Navy (1-5, 1-3 AAC) vs. No. 2 Cincinnati (6-0, 2-0 AAC)
When	Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 | 12:00 pm (ET)
Location	Annapolis, Md. | Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium | Parking & Fan Guide | Clear Bag Policy
Television	ESPN2 (Dave Flemming, Rod Gilmore, Stormy Buonantony)
Live Video Stream	ESPN2
Listen	Navy Football Radio Network (Pete Medhurst, Joe Miller, Keith Mills, Scott Wykoff) WBAL 1090 AM / 101.5 FM (Baltimore) | WFED 820 AM, 94.3 FM (Frederick, Md.) | WFED 1500 AM (Washington, D.C.) | WFED 104.5 FM (Western Fairfax / Loudon, Va.) | WNAV 1430 AM, 99.9 FM (Annapolis) | WBQH 93.5 FM (Washington, D.C.) | WJBT 100.3 FM (Jacksonville) | WGH 1310 AM / 100.9 FM / 97.3 HD2-3 (Norfolk, Va.) | Satellite: Sirius 206, XM 202, SXM App 965
Live Stats	Navy Athletics
Game Notes	Navy | Cincinnati | AAC
Season Statistics	Navy | Cincinnati | AAC
Social Media	@NavyAthletics | @NavyFB | Facebook | Instagram

Opening Kick
•    Navy and No. 2 Cincinnati meet for the fifth time in series history and for the third time as AAC foes when the two square off on Saturday afternoon (12:00 noon) at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Saturday's game is presented by Navy Federal Credit Union.
•    Navy leads the all-time series against the Bearcats 3-1, however Cincinnati won the last meeting 42-0 in Cincinnati (Nov. 3, 2018).
•    Saturday's contest will mark the third time in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium history that Navy has played host to the nation's No. 2 team.  
•    On Oct. 23 1976, an undefeated (6-0) and second-ranked Pitt squad, led by eventual Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett, rolled over a 1-5 Navy team 45-0 as Dorsett passed Archie Griffin as the NCAA career rushing leader with 5,206 yards. Dorsett ran for 150 yards and 3 touchdowns on the day.
•    That Pitt team finished 12-0 and ended up being the consensus National Champion after crushing No. 5 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl 27-3. Navy would go on to lose a heartbreaker the following week to No. 11 Notre Dame 27-21 in Cleveland before finishing the year with three-straight wins, beating Syracuse 27-10, Georgia Tech 34-28 and Army 38-10.  
•    On Nov. 17 1984, an undefeated (9-0) and second-ranked South Carolina squad came to Annapolis to take on a 3-5-1 Navy team that was without its All-American running back Napoleon McCallum and starting quarterback Bill Byrne and lost to the Mids in convincing fashion 38-21 in one of the greatest wins in school history. Navy led that game 38-7 with 10 minutes remaining until South Carolina scored two late touchdowns to make the score respectable. Quarterback Bobby Misch threw for 2 touchdowns in the game, while the swarming Navy defense forced 5 South Carolina turnovers, including 4 interceptions.
•    That loss cost South Carolina a chance at a National Championship and a berth in the Orange Bowl, as the Gamecocks would go on to beat Clemson 22-21 the following week before losing to No. 9 Oklahoma State 21-14 in the Gator Bowl. Navy could not maintain the momentum after beating South Carolina, losing to Army in the season finale 28-11.
•    Navy has beaten the No. 2 team in the country on two other occasions. In 1944, a 3-2 Navy team stunned Notre Dame 32-12, while in 1950 a 2-6 Navy squad upset Army 14-2. That Army game, along with the South Carolina win are considered the two biggest upsets in school history.
•    The Cincinnati contest is the fifth of five-consecutive games in which Navy plays against the top-five teams in the AAC Preseason Poll. Cincinnati was picked No. 1 in the preseason poll.
•    Navy is playing the third-toughest schedule in the country this year based on opponent winning percentage from 2020. The Mids' 12 opponents this fall combined for a 72-42 (.632) record in 2020. Only Arkansas (.644) and UMass (.644) have tougher slates based on last year's results. Navy's opponents so far this year, including Cincinnati, are a combined 34-11 (.756).
•    Navy is 31-20 (.608) in the American Athletic Conference since joining in 2015. That record is tied for the fourth-best mark in the conference during that time. Only Memphis (35-16), Temple (32-17) and UCF (32-19) have been better. Navy has defeated every team in the conference at least once.
•    Senior corner Michael McMorris has forced 3 fumbles this year which is tied for the fifth most in the country.
•    Senior safety Kevin Brennan, senior wide receiver Mychal Cooper, senior linebacker Diego Fagot and senior slot back Chance Warren were selected as team captains for the 2021 season by their teammates. Being selected team captain is the greatest honor a Navy athlete can receive, to be chosen the leader of a group of leaders.
•    Cooper was also chosen to serve as the Captain of the Captains by a vote of the team captains of all 33 of Navy's varsity sports. It's the second time in three years that a football player has been selected. Ford Higgins was the Captain of the Captains for the 2019-20 academic year.
•    Fagot is on the "Watch Lists" for the 2021 Chuck Bednarik Award (Maxwell Football Club) and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (Football Writers Association of America) which are presented to the top defensive player in college football.
•    Fagot was named a Third-Team Preseason All-American by Phil Steele's College Football Magazine, while Fagot (first team), senior corner Michael McMorris (third team), sophomore nose guard Donald Berniard Jr. (fourth team), senior safety Kevin Brennan (fourth team) and junior kicker Bijan Nichols (fourth team) were named to Steele's All-AAC team. Fagot is a two-time All-AAC performer, garnering second-team honors by the league's coaches as a junior and first-team recognition as a sophomore.
•    Head coach Ken Niumatalolo earned his 100th-career victory last fall (Oct. 10) when the Mids defeated Temple in Annapolis. He is the 24th active coach with 100-career wins and just the sixth active coach to achieve it all at one school.
•    Navy is 43-30 (.589) in the Niumatalolo era (2008-present) in one-score games (8 points or less).

