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Somehow, while you were sleeping on them, Navy has gone 7-0 so far this season.
Somehow, while you were sleeping on them, Navy has gone 7-0 so far this season.
They’re one of just six FBS schools that remain undefeated.
Navy is ranked 23rd in the AFCA Coaches poll and unranked in the AP Top 25. They received the most amount of votes for teams not in the Top 25 which means, technically, they’re ranked 26th in the country.
The rankings might seem a tad disrespectful given their record, but third-year Midshipmen head coach Brian Newberry seems unfazed.
“We’ve won seven games but they haven’t been sexy wins and that’s what people want. I don’t care as long as we find ways to win and keep doing what we’re doing. The respect and those things will come. I don’t think our players care much about that either,” he told WTOP contributor Joe Yasharoff.
Navy — who’s known for their signature triple option run-heavy offense, averages over 37 points a game and 318 yards rushing per game — tops in the nation.
“(We’re) trying to take advantage of the fact that not a lot of people run it,” senior quarterback Blake Horvath said. “It’s hard to prepare for and when we can operate efficiently, it’s difficult to stop.”
The first seven games were no cakewalks, including a gutty win against fellow service academy Air Force and a dramatic victory at Temple.
Things only get more challenging down the stretch for the Mids. The next month features a gauntlet of tough games — one of the toughest final stretches of any team in the country — at #12 Notre Dame and #25 Memphis sandwiched around a home date against formerly ranked South Florida.
And on Saturday, Navy faces a difficult road match-up against 6-1 North Texas featuring a juggernaut of an offense that leads the nation in scoring at 45 points per game.
“They’re a really good football team,” Newberry said. “One of the best offenses I’ve seen in a long time and the quarterback is a special player, the running backs are outstanding, the scheme is really challenging to defend. We’ll have to do a great job of stopping the run and eliminating explosive plays. it’s certainly going to present a huge challenge for us defensively.”
The last time Navy played North Texas in Denton was 2007. It was one for the books. The Mids outscored the Mean Green 74-62.
At the time, it was the highest scoring game in FBS history.
You can probably expect another high scoring affair this time.
Navy is led by Horvath who was not highly recruited out of Hilliard, Ohio, but has played himself into the periphery of the Heisman Trophy conversation with five straight games with over 100 yards rushing.
“He’s got the ‘it factor.’ He’s got some qualities you don’t coach,” Newberry said. “He’s a special young man. Great players are at their best when their best is needed and that’s Blake Horvath. He makes everyone around him better. You can’t say enough good things about him as a person and as a football player.”
Once he finishes his football career, Horvath plans on attending flight school in Pensacola, Florida, to realize his ambition of becoming a pilot.
“Just a ton of pride, honestly, is the biggest thing, proud of every single Midshipmen that represents this place — all the alumni and the pride that we have for our country is the biggest thing,” Horvath said. “It’s an honor to represent a storied history and tradition. There’s so much greatness that’s come before us. They set the table for what’s expected of us.”
Newberry added, “I think I’ve got one of the best jobs in the country because of the young men I get to coach on a daily basis. Football is really, really important, but it’s about more than just football here and I appreciate that. … I skip into work every day.”
This year will be Horvath’s final Army-Navy game, a rivalry like no other in sports. The game will be played on Dec. 3 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. After that, Navy could even qualify for the new 12-team College Football Playoff.
“Whether that be the (Commanders-in-Chief’s Trophy), conference championship, College Football Playoffs, all those are still in front of us … those are the goals we’ve had since day one,” Horvath said.
There’s still a long way to go, but Navy is in the midst of what could be a very special season. So stop sleeping on them.
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Abigail Constantino
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