10/16/2004 - Football
Notre Dame 27, Navy 9
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Forty-one and
counting.
Ryan Grant ran for 114 yards and two touchdowns as Notre Dame
built a comfortable early lead and continued its domination of
previously unbeaten Navy with a 27-9 victory at Giants Stadium.
Notre Dame (5-2) defeated Navy for the 41st straight time, the
longest winning streak by one opponent over another in NCAA
history.
Navy (5-1) was off to its best start since 1979 but was given a
reality check by Notre Dame, which scored touchdowns on its
first two possessions and did not allow the Midshipmen to
complete a pass until the fourth quarter.
The Fighting Irish marched 81 yards in six plays on the opening
drive, capped by a 33-yard touchdown run around left end by
Marcus Wilson. It was the first career TD for the senior from
nearby Staten Island, New York.
Navy drove into Notre Dame territory on its first possession,
but Kyle Eckel was stopped short of a first down on 4th-and-5 at
the 36. Brady Quinn completed a 30-yard pass to Matt Shelton
before Grant went around left end for 19 yards to the 1, setting
up his touchdown on the next play.
D.J. Fitzpatrick kicked a 47-yard field goal late in the first
quarter to give the Irish a 17-0 halftime lead and added a
20-yarder early in the fourth quarter.
Grant scored on a one-yard TD run late in the third quarter to
cap a 13-play, 73-yard drive and increase the lead to 24-3.
Eckel carried 22 times for 102 yards for Navy, which scored its
lone touchdown on a five-yard run by Frank Divis with 4:19 left.
Geoff Blumenfeld kicked a 29-yard field goal in the third
quarter.