Broadcast Coverage
•    ESPN2 will carry Saturday's game with Dave Flemming (pxp), Rod Gilmore (analyst) and Stormy Buonantony on the call.
•    The Navy Football Insider Show with Joe Miller will air on Thursday night from 7:00-8:00 pm on WBAL Radio (1090 AM, 101.5 FM). Pete Medhurst, Keith Mills and Scott Wykoff will also contribute to the show.
•    The Navy Football Tailgate Show on WNAV Radio 1430 AM / 99.9 FM will air from 10:00-11:00 am on Saturday with Wylie Baker and Bill Lusby serving as the hosts.
•    The Navy Football Pregame Show with Medhurst, Miller, Mills and Wykoff and special commentary from John Feinstein will get underway at 11:00 am on the Navy Radio Network, followed by game action beginning at 12 noon with Medhurst, Miller and Mills on the call.
•    Following the contest, Medhurst, Miller, Mills and Wykoff will recap the day's events in a 30-minute postgame show.

Game Day Festivities
•    The Navy football team will arrive at the Blue Angel on the West (Blue) side of the stadium at approximately 9:30 am. The team will walk down the sidewalk and through NavyFest before walking to the tunnel. Fans are invited to stand on both sides of the sidewalk to cheer on the players.
•    The March-On of the Brigade of Midshipmen will begin at 11:44 am.
•    The National Anthem will take place at 11:54:30 am, followed by a flyover.
•     Saturday's flyover will feature two Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornets from the "Gunslingers" of Strike Fighter Squadron 105 based out of Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va. Piloting the lead aircraft will be Lt. Aaron "Mathlete" Dougherty, USNA Class of 2014. The wing aircraft will be piloted by Lt. Charlie "Cupcake" Peck, USNA Class of 2015.  Providing ground control will be Lt. Cmdr. Brian Jones. The Gunslingers report operationally to Commander, Carrier Air Wing THREE and administratively to Commander, Strike Fighter Wing, Atlantic. They fly the F/A-18E Super Hornet, the single seat variant of the Navy's battle-proven strike fighter. The F/A-18E model was designed for traditional air superiority, fighter escort, reconnaissance, aerial refueling, close air support, forward air control (airborne), air defense suppression and day/night precision strike. The F/A-18E simultaneously increases strike mission survivability and supplements fleet air defense.
•    Kickoff on Saturday is slated for 12:05 pm.
•    The pilots from the pregame flyover will be recognized between the third and fourth quarters.  
•    Following the game, Navy's alma mater, Navy Blue & Gold, will be played as the team stands at attention in front of the Brigade of Midshipmen. It is one of the best traditions in all of sports.

