Sept. 3, 2007
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Game Data Navy (1-0) will hit the road for a second-consecutive week as the Mids travel to Piscataway, N.J. to take on the 16th-ranked Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-0) at a sold-out Rutgers Stadium (41,000) on Friday night. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday's game will be televised nationally by ESPN with Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman, Craig James and Rob Stone calling the action. Bob Socci, John Feinstein and Omar Nelson will call the game on the Navy Radio Network, which includes WBAL in Baltimore (1090 AM), WNAV in Annapolis (1430 AM), WFED in Washington, DC (1050 AM), WTRI in Frederick (1520 AM), The Game in Virginia Beach, Va. (102.1 FM) and Hampton Roads, Va. (1490 AM) and Sirius Satellite Radio (Channel 123). The game will also also be streamed live on Navy All-Access, as well as on the web sites of the various stations carrying the game. The pregame show will air at 6 p.m. on all the above stations except WBAL. Pete Medhurst and Joe Miller will host the Navy Tailgate show on 1430 WNAV starting at 5 p.m.
Mids Win Opener Junior quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (Kapolei, Hawai'i) rushed for 102 yards and one touchdown and completed three of his seven passes for 78 yards to lead Navy to a 30-19 victory over Temple in front of 30,368 fans at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field in the season opener for both squads. The Mids jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead, scoring on their first two drives of the game. Senior fullback Adam Ballard (Lewisville, Texas) scored on a one-yard run on the Mids' first possession and then Kaheaku-Enhada ripped off a 44-yard touchdown run on Navy's next possession. After Temple pulled to within 14-10 in the second quarter thanks to a Navy fumble that led to the Owls first touchdown, Ballard scored his second touchdown of the night on a nice five-yard run. Junior kicker Matt Harmon (Taylors, S.C.) drilled a 23-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter to give the MIds a 24-10 halftime lead. The Mids struggled in the second half and managed just two field goals thanks to a fumble and some costly penalties. Temple pulled to within 27-19 with 4:06 left in the game on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Adam DiMichele to Matt Balasavage, but sophomore nose guard Nate Frazier (Atlanta, Ga.) blocked the extra-point and then Harmon nailed a career-long 43-yard field goal with 1:07 left in the game to provide the final margin. Junior Shun White (Memphis, Tenn.) led the Navy rushing attack with 122 yards on eight carries. Ballard added 78 yards on 21 carries to go with his two touchdowns. Junior linebacker Clint Sovie (Jacksonville, Fla.) led the Mids with 10 tackles, while senior co-captain Jeff Deliz (Clinton Township, Mich.) added nine tackles. Senior outside linebacker Matt Wimsatt (Raleigh, N.C.) recorded seven tackles and his first-career sack and interception. Junior safety Ketric Buffin (Rowlett, Texas) also recorded an interception.
First Two On The Road Navy is playing its first two games on the road for just the third time in school history and for the first time since 1995 when the Mids opened up at SMU (33-2 victory) and Rutgers (27-17 loss). The Mids finished that season 5-6 under first-year head coach Charlie Weatherbie and first-year offensive coordinator Paul Johnson. The only other time Navy opened up with two-straight road games was 1978 when George Welsh took his team on the road to Virginia (32-0 win) and Connecticut (30-0 win). That team finished 9-3, including a 23-16 victory over BYU in the Holiday Bowl.
Playing The Big East Navy is 2-5 against teams from the Big East in Paul Johnson's five-plus seasons at the Naval Academy. Navy was 0-2 in 2002 (lost 46-21 to Boston College and 38-0 to Connecticut), 0-1 in 2003 (lost to Rutgers, 48-27), 1-0 in 2004 (beat Rutgers, 54-21), 0-1 in 2005 (lost to Rutgers, 31-21) and 1-1 in 2005 (beat Connecticut, 41-17 and lost to Rutgers, 34-0).
Series History The series is tied, 10-10-1, with Rutgers winning last year's game, 34-0. Rutgers is 5-2 all-time against Navy in games played on its home field. Navy last won at Rutgers in 1999, 34-7.
