Notre Dame Sinks Navy 51-14 at MetLife Stadium
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Notre Dame took advantage of an uncharacteristically sloppy performance by Navy to roll to a 51-14 victory at MetLife Stadium here on Saturday afternoon.
The Irish scored on five of their seven possessions in the first half, only punting once. Meanwhile, the typically disciplined Midshipmen threw one interception and fumbled an incredible seven times. Notre Dame recovered five fumbles on the day and the Irish didn't force a single one.
Notre Dame did squander an opportunity after Navy’s second fumble of the game and the Midshipmen responded with a long touchdown run to hold off what was looking to be an Irish rout. But it proved to be just temporary as the Irish scored the final 17 points of the first half to take a commanding 31-7 lead into the locker room.
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard finished the day 13 of 21 for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Leonard also addded 83 yards and a score on 10 carries while Jeremiyah Love led the Irish with 102 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
The Irish opened the game with an impressive nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. The big play on the drive was a 42-yard strike from Leonard to Jaden Greathouse on a 3rd-and-6. After Love picked up a first down on 3rd and 3 from the four, Leonard barrelled in for the touchdown on a one-yard sneak to put Notre Dame up 7-0 five minutes into the game.
The Midshipmen converted a pair of first downs on their first possession of the game before Adon Shuler scooped up a mishandled Navy pitch and returned it 28 yards to Navy’s 7-yard line. A false start wiped out another Leonard one-yard touchdown run, but he responded by hitting a wide-open Kris Mitchell in the end zone for a six-yard scoring strike. Zac Yoakam’s PAT put Notre Dame up 14-0 with 5:44 remaining in the first quarter.
The Midshipmen crossed into Notre Dame territory on a trick play, but a personal foul pushed them back 15 yards and Junior Tuihalamaka recovered a fumble on a botched handoff the next play to set the Irish up at Navy’s 44-yard line.
The Irish would move the ball into the Navy red zone on a pair of Leonard scampers, but an incompletion followed by a sack forced a field goal attempt. Yoakam’s 36-yard attempt sailed wide, keeping the score 14-0 as the first quarter expired.
The Midshipmen responded on their following drive. A pass interference penalty against Christian Gray set Navy up at midfield. Navy quarterback Blake Horvath kept an option for a 47-yard touchdown run two plays later to cut Notre Dame’s lead in half, 14-7 two minutes into the second quarter.
Any pressure didn’t impact the Irish on their next drive. Leonard scrambled for seven yards on the first play, Love converted a first down with a four-yard inside run the next play and then Love busted a 64-yard scoring run the next as the Irish bumped their lead back to two scores, 21-7.
The Irish forced a punt on Navy’s next possession, but went three-and-out. James Rendell’s punt was muffed by Navy and recovered by Jack Kiser, setting Notre Dame up at Navy’s 40.
A questionable holding call put Notre Dame behind the chains, but the Irish converted a 4th-and-7 from Navy’s 37 when Faison snagged a pass from Leonard across the middle to pick up 17 yards. Love would convert a 3rd-and-short at the Navy 11 before taking it in from two yards out two plays later to put the Irish up 28-7 five minutes before the half.
Horvath busted another huge run to start the next Navy drive - 59 yards to Notre Dame’s 28 yard-line. Navy converted one first down, but a dropped pitch, a stop behind the line of scrimmage and an incomplete pass forced Navy to try a 40-yard field goal attempt. The kick missed and Notre Dame took over at its own 23.
Leonard started the drive with a beautiful 26-yard completion to Jordan Faison on a deep out. He had a 15-yard scramble and a 12-yard completion to Mitchell Evans also, but missed on three throws as well, forcing the Irish to settle for a field goal. Yoakam’s 32-yard field goal gave the Irish a 31-7 lead seconds before the half expired.
Navy’s offense was almost entirely based on Horvath, who had 56 yards passing and 119 yards rushing in the first half, accounting for all but 24 of the Midshipmen’s first-half yards and their only score.
Leonard finished the first half 12 of 19 for 141 yards and a touchdown through the air with another 53 yards and a score on eight carries. Love picked up 92 yards on 10 carries with the two scores. Faison caught three passes for 48 yards while Greathouse had one reception for 42 yards.
Notre Dame was the squad that made the mistakes to start the third quarter. A busted coverage, a penalty and multiple missed tackles led to a 12-play, 75-yard Navy touchdown drive to begin the half. The Irish had a chance to escape, but Eli Heidenriech scored from one yard out on a jet sweep on 4th-and-goal.
The Irish responded with their own 75-yard scoring drive capped by a 37-yard touchdown toss from Leonard to Beaux Collins. Leonard picked up 30 yards on two carries to push the ball across midfield before connecting with Collins to make the score 38-14 with 5:35 left in the quarter.
The Midshipmen started the ensuing drive inside their own five after the kickoff bounced off the returners’ facemask and out of bounds. That was nothing compared to Horvath dropping the ball as he attempted a third-down throw from his own end zone. Jaylen Sneed jumped on the ball for another Irish touchdown. Eric Goins missed the PAT as the Irish extended their lead to 44-14 with 4:18 left in the third.
Navy went on a one of its typical long, methodical drives at the end of the third quarter and into the fourth, pushing the ball deep into Irish territory. But Horvath’s fourth-down pass was intercepted in the end zone by Leonard Moore, effectively sealing the game with 11:44 to play.
The sloppy day continued for Navy into the fourth quarter as Eli Heidenreich dropped a punt and Kedren Young scored the first touchdown of his career four plays later. Young would finish his day with 52 yards and a touchdown.
Notre Dame moves into the final third of its schedule with plenty of momentum following three straight blowout wins over Stanford, Georgia Tech and Navy.
The Irish have a bye next week before hosting Florida State for a primetime game on Nov. 9th. After the Seminoles, Notre Dame has a home game versus Virginia, a game against Army at Yankee Stadium and the regular season finale at USC.
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