NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL: GAME NOTES VS. NAVY
GAME DAY AT A GLANCE
Saturday afternoon in New England will mark the 99th Notre Dame-Navy meeting. The series stands with an 84-13-1 Notre Dame advantage all-time.
It is the fourth meeting between Marcus Freeman and Brian Newberry as head coaches. Under Freeman, the Irish are 4-0 against the Midshipmen overall and 3-0 against Newberry-led Navy squads.
The Irish and Midshipmen met a season ago; it was the first true home game at Notre Dame Stadium against Navy in the Freeman Era. No. 10 Notre Dame won 49-10.
The last time the two teams met at a neutral site, it was a clash of top 25 opponents; No. 12 Notre Dame claimed a 51-14 win at MetLife Stadium over No. 24 Navy on October 26, 2024.
The Irish are 142-23-5 against American Athletic Conference opponents all-time.
Notre Dame is 6-0 against AAC members under Freeman.
The Notre Dame-Navy series (99) is the most-played series in program history.
The two sides have faced one another every year since 1927 with the exception of the 2020 season.
The teams play for the Rip Miller Trophy. An unconventional rivalry trophy, the Rip Miller Trophy is composed of two symmetric halves. Each program maintains possession of its half and is inscribed with the names of the team’s captains for each year. The two pieces are reunited whenever possible for the weekend of the annual rivalry contest.
The Rip Miller Trophy is named after NFF Hall of Fame inductee Edgar “Rip” Miller. He was a member of the Notre Dame football team from 1922-24 and was one of the Seven Mules on the offensive line who blocked for the legendary Four Horsemen. He went on to coach at Navy before serving as assistant director of athletics at Navy until 1974 for 48 years of service at the Naval Academy.
TWO-DEEP TIDBITS – OFFENSE • Jordan Faison extended his reception streak to 28 games at BYU, moving into sole possession of second place in program history. He leads the Irish with 34 catches, 451 receiving yards and four touchdown receptions this season, with 132 career catches for 1,769 yards. • Matt Jeffery is a two-sport athlete at Notre Dame with 23 career football appearances and 25 lacrosse appearances. He totaled 19 goals and 12 assists in 2026. On the football field, Jeffery blocked a punt against Michigan State and caught his first career touchdown pass at Purdue. • Jaden Greathouse caught a career-high eight passes for 125 yards at BYU. Greathouse has 19 receptions for 263 yards and two touchdowns this season, with 83 career catches for 1,193 yards and 11 touchdowns. • Mylan Graham has five receptions for 37 yards in seven appearances this season. His eightyard reception against Michigan State capped a highlight play in which CJ Carr rolled over a defender to avoid a sack, got up and completed the pass for a first down. • Will Black has started all seven games at left tackle in 2026 after making his first career start in the season opener against Wisconsin. He helped Notre Dame rush for a season-high 361 yards against Stanford, and the Irish did not allow a sack at BYU. • Anthonie Knapp has started all 34 games of his career. After 27 starts at left tackle, Knapp has started all seven games at left guard in 2026, helping the Irish produce season highs of 361 rushing yards and 598 total yards against Stanford. • Ashton Craig made his 19th career start at BYU and is 15-4 as Notre Dame’s starting center. All 15 victories have come by double digits, including the 58-7 win over Stanford in which the Irish rushed for a season-high 361 yards. • Joe Otting went 6-0 as Notre Dame’s starting center to close 2025, with all six victories coming by double digits. • Guerby Lambert has started 19 consecutive games for Notre Dame, including all seven games at right tackle in 2026. He helped the Irish rush for a season-high 361 yards against Stanford, and Notre Dame did not allow a sack at BYU. • Sullivan Absher made his sixth consecutive start of the season at BYU and has started 11 of Notre Dame’s last 12 games at right guard. The Irish have won 10 of those 11 starts, with each victory coming by double digits. • Cooper Flanagan has six catches for 48 yards and two touchdowns in six appearances this season. He caught a two-yard touchdown pass and added a season-long 27-yard reception at Purdue. • James Flanigan has five receptions for 22 yards in seven appearances this season. He scored his first career touchdown in Week 1 at Lambeau Field, where his father and grandfather both played for the Packers. • Jack Larsen caught a career-high four passes for 23 yards at BYU. He has six receptions for 44 yards in seven appearances this season. • Micah Gilbert has 22 receptions for 409 yards and two touchdowns through seven games. His career-high 170 receiving yards against Michigan State were the most by an Irish player since Chase Claypool’s 180 against Wake Forest on Nov. 4, 2017. • CJ Carr completed 27 passes for 261 yards at BYU. He is 129-for-193 passing (.668) for 1,639 yards and 16 touchdowns against one interception this season. His 40 career touchdown passes tie Rick Mirer for eighth in program history. • Noah Grubbs has completed 14 of 22 passes for 164 yards and one touchdown without an interception in three appearances this season. He completed five of seven passes for 56 yards against Stanford. • Aneyas Williams has 302 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, plus nine catches for 109 yards and a score this season. His career-long 70-yard touchdown reception against Stanford was the longest by an Irish running back since Chris Tyree’s 76-yard score against Central Michigan in 2023. • Nolan James Jr. rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries at BYU, adding three receptions for 18 yards. James has 412 rushing yards and 105 receiving yards this season and leads the Irish with nine touchdowns — six rushing and three receiving. • Jonaz Walton scored a three-yard rushing touchdown and added a two-point conversion at BYU. He leads the Irish with 426 rushing yards on 57 carries, averaging 7.5 yards per attempt, and has three rushing touchdowns. His 181 yards against Stanford set a Notre Dame true freshman record.
