Rapid Review: Notre Dame 52, Navy 20
For the second week in a row, No. 16-ranked Notre Dame dominated from the outset against a team that had a bye week the previous Saturday, this time crushing No. 21 Navy 52-20 after building a 38-0 cushion in the first half.
The Fighting Irish (8-2) entered the game as only a 7.5-point favorite but generated three first-half lost fumbles by Navy(7-2) to run away with the contest early.
Senior quarterback Ian Book finished 14 of 20 passing for 284 yards and five touchdownS,, and the majority of the damage occurred in the first 19:24 when he found senior wideout Chase Claypool on seven- 47- and three-yard scores, and also aired it out with a 70-yard fling to sophomore speedster Braden Lenzy.
Claypool (seven catches, 117 yards) later notched a fourth touchdown reception, tying the single-game Notre Dame record set by Maurice Stovall versus BYU in 2005.
But it was the Fighting Irish defense that sparked the blowout by stopping Navy cold on its first five possessions, three of them resulting in lost fumbles to set up scores.
TOP 3 STORYLINES
• Three years ago in a 28-27 loss to Navy, Notre Dame had six total possessions the entire game (lowest in the FBS in eight years), and the next season in a 24-17 victory it had seven.
During the first half alone this time, the Irish had six series on offense — scoring on all six with five touchdowns and a field goal.
• Navy’s first five possessions resulted in three lost fumbles (recovered by linebackers Asmar Bilal and Drew White, plus end Jamir Jones), a failed fourth-and-one at its 44-yard line on a tackle for loss by freshman safety Kyle Hamilton when quarterback Malcolm Perry tried to string it wide, and then a three-and-out.
Those five series by Navy netted 118 yards before the final possession of the half for the Midshipmen resulted in a 72-yard drive that ended with a 27-yard field goal as time expired but still a commanding 38-3 Notre Dame advantage at the intermission.
• With 8:28 remaining in the third quarter and the Irish ahead 45-3, reserve and sophomore quarterback Phil Jurkovec was inserted. Notre Dame's lone touchdown thereafter was a 27-yard fumble return by sophomore rover Paul Moala with 14:39 left in the contest.
TURNING POINT
Navy’s first two possessions resulted in lost fumbles — and helped provide an instant 21-0 Fighting Irish advantage. This took Navy completely out of its element as it had been behind only 39 minutes of the first 480 of game action during its 7-1 start this season.
After Notre Dame opened the game with a methodical 75-yard drive and a seven-yard score to Claypool, Navy answered by marching to a first down at the Irish 24-yard line — but then defensive end Khalid Kareem stripped the football from Perry on the speed option that was recovered by Bilal. Two plays later it was 14-0 on a 47-yard scoring strike to Claypool.
On Navy’s next series, Kareem forced another fumble by Perry that drop end Jones recovered at the Navy 39-yard line. The short three-yard touchdown pass to Claypool four plays later made it 21-0.
STAT OF THE GAME
Navy lost fumbles on three of their first five series that helped produce 21 Notre Dame points en route to the rout. A fourth in the second half was returned for a 27-yard touchdown by Moala.
GAME BALLS
While the Book-to-Claypool combination was prolific with a pitch-and-catch attack they made look too easy to earn it on offense, the story of this game was Notre Dame’s defense smothering the vaunted triple-option, specifically in the first half.
Setting the tone was Kareem with two forced fumbles recovered by the Irish and two tackles for loss.
HISTORICAL FOOTNOTE
Although Navy has won four games in this series since 2007, it has not defeated a Notre Dame team that finished in the final rankings since 1957, when the Fighting Irish placed No. 10 in the Associated Press poll.
When the Irish are top-10-caliber good, it's extremely difficult for Navy to compete in this series.
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