FORT WORTH, Texas — In a thrilling contest at the Armed Forces Bowl, Blake Horvath made history for the Navy Midshipmen by recording a remarkable 95-yard touchdown run. He followed that up with a crucial 6-yard touchdown with only 4:34 remaining, enabling Navy to rally from a 14-point deficit to defeat Oklahoma 21-20. The Sooners had an opportunity to clinch the game late when they scored a touchdown with just six seconds left, courtesy of a 10-yard pass from Michael Hawkins Jr. to Jake Roberts. However, Oklahoma’s attempt for a 2-point conversion was thwarted when Hawkins was sacked by Justin Reed.
“It was an incredible play, but it’s really about the entire defense; we stayed composed after they scored,” Reed commented, acknowledging the team effort involved in securing the win. The Midshipmen finished the season at 10-3, marking their sixth season with at least ten wins. This accomplishment follows their previous ten-win season in 2019, their last winning year before this resurgence.
Head coach Brian Newberry expressed his pride in the team’s resilience, noting, “You’re down 14-0, and that reflects everything these players have faced, especially the seniors. It symbolizes how things began for us; despite the odds against us, they kept fighting.” Horvath’s record-setting run tied the game late in the third quarter, before he took the lead with his subsequent touchdown, which came just one play after converting a fourth-and-3 via a 16-yard throw to Eli Heidenrich.
“Our decision to go for it on that fourth down was pivotal; it really made a difference in the game,” Newberry remarked, highlighting the significance of the 12-play drive that lasted over seven minutes and covered 66 yards. Horvath’s performance was impressive as he amassed 155 yards on 18 carries and threw for 92 yards, completing 7 of 12 passes. In addition, Alex Tecza contributed to the score with an 11-yard touchdown run.
The scoring for Oklahoma began early with a 21-yard touchdown run from Gavin Sawchuk, who had not seen such success in recent games. They doubled their lead with a spectacular 56-yard touchdown run from Zion Kearney, capitalizing on Hawkins’s agility to extend the play outside the pocket. Hawkins acknowledged a lack of focus, stating, “We started strong but lost our rhythm in the second quarter. We managed to get back on track, but consistency is key in games like this.”
After concluding their inaugural season in the Southeastern Conference, Oklahoma wrapped up their campaign with a 6-7 record under coach Brent Venables, marking the second time in three seasons they have finished with the same record. The Sooners fielded a notably different team compared to the regular season, facing multiple player transfers and missing key figures like linebacker Danny Stutsman and safety Billy Bowman as they prepare for the NFL Draft.
“It wasn’t the season we had envisioned, and while there’s disappointment, this presents an opportunity for significant growth,” remarked tight end Jake Roberts from the Sooners.
In terms of reflections from the game, Oklahoma has a long-standing history of bowl appearances, as this marks their 26th consecutive season, although they previously enjoyed 23 consecutive winning seasons prior to Venables’s leadership. Additionally, quarterback Hawkins faced struggles with his receiving corps, which had been largely composed of inexperienced freshmen.
Turning to Navy, they not only achieved victory over Oklahoma but also made history with this matchup, holding a 2-0 record against them, with their previous victory dating back to 1965. They also secured their first win over an SEC team since the 1955 Sugar Bowl.
Looking ahead, Oklahoma will kick off the next season with a home game against Illinois State on August 30. For Coach Venables, this will mark his fourth season at the helm, having a record of 22-17. Navy, on the other hand, is set to return Horvath and all of its offensive skill starters for the upcoming season, opening at home against VMI also on August 30.