TWO-DEEP TIDBITS – DEFENSE • Boubacar Traore recorded a sack that forced a fumble and his second career interception against Stanford, becoming the first Irish player since at least 1998 with both in the same game. He has 18 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and eight quarterback hurries this season, with 21.5 career tackles for loss. • Loghan Thomas has 12 tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks through seven games this season. Thomas recorded sacks against Michigan State and Purdue and posted four tackles against Stanford. • Rodney Dunham has nine tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery through seven games in his freshman season. Dunham recorded his first career sack at Purdue. • Armel Mukam made his third consecutive start at BYU after returning to the starting lineup at North Carolina. He has 11 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack through seven games this season. • Jason Onye has four tackles in two appearances this season. He started the season opener against Wisconsin, marking his 10th career start for the Irish. Onye had three total tackles in his return against BYU. • Francis Brewu made his sixth consecutive start at BYU and has 16 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks this season. Brewu recorded Notre Dame’s only sack at North Carolina, a seven-yard loss. • Elijah Hughes has appeared in all seven games in 2026 and recorded three tackles, all in the win over Rice. Hughes has 36 career tackles, including 24 in 19 appearances for Notre Dame. • Tionne Gray recorded two tackles at BYU and has appeared in all seven games this season, making starts against Michigan State and Purdue. He has 12 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack in 2026. • Bryce Young recorded a career-high five tackles at BYU, bringing his season total to 21. He shares Notre Dame’s team lead with 5.5 tackles for loss and has three sacks, including two at Purdue. • Keon Keeley recorded two tackles, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry at BYU. He has appeared in all seven games in his first season with the Irish, totaling eight tackles and two pass breakups. • Jaiden Ausberry has 20 tackles and a tackle for loss through seven games this season, with 132 career tackles in 40 appearances for the Irish. His recovery on Stanford’s opening play was his second fumble recovery of the season and fourth of his career. • Jaylen Sneed recorded seven tackles in his 52nd career appearance at BYU. Sneed ranks second on the Irish with 28 tackles this season and has 135 career tackles. • Drayk Bowen shared the team lead with eight tackles at BYU and leads the Irish with 38 this season. Bowen has 197 career tackles in 47 appearances and scored his first career touchdown on a 15-yard fumble return at Purdue. • Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa reached 100 career tackles with two stops at BYU. He has 15 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, an interception and a fumble recovery in five appearances this season. His third career interception came at North Carolina, where he returned it 14 yards to set up an Irish touchdown. • Madden Faraimo has appeared in all seven games in 2026, recording three tackles. He made his first tackle of the season against Michigan State and has 19 career tackles, including three tackles for loss and two sacks. • Christian Gray recorded three solo tackles at BYU and has 10 tackles and a pass breakup through seven games this season. Gray has six interceptions and 23 pass breakups in his career. • Leonard Moore recorded five tackles and a pass breakup at BYU. He has 13 tackles and five pass breakups in six appearances this season, with seven career interceptions and 23 career pass breakups. • Adon Shuler recorded three tackles at BYU, bringing his career total to 144. He has 26 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception and a forced fumble through seven games this season, with six career interceptions. • Luke Talich recorded a career-high eight tackles, including a tackle for loss, at BYU. He has 27 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a team-high two interceptions in six appearances this season. Talich recorded his sixth career interception and blocked a PAT at North Carolina. • Joey O’Brien recorded a tackle for loss and a pass breakup at BYU. He has 10 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a half-sack through seven games in his freshman season. O’Brien made his first career start at Purdue, recording five tackles and a half-sack. • DJ McKinney has started all seven games in his first season with Notre Dame, recording nine tackles, a tackle for loss, an interception and two pass breakups. His 55-yard interception return for a touchdown came in the season opener against Wisconsin. • Jayden Sanders recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter at BYU. He has six tackles and shares the team lead with Leonard Moore at five pass breakups through seven appearances in his first season with the Irish.
