BGI Staff Predictions: Navy at Notre Dame
No. 16 Notre Dame (7-2) hosts No. 23 Navy (7-1) on Saturday afternoon, with kickoff shortly after 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
After losing an NCAA-record 43 straight games to the Fighting Irish from 1964-2006, the Midshipmen have posted four victories against them since 2007, most recently in 2016 — but still have not defeated a Notre Dame team that finished ranked since 1957.
TODD BURLAGE, STAFF WRITER
Notre Dame 34, Navy 24
This matchup between No. 16 Notre Dame and No. 23 Navy marks the first meeting between the two schools when both were ranked since 1978 when the No. 15 Irish knocked off the No. 11 ranked Midshipmen, 27-7
Notre Dame has won 16 straight games at home — the third longest streak in program history — but has to stay hungry to have an shot at running the table in November and possibly landing a major bowl bid. Navy is on a five-game winning streak, off a bye week and hasn’t trailed in nearly four full games.
VINCE DEDARIO, FOOTBALL ANALYST
Notre Dame 35, Navy 21
I was a little more pessimistic in my prediction for the magazine as far as how the Notre Dame offense will play in this game. After watching the offense come back to life against a solid Duke defense, I am more confident the Irish can score points, even though Navy’s defense ranks among the top 25 in most major categories.
Possessions are always at a premium against Navy and this year is no different. The Midshipmen offense is back to the Navy of old and will possess the ball, while the defense is not the defense of old and can make plays.
There is still enough on the line for Notre Dame that I believe it will play with concentration and energy — because you know Navy will. I am predicting a 14-point win but I would not be surprised to see this as a one-possession game when the final whistle sounds.
ANDREW MENTOCK, STAFF WRITER
Notre Dame 27, Navy 23
Frigid temperatures play into the hand of the Navy running attack, which allows the Midshipmen to get off to an early lead. Quarterback Ian Book also struggles in the first half due to the mistake-free Navy defense. Ultimately, the Notre Dame defense is able to force the Navy offense into a few three-and-outs in the second half, which allows them to take the lead for good toward the start of the fourth quarter.
This could be similar to the 2017 game at Notre Dame, also in cold conditions, when the Irish had to rally from a second-half 17-10 deficit to pull out the 24-17 victory.
MIKE SINGER, RECRUITING INSIDER
Notre Dame 23, Navy 20
The obvious focus against the Midshipmen will be limiting the damage of the triple-option. With the Irish down Julian Okwara and Daelin Hayes on the edge, Jamir Jones and Khalid Kareem will be relied on more than ever to do the heavy lifting versus the nation’s No. 1 ground attack (358 yards per game). Kurt Hinish and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa will be crucial to the Irish’s success stopping the dive play up the gut, because the fullbacks between them average more than 100 yards rushing per contest.
Through nine games, I think we have a good understanding of what the Notre Dame offense is, and I’m not going to expect a stellar showing from that unit. The Irish will do enough to get a win in a closer than anticipated battle.
LOU SOMOGYI, SENIOR EDITOR
Notre Dame 38, Navy 28
In 480 minutes of game action during its 7-1 start, Navy has trailed only a total of 39 minutes — and none in the last 225, which translates to almost four full games.
Notre Dame has been a slow-starting opening series team, but did assert itself last week by taking a 21-0 lead at Duke halfway through the second quarter. It did the same versus the Midshipmen last year while building a 13-0 cushion after two possessions when it stopped the Midshipmen on fourth-and-two on the game’s first series, and then threw them for lost yardage on third-and-two on the second series (forcing a punt), en route to a 27-0 advantage and coasting home free from there.
This is a vastly improved Navy team from last year’s 3-10 debacle, and quarterback Malcolm Perry provides an electrifying playmaking presence with both his explosiveness and legerdemain. He is enough of a threat himself on a well-balanced team to provide an almost comparable queasiness I felt prior to this year's Michigan game.
I have the over/under for Notre Dame possessions at nine (usually it is about 12 or 13 per game), and scoring on six of them likely will be needed to emerge victorious. So much of this game for the Irish will be staying patient on both sides of the ball, otherwise a Navy victory is more than possible.
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