3 keys to victory, staff predictions for Notre Dame football vs. Navy in primetime game
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A 25-10 win against the 1-8 Boston College Eagles wasn’t exactly awe-inspiring last weekend. Maybe all will be forgotten if Notre Dame football can blow out a 7-1 Navy squad at home in a rivalry game.
The Irish should feel particularly good about their chances as the Midshipmen are coming off their first loss of the season, falling 31-17 to North Texas (8-1). Not to mention the fact that Notre Dame has played a much more difficult schedule than its near century-long foe.
Here’s how the Irish can win their eighth straight game against Navy in the first-ever night game between the two held at Notre Dame Stadium (7:30 p.m., NBC).
A “Love”-ly Heisman legacy game
The well of creative adjectives used to describe Notre Dame junior running back Jeremiyah Love is running dry, because they’ve all been used already. The New Balance athlete’s latest highlight reel play was a 94-yard rushing score against Boston College last week, boosting his impressive 136-yard, two touchdown performance.
Love’s 894 rushing yards in eight games this season are good for the fifth-most by an FBS running back, his 6.3 yards per carry is the eighth-most efficient rate among FBS running backs with at least 100 carries and his 11 touchdowns are tied for the fifth-most by an FBS running back.
However, he trails Navy quarterback Blake Horvath in all categories. The senior has been incredible on the ground for the Midshipmen, rushing for 926 yards and 13 touchdowns on 138 carries. That’s just three less attempts than Love, not to mention his 1,143 yards and seven touchdowns through the air.
Notre Dame’s defense needs to do its part to stop Horvath on the ground, but Love has a chance to prove his worth as potentially THE rusher most deserving of Heisman votes by sticking it to the Irish’s rival in primetime.
Make Horvath throw
While Navy’s quarterback has been one of the most effective rushers in the FBS this season, he has not been quite as sharp throwing the football. Along with his 1,000-plus passing yards and seven touchdowns, Horvath has also been picked off by opposing defenses five times. Four of those instances came in road games, and two of them were in last week’s loss to North Texas.
The Irish lead all FBS teams with 16 interceptions so far this season. Standout members of the secondary like juniors Luke Talich and Christian Gray, sophomores Adon Schuler and Leonard Moore, and freshman Tae Johnson, should be licking their chops at the chance to make an opposing quarterback who is already prone to turn the ball over do just that.
The football is supposed to go between the uprights, right?
Notre Dame trotted out three different kickers against Boston College last weekend, and all three missed extra points in a development that was the main talking point coming out of what should have been an even more inflated blowout.
Notre Dame had only missed one extra point attempt heading into Chestnut Hill, but now all the pressure is on to not only find a consistent placekicker, but one who can actually make a 20-yarder. Placing trust in the Irish’s kicking game has been an issue all season, made evident by the fact that they’ve only attempted eight field goals in as many games, and a combined five-for-eight result is not exactly inspiring.
While Notre Dame is favored to beat Navy for the 13th time in 14 meetings by a 25.5-point spread, the Irish need to figure out how to make the layups. Doesn’t matter if grad transfer Noah Burnette, freshman Erik Schmidt or junior Marcello Diomede is the person to rise to the occasion.
South Bend Tribune staff predictions for Notre Dame vs. Navy football
Mike Berardino, Notre Dame football beat reporter: No. 10 Notre Dame 42, Navy 14: Bad matchup for a poor-tackling Mid defense.
Tom Noie, columnist: No. 10 Notre Dame 45, Navy 14: Notre Dame has come too far to be tripped up/tricked by this Navy offense. The Irish roll again at home on a night when a field goal (from TBD) receives one of the loudest ovations.
Kyle Smedley, sports reporter: No 10. Notre Dame 38, Navy 13: The Irish’s kicker ― whoever that may be ― goes six-for-six with five extra points and a field goal. There was never anything wrong, we promise!
Austin Hough, sports editor: No. 10 Notre Dame 38, Navy 10: A tale as old as time ― a “good” Navy team gets blown out by the Irish. Why is this game at night again?
Kyle Smedley is a high school sports reporter at the South Bend Tribune. Contact him via email atksmedley@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football vs Navy 3 keys to victory, predictions
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