COMPLETE NOTES: https://fightingirish.com/documents/9a8108e9-7641-4ac3-89a8-8ca804beaf98.pdf
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NAVY NOTES:
Opening Kick
• Navy (2-5) and #5/6 Notre Dame (6-1) will meet on the gridiron for the 99th time in series history when the two square off on ABC on Saturday (12 noon) at Gillette Stadium (65,878) in Foxborough, Mass. Saturday’s game is presented by Navy Federal and Navy Mutual Aid Association.
• The Navy-Notre Dame game was the longest continuous intersectional rivalry in college football until COVID canceled the game in 2020.
• Without Navy, Notre Dame may not still exist. Notre Dame fell on hard times in World War II. The school’s population dwindled to a depression era number of 2,623 students in 1943 and a 20 percent reduction in 5 years led to stark financial problems for the school. Then the Navy came to Notre Dame’s rescue.
• According to then Notre Dame president Hugh O’Donnell, the school “offered all of the facilities of this institution to the government. In April of 1943, the V-7 Indoctrination School was created and the first group of 900 men, all college graduates enlisted for one month as apprentice seamen.”
• The late Notre Dame Vice President Father Edmund Joyce also shared the same sentiments of Navy’s importance to the school. “All I can say is without the Navy during the war, this institution would have gotten down to a few hundred students. Instead of that, we were almost twice our normal size during the war, and we were able to contribute something to the Navy.”
• Notre Dame has never forgotten Navy’s kindness and support in its time of dire need. In fact, in the 1950s and 60s when colleges across the country en masse were ending their ROTC programs, Notre Dame stood by Navy and allowed its University to serve as a base for college naval recruits.
• Navy athletics will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its only football national championship this weekend, honoring a remarkable 1926 team that finished 9-0-1 and captured a share of the national title. The Mids will wear a commemorative uniform with a special patch for the Notre Dame game in recognition of a team whose accomplishments remain one of the great chapters in Navy football history.
• The jersey is a modern interpretation of the iconic “Chevron Stripe” uniform worn by Navy during the 1926 championship season. It features nine stripes across the upper body—four on the front and five on the back—symbolizing the nine victories recorded by the Midshipmen that season.
• The uniform features Navy’s traditional blue-and-gold color palette and pays tribute to the Naval Academy alma mater, “Navy Blue and Gold.” The song was first performed publicly in its current form on April 24, 1926, and was officially designated as the Academy’s alma mater in 1927. The words “Navy Blue and Gold” are inscribed on the interior collar of the jersey.
• The 1926 season also produced a remarkable connection between Navy and Notre Dame.
• Notre Dame entered its Nov. 27 game against Carnegie Tech undefeated at 8-0 and had surrendered only one touchdown all season. The Fighting Irish appeared to be headed toward a possible national championship before Carnegie Tech stunned Notre Dame, 19-0, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.
• Notre Dame head coach Knute Rockne wasn’t there to see it. Confident his team would defeat Carnegie Tech, Rockne instead traveled to Chicago to watch the Army-Navy game at Soldier Field. While Rockne watched Navy preserve its undefeated season with a 21-21 tie against Army, Carnegie Tech was handing Notre Dame its only loss of the season. Notre Dame would finish 9-1.
• One hundred years later, that unusual intersection of Navy and Notre Dame history provides another connection as the Midshipmen honor the team that delivered the program’s only national championship.
• The 1926 team remains one of the great chapters in Navy football history—a team coming off two difficult seasons, led by a first-year head coach, that went undefeated, defeated Michigan, battled Army to a tie before more than 110,000 fans and finished the season as a national champion.