Scouting Cincinnati
6-0 Overall  |  2-0 AAC
Head Coach: Luke Fickell

•    Cincinnati enters Saturday's game with a 6-0 record and a No. 2 national ranking in both polls.
•    The Bearcats have dominated the opposition this fall, winning by an average margin of 29.8 points per game.  Cincinnati's closest game was a 24-13 win over Notre Dame in South Bend. Cincinnati has outscored its last 2 opponents (Temple and UCF) by a combined score of 108-24 and have scored more than 50 points in back-to-back games for the first time in school history.
•    The Cincinnati offense ranks sixth in scoring offense (43.0 pts/gm), 42nd in rushing offense (186.8 yds/gm), 50th in total offense (427.4 yds/gm) and 60th in passing offense (240.6). It is first in the country in fourth down conversions (1.000), fourth in tackles for a loss allowed (3.0 per game) and 25th in passing yards per completion (13.83)
•    The Bearcats' defense has been even better, ranking 16th in pass defense (175.8 yds/gm), 18th in total defense (306.2 yds/gm), ninth in scoring defense (15.8 pts/gm) and 46th in rushing defense (130.4 yds/gm). They are also ranked first in the nation in red zone defense (.562), first in pass efficiency defense (85.99), second in turnover margin (+1.60), fourth in first downs allowed (85), fourth in interceptions (11), seventh in defensive touchdowns (two) and ninth in turnovers gained (15).  
•    The Cincinnati special teams have also been solid, ranking first in the country in punt return defense (-1.0 yds/return), fourth in kickoff returns (32.62 yds/return) and 17th in kickoff return defense (16.67).
•    Cincinnati's roster features 16 transfers, including 7 from the Autonomy 5. Additionally, freshman linebacker Jack Haglage is a transfer from the Naval Academy Prep School.
•    Senior quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Desmond Ridder is 18th in the country in points responsible for (16.0 per gm), 20th in passing yards per completion (13.78) and 22nd in passing yards per attempt (8.59).
•    Junior running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Jerome Ford, a transfer from Alabama, is having an incredible year,  averaging 112 yards per game (12th in the country) and 6.4 yards per carry (14th in the country).  Ford's 10 rushing touchdowns are the second most in the nation. He is coming off an impressive game against UCF where he ran for 189 yards and 4 touchdowns on 20 carries, which included a 79-yard touchdown run.
•    Wide receiver Alec Pierce is averaging 19.56 yards per catch which is the nation's 20th-best average.
•    UConn transfer linebacker Darrian Beavers ranks third in the country in fumble recoveries (2), while sophomore linebacker Deshawn Pace is fifth in the nation in interceptions per game (0.5).
•    Cornerback Coby Bryant is third in the country in passes defended (1.8 per game).
•    Junior wide receiver Tre Tucker is fourth in the nation in kickoff returns, averaging 34.1 per return including one for a touchdown.

Playing Against The Home State
•    Navy has 10 players on its roster from Ohio, including three on the three-deep depth chart.
•    Starting left tackle Sam Glover hails from Pickerington, starting striker Nicholas Straw is from Lebanon and second-team wide receiver Zachary Kuhlman is from Cincinnati.

Navy vs. AAC
•    Navy owns a 56-47-1 (.543) all-time record against schools who are current members of the American Athletic Conference.
•    Since joining the AAC in 2015, the Mids have recorded a 31-20 (.608) mark in conference action.

Injuries Mounting
• The Mids have lost three key players for the year due to injuries this fall.
•    Senior starting safety Mitchell West is out for the year with a knee injury, senior second-team wide receiver Marcell Gleaton is out for the year with a knee injury and sophomore starting left tackle Jake Cossavella is out for the year with a leg injury.
•    Starting safety and defensive co-captain Kevin Brennan missed the Memphis game with a shoulder injury.

Youth Is Served
•    Navy is fielding one of its youngest teams in recent memory.
•    The Mids are starting 8 sophomores (4 on offense, 4 on defense) and have 29 freshmen or sophomores who are on the three-deep depth chart (11 on offense, 18 on defense).
•    Those numbers do not include a sophomore kickoff specialist, a freshman long snapper, a freshman punter and a freshman kickoff return specialist.

First-Time Starters
•    16 Navy players have earned their first-collegiate starts in the Mids' six games this season, including a pair of freshmen.