Jeremiyah Love showcased a stellar performance, rushing for 102 yards and scoring two touchdowns, as the 12th-ranked Notre Dame dominated the 24th-ranked Navy with a score of 51-14 on Saturday. This victory marked the continuation of Love’s impressive streak, now at eight consecutive games with a rushing touchdown. The match, held at MetLife Stadium, saw Notre Dame extend its winning streak over Navy to seven victories through their 97 meetings.
Throughout the game, Navy faltered significantly, particularly with ball security, as they suffered five fumbles after entering the match without having lost any all season. Those turnovers resulted in 28 points for the Fighting Irish, with Jaylen Sneed capitalizing on a fumble recovery to score in the end zone. Besides Love’s two touchdown runs, a 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Riley Leonard to Kris Mitchell, along with a 4-yard touchdown run from Kedren Young, also came following turnovers, including two mishandled punts.
Riley Leonard contributed to the scoreline as well, completing 13 out of 21 passes for 178 yards, which included a striking 37-yard touchdown pass to Beaux Collins. With this win, the Fighting Irish improved to 7-1, now on a six-game winning streak since a surprising defeat to Northern Illinois two weeks ago. By halftime, the Irish had established a commanding lead at 31-7 and remained in control until the end.
For Navy, Blake Horvath had a moment of brilliance with a 47-yard touchdown run, finishing his day with 129 yards on 14 carries. Eli Heidenreich also managed to find the end zone with a short run, accounting for the Midshipmen’s other touchdown. However, Navy struggled overall, being outgained by Notre Dame 466 yards to 310, and the 51 points allowed by their defense represented the most they’ve faced this season.
In terms of analysis, Notre Dame executed their strategy effectively, staying efficient on offense to limit Navy’s ball-control tactics. The developing synergy of Leonard and the offense is evident as they have scored at least 30 points across their last four games. On the defensive end, they continued to display strength, disrupting Navy’s offensive momentum.
Meanwhile, Navy relied heavily on Horvath, whose leadership was overshadowed by costly turnovers that hampered their performance. The Midshipmen’s defensive lineup struggled against the comprehensive skill set of Notre Dame, which capitalized on advantageous starting positions throughout the game.
Looking at the impact on rankings, Notre Dame’s strong performance, aside from a few missed tackles by Horvath, could see them ascend in the polls. Conversely, Navy’s lackluster display might jeopardize their positioning in the rankings, potentially pushing them out after this defeat.
As for what’s next, Notre Dame has a well-deserved bye week before hosting Florida State on November 9. Meanwhile, Navy will face Rice on Saturday to aim for redemption after this challenging outing.