• Navy last beat Notre Dame in 2016 when the Mids won in Jacksonville 28-27. Navy won three of the four contests from 2007-10.
• Three of the last 4 times Navy has beaten Notre Dame, the Mids were coming off a loss. In 2007, Navy was coming off a 59-52 loss to Delaware, in 2009 Navy was coming off a 27-24 loss to Temple and in 2016 Navy was coming off a 52-45 loss at USF.
• Navy’s last win over a ranked opponent was on Nov. 15, 2025 when it defeated #25 South Florida 41-38.
• The last time Navy beat a ranked Notre Dame team was on Nov. 7, 2009 when the Mids defeated the 19th/21st-ranked Irish 23-21 in South Bend.
• The last time Navy beat a top-10 opponent was Oct. 8, 2016, when the Mids stunned No. 6 Houston 46-40 in Annapolis.
• The last time Navy beat a top-5 opponent was Nov. 17, 1984, when the Mids upset No. 2 South Carolina 38-21 in Annapolis.
• The last time Navy beat a Notre Dame team ranked in the top 10 was Nov. 2, 1957, when the Mids won in South Bend over No. 5 Notre Dame 20-6.
• Not only are the Mids facing their toughest opponent in Notre Dame, they also have midterm exams this week.
• Notre Dame enters Saturday’s game with a 6-1 record. The Irish are coming off a 28-24 loss to BYU. Next week the Irish play host to No. 1 Miami at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame is considered a near lock to make the College Football Playoff.
• Navy’s 19 first-time collegiate starters (at any level collegiately) are the most in the country.
• Navy is an extremely young team, ranking 134th out of 138 FBS teams in career snaps played entering the 2026 season.
• This will be Navy’s fifth game in the last seven away from home. The Mids have played one of the least favorable schedules in the country.
• This will be the fourth-consecutive game Navy has played an opponent that had more rest than it did. Both Tulsa and UTSA played Thursday night games the week before Navy, while North Texas and Notre Dame had two weeks to prepare for the Mids.
• Navy and Eastern Michigan are the only teams in the FBS to play four road games in a five-game span. Three of those road games for Navy were night games with the Mids not returning to Annapolis before 5 am for any of them.
• Navy is one of five schools in the country that will play or have played three-consecutive road games in 2026, joining Western Kentucky, Syracuse, UNLV and Cal.
• This year is the first time Navy has played three of its first-four games of the season on the road (not including neutral site games) since 1997, when the Mids played at San Diego State (L, 45-31), home vs. Rutgers (W, 36-7), at SMU (W, 46-16) and at Duke (L, 26-17). That team finished 7-4, which included a 39-7 win over Army, but did not go to a bowl game because two of those seven wins were against FCS teams.
• The Mids are in the midst of playing seven-consecutive games without a bye (gm 6) which started Sept. 25 at UAB. It is the most games Navy has played without a bye since 2022 when it played nine-consecutive games without a bye. That team finished 4-8.
• Navy had played five-consecutive one-score games (1-4) before losing by 10 to North Texas. Last year, Navy went 5-0 in one-score games.
• It is the first time Navy played five-consecutive one-score games since 2005 when the Mids started the year playing five-consecutive one-score games (3-2).
• Despite the 2-5 record, Navy is outscoring its opposition 208-204. Navy has given up 143 points in the first half this year and 61 points in the second.
• Navy and Jacksonville State are the only teams in the FBS that have not recovered a fumble this fall.
• The five teams that have beaten Navy this year are a combined 26-10 (.722) – FAU (5-2), Air Force (5-2), UAB (4-3), UTSA (7-1) and North Texas (5-2). Navy has not played an FBS team with a losing record this year.
• Navy will have to win its next four games against Notre Dame, Temple, Memphis and Charlotte to become bowl eligible (Army game is played after the bowl bids are announced).
• The Mids are 12-2 (.857) at home since 2024.
• Navy has won 79-consecutive games at home when leading after 3 quarters, tied with Ohion University for the nation’s longest streak. The last time Navy lost at home when leading after 3 quarters was Oct. 23, 1999, when the Mids led Akron 29-13 and lost 35-29.
• Under Newberry, Navy is 16-4 (.800) at home and 12-13 (.480) away from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (8-10 on the road, 4-3 in neutral site games).
• Navy is No. 1 in the country in passing yards per completion, averaging 20.5 yards per reception.
