Memphis answered immediately with a 57-yard touchdown run from Brandon Thomas, retaking the lead at 14-7 late in the first quarter.

The second quarter belonged to Navy. Just 14 seconds into the quarter, Horvath connected with wide receiver Eli Heidenreich on a 39-yard touchdown pass to tie the game once again at 14-14. After a Memphis three-and-out, the Midshipmen went back to work, this time capping a 52-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown run from Brandon Chatman to take a 21-14 lead.

Though Memphis managed to add a field goal after a methodical 15-play drive, Navy wasn’t finished. With less than a minute remaining in the half, Horvath led another scoring drive, finishing with a 3-yard touchdown run to give the Midshipmen a 28-17 lead heading into halftime.

“Hats off to Memphis,” said Newberry. “That’s a really good football team. They kept fighting, and I’m glad we don’t have to see Seth Henigan again. He’s a really good player.”

The third quarter kicked off with fireworks as Navy extended their lead. Horvath found Chatman for a 46-yard touchdown pass, increasing the Midshipmen’s lead to 35-17. However, Memphis wasn’t going away quietly. Henigan, who finished with 385 yards passing, fired a 37-yard touchdown strike to Roc Taylor to pull the Tigers within 11 points.

Memphis then capitalized on a Navy punt, putting together a 95-yard drive that ended with Anderson Jr.’s second touchdown of the day. A failed two-point conversion kept Navy in front, 35-30.

Blake Horvath

With the game tightening in the fourth quarter, Horvath stepped up once again. On the first play of the quarter, he capped a 75-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run, extending Navy’s lead to 42-30. Then, just minutes later, Horvath electrified the stadium with a 90-yard touchdown run, pushing the score to 49-30 and seemingly putting the game out of reach.

Blake Horvath's 403 total yards offense is the 3rd most in school history.

Memphis was not letting up. Henigan quickly drove the Tigers downfield, finding Marcello Bussey for a 36-yard touchdown. After a successful two-point conversion, Memphis was within 11 points again. The Tigers then made things even more tense, with Anderson Jr. scoring on a 1-yard run, cutting the Navy lead to 49-44 with just over a minute remaining.

With Memphis driving in the final minute, Navy’s defense came up with the play that would seal the victory. Rayuan Lane picked off a Henigan pass and returned it 86 yards for a touchdown, putting the game away at 56-44.

“I’m really proud of Ray,” Newberry said. “He had just missed recovering the onside kick, but then he finds a way to make a play and puts the exclamation point on it.”