Navy (0-0, 0-0 American) vs. Towson (0-1, 0-1 CAA)
When	Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026 | 3:30 pm (ET)
Location	Annapolis, Md. | Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium | Parking & Fan Guide | Buy Tickets
Television	CBS Sports Network (Chris Lewis, Randy Cross, Brandon Baylor)
Live Video Stream	CBS Sports Network
Listen	Navy Football Radio Network (Joe Miller, Mike James, Keenan Reynolds, Keith Mills, Scott Wykoff) WBAL 1090 AM / 101.5 FM (Baltimore) | WFED 1500 AM (Washington, D.C.) | WFED 104.5 FM (Western Fairfax / Loudon, Va.) | WNAV 1430 AM (Annapolis) | KWFN 97.3 FM (San Diego) | WGH 1310 AM / 100.9 FM (Norfolk, Va.) | WJGM 105.7 FM (Jacksonville, Fla.) | KIKI 990 AM (Honolulu, Hawai'i) | Satellite: Sirius 85, SXM App 85 | Apps: Audacy (WNAV and KWFN) and TuneIn (WBAL)
Live Stats	StatBroadcast
Game Notes	Navy | Towson | American Conference
Season Statistics	Navy | Towson | American Conference
Social Media	@NavyAthletics | @NavyFB | Facebook | Instagram

Opening Kick
•    RV / RV Navy (0-0) and Towson (0-1) will meet on the gridiron for the second time in series history when the two square off on CBS Sports Network on Saturday afternoon (3:30 pm) at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000), America's finest and most patriotic stadium, in Annapolis. Saturday's contest is presented by HII.
•    Saturday's game marks the first time these two schools have met since August 30, 2008, when Navy won 41-13 in Annapolis. Slot back Shun White shattered the Navy single-game rushing record by racking up 348 rushing yards on just 19 carries. He scored on touchdown runs of 33, 87 and 73 yards, breaking the previous record of 298 yards set by Eddie Meyers in 1981. Navy finished the game with 558 rushing yards which at the time was the third-highest team rushing total in school history (now stands fifth).
•    The 2008 Towson game also marked the official regular-season debut for Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo, who secured his first victory following the departure of Paul Johnson for Georgia Tech.  Niumatalolo was the head coach in the 2007 Poinsettia Bowl, a game Navy lost to Utah 35-32. Niumatalolo went on to become Navy's all-time winningest coach with a record of 109-83.
•    Navy received 10 voting points in the Associated Press Preseason Poll and three in the AFCA Coaches Preseason Poll. Navy's 10 points in the AP poll are tied with South Carolina for the 31st-highest total. Boise State, with 43 points, is the only other non-autonomy team that received more votes than Navy. The Mids' three points in the coaches poll are tied with Western Michigan for the 49th-highest total. Boise State (24 pts), UNLV (17), Memphis (