• Navy is No. 3 in the nation in rushing this fall, averaging 307.7 rushing yards per game.
• Navy is averaging 5.72 yards per carry this season, which is No. 8 nationally.
• Navy is averaging 53.9 rushing attempts per game, which is No. 4 nationally.
• The Notre Dame defense is ranked No. 1 in the country in total defense (235 yds/gm), No. 3 in rushing defense (67.3 yds/gm), No. 4 in scoring defense (13.4) and No. 5 in turnovers gained (16).
• Since 2000, Navy has had 10 different quarterbacks rush for over 200 yards in a game a total of 20 times, which is more than triple any other FBS program.
• Jackson Gutierrez (Jr. / QB) joined that list in Navy’s home game on Oct. 10 against Tulsa when he rushed for a career-high 232 yards and three touchdowns on 41 carries.
• The 232 yards rushing are the most by a Navy player since 2019 when Malcolm Perry ran for 304 yards against Army.
• The 232 yards are the third most in the FBS this year in a single game and the second-most by a quarterback.
• The 41 rushing attempts were the most by a Navy player since Ricky Dobbs carried the ball 42 times against SMU in 2008. Dobbs finished with 224 yards and four touchdowns in that game, as the Mids did not attempt a pass.
• His 41 carries are the most by any player this year and the sixth most in school history. Gutierrez also had 34 carries against UAB, tied for the fourth most in the FBS this year.
• Gutierrez’s 12 rushing touchdowns this fall are tied for the fourth most in the FBS, while his 124.6 rushing yards per game stands fourth nationally and first among quarterbacks.
• His 92-yard touchdown pass to sophomore tight end Jordan Collins (So. / TE) against UTSA is the longest pass play in school history. The previous long was an 87-yard pass from Chris McCoy to Matt Scornavacchi against Tulane in 1995.
• Collins had two receptions for a career-high 117 yards and a career-high two touchdowns against UTSA. He is the first Navy player to catch two passes in a game, both going for touchdowns, since Brandon Turner did it on Nov. 3, 2012, against FAU in a 24-17 win.
• Collins is the first tight end in the FBS to have no more than two catches in a game with 100+ receiving yards and two touchdowns since David Njoku of Miami (Fla.) in 2016.
• Gutierrez (232 yds, 41 carries) and Michael Barrow (Jr. / Snipe / 107 yds, 14 carries) became Navy’s first 100-yard rushing pair (vs. Tulsa) since Alex Tecza (126 yds) and Braxton Woodson (103 yds) did it against South Florida on Nov. 15, 2025. It was a career-high rushing yards for both Gutierrez and Barrow.
• Gutierrez carried the ball 26 times for 228 yards and three touchdowns, while completing seven of his 10 attempts for 133 yards and a touchdown against North Texas.
• He is the seventh different Navy player with multiple 200-yard rushing games in a career and his two games are tied for the fifth most in program history
• His two 200-yard rushing games this year (232 vs. Tulsa, 228 vs. North Texas) are tied for the second most in a Navy season. The record is three by Malcolm Perry in 2019.
• He is the first Navy player with 200 yards rushing and 100 yards passing in a game since Blake Horvath rushed for 211 yards and passed for 192 against Memphis on Sept. 21, 2024
• Gutierrez is the first Navy player with three-consecutive 100-yard rushing games since Blake Horvath has six in a row in 2025 (Tulsa, Rice, Air Force, Temple, FAU, North Texas)
• Navy is the only team in the FBS to have three 200-yard rushing games this year (Braxton Woodson, 200 yds vs. Towson, Jackson Gutierrez 232 vs. Tulsa and 228 vs. North Texas). Gutierrez and Torrance Burgess Jr. of Texas State are the only players that have two 200-yard rushing days in 2026.
• Gutierrez is the first Navy player since Brian Madden in 2000 to have 800 or more rushing yards and 700 or more passing yards in the first seven games of the season.
• Gutierrez got his first-career start at quarterback against UAB, rushing for 134 yards and one touchdown on 34 carries, while completing four of his 13 pass attempts for 104 yards. He is the first Navy quarterback to rush for 100 yards in his first-collegiate start since Ricky Dobbs did it at Northern Illinois on Nov. 25, 2008. Dobbs carried the ball 25 times for 125 yards rushing and a touchdown in Navy’s 16-0 win.
• Truman Brasfield (Fr. / WR) became the first Navy player since Ryan Read in 1998 to catch touchdown passes of 50 yards or more in consecutive games (54 yds vs. Colgate and 78 yds at Boston College) when he caught a 68-yard touchdown against Air Force on Oct. 3 and followed up with a 58-yarder at home against Tulsa last Saturday. The 68-yard touchdown reception at Air Force was his first-collegiate touchdown and the longest reception of his career.
• The last six times Navy has won its season opener, it has gone on to play in a bowl game. The Mids won their season opener this year 42-15 over Towson.
• Navy has gone to a bowl game in 12 of the last 13 years it has won its season opener.
• Navy owns a 761-610-57 (.553) record over 146 seasons. The 761 wins are the 23rd most in the FBS and the most of any team not in the autonomy four.
• Since his arrival in 2019, Brian Newberry has challenged the defense to “Get 6” in every game. What does Get 6 mean? It’s a combined total of six three-and-outs, fourth down stops and turnovers. A missed field goal counts as a fourth down stop.If that turnover is returned for a score, it counts as an extra point towards the goal of six.
• In Newberry’s eight years at Navy, the Mids are 29-5 (.853) and have won 12 in a row when they “Get 6” and 21-37 (.362) when they don’t.The Navy defense has not gotten “Six” this year.
• Brian Newberry started his head coaching career at Navy with a 20-10 record, which is the best 30-game start by a Navy head coach since Wayne Hardin went 20-9-1 from 1959-61. Ken Niumatalolo, the winningest head coach in school history, started his first-30 games at Navy with a 19-11 record.
• Newberry was 27-13 (.675) over his first 40 games, which tied him with Niumatalolo for the second best start in school history after 40 games. Bill Ingram owns the best start for a Navy coach after 40 games, starting 27-9-4 (.725) from 1926-30.
• Newberry is currently 28-17 (.622) as a head coach.
• Navy’s senior class has put together a 28-17 (.622) record over four seasons, including a 18-11 (.621) mark in the American Conference.
• Hoke Smith II (Sr. / OG) has the honor of wearing jersey No. 68 this season in memory of former Navy offensive lineman David Forney. Forney, who was a senior offensive lineman on the 2019 team, died on Feb. 20, 2020, after being found unresponsive in Bancroft Hall. He was 22 years old. Forney was a 3-year varsity letter winner for the Mids and played in 39-consecutive games over his final 3 seasons.
• Navy’s roster represents 31 different states. Georgia (28), Texas (27), Florida (23) and Maryland (22) have produced the most players on the Navy roster in 2026.
• The Naval Academy Athletic Association (NAAA) and USAA have extended their historic partnership for an additional 10 years, continuing a longstanding relationship built on shared values of service, leadership and commitment to those who serve. As part of the expanded partnership, USAA has been named the Anchor Partner of Navy Athletics, the highest level of corporate partnership within the Naval Academy Athletic Association. Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, the USAA logo will appear on jerseys for 30 Navy varsity sports, providing a visible representation of the continued collaboration between two organizations with deep connections to the military community.
• Navy currently has four players on the active NFL rosters. 2nd Lt. Eli Heidenreich (RB / WR, Pittsburgh Steelers) and 2nd Lt. Landon Robinson (DL, Cincinnati Bengals) are both rookies, while 2nd Lt. Rayuan Lane (S, Jacksonville Jaguars) is in his second year. Joe Cardona (LS, Los Angeles Rams) is in his 12th NFL season, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach for the longest NFL career by a former Navy football player. Staubach played 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 through 1979.
• Navy’s four players on active 53-man NFL rosters are believed to be the most from a service academy at one time in NFL history (does not count practice squad players).
Game Day Timeline
11:41 AM – March-on of the Brigade of Midshipmen (approximately 700 Mids will be in attendance)
11:46:30 pm – National Anthem, Flyover
12:03:20 pm – Teams Take the Field
Navy will run out first, followed by Notre Dame
12:07 pm – Kickoff
1st/2nd Qtr Break –
Navy Mutual Outstanding Employee recognition
Halftime
Naval Academy Drum and Bugle Corps will perform
3rd/4th Qtr Break – Recognition of pilots from flyover
Postgame – Navy Blue & Gold and Notre Dame alma mater
Navy’s alma mater, Navy Blue & Gold, and the Notre Dame alma mater will be played postgame as both teams stand at attention in front of the Brigade of Midshipmen and in front of the Notre Dame fans. The losing team will sing first, followed by the winning team.
Broadcast Coverage
• ABC will carry Saturday’s game with Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Louis Riddick (analyst) and Stormy Buonantony (sideline) on the call.
• The Navy Football Pregame Show with Joe Miller, Mike James, Keith Mills and Scott Wykoff will get underway at 11 am on the Navy Radio Network, followed by game action beginning at 12 noon.
• Following the contest, Miller, James, Mills and Wykoff will recap the day’s events on the Navy postgame show.
• Expanding upon an aggressive Navy-related programming lineup; WNAV (1430 AM) will broadcast the Sing Second Sports Podcast followed by an encore airing of the Navy Sports Magazine five hours prior to kickoff (7:00 am)
• The Anchors Aweigh and Navy Football Podcasts will air four (8:00 am) and three hours (9:00 am) prior to kickoff, respectively each week.
• The WNAV Navy Tailgate Show will bring fans a live program from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium two hours (10:00 am) prior to kickoff for each home game and from the studio when the Mids are on the road.
• WNAV will then join the national pregame show with Wykoff, Miller, James and Mills for all the exciting action on the Navy Football Radio Network.
Navy Radio Network
• WBAL 1090 AM and 101.5 FM (Baltimore)
• WFED 1500 AM (Washington, D.C.)
• WFED 104.5 FM (W. Fairfax / Loudon, Va.)
• WNAV 1430 AM (Annapolis)
• KWFN 97.3 FM (San Diego)
• WGH 1310 AM / 100.9 FM (Norfolk)
• WJGM 105.7 FM (Jacksonville, Fla.)
• KIKI 990 AM (Honolulu, Hawai’i)
• Satellite:
Navy Broadcast –
SiriusXM (Channel 167) and the SXM App (Channel 967)
• Apps: Audacy (WNAV and KWFN) and TuneIn (WBAL)
Scouting Notre Dame
6-1 Overall | Independent
Head Coach: Marcus Freeman
• Notre Dame is off to a 6-1 start and ranked fifth in the AP poll and sixth in the coaches poll. The Irish are undoubtedly one of the best teams in the country and a top contender to win the national championship.
• Notre Dame owns an impressive 41-13 victory over Wisconsin and a 37-26 win over North Carolina. The Irish have also defeated Rice (52-0), Michigan State (27-10), Purdue (49-10) and Stanford (58-7). Their only loss was to BYU (28-24) in a game that ended in controversial fashion.
• The Irish are a rare program that take very few transfers. Notre Dame has just nine transfers on its roster, all from Power 4 schools.
• The Notre Dame offense is led by junior quarterback CJ Carr, who has completed 129 of his 193 pass attempts for 1,639 yards with 16 touchdowns and incredibly has thrown just one interception. Carr is projected to go seventh in the 2027 NFL Draft by ESPN’s Field Yates.
• Carr’s favorite targets are the electric senior wide receiver Jordan Faison (34 catches for 451 yds and 4 touchdowns) and junior wide receiver Micah Gilbert (22 catches for 429 yds and 2 touchdowns). Faison is also eighth in the country in punt returns (15.2 yds/return).
• The Notre Dame rushing attack is paced by freshman sensation Jonaz Walton (57 carries for 426 yds and 3 touchdowns) and sophomore Nolan James Jr. (81 carries for 412 yds and 6 touchdowns).
• The Notre Dame offense has lost just one fumble all year and thrown just one interception. The two total turnovers are the fewest in the FBS.
• The Irish are averaging 41.1 points per game, which is sixth in the country. A big part of that is an offense line that is No. 1 in the FBS in sacks allowed (0.3) and second in tackles for loss allowed (2.3).
• As good as the Notre Dame offense is, the defense is even better. The Irish are ranked No. 1 in the country in total defense (235 yds/gm), No. 3 in rushing defense (67.3 yds/gm), No. 4 in scoring defense (13.4) and fifth in turnovers gained (16).
• The Irish defense is led by senior linebacker Drayk Bowen (38 tackles, one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery) and fifth-year senior linebacker Jaylen Sneed (28 tackles).
• Junior cornerback Leonard Moore is one of the best players in the country at any position. ESPN’s Field Yates projects him to go third in the 2027 NFL Draft.
• The Irish are an extremely disciplined team, ranking first in the country in penalties (3.1) and penalty yards per game (29.4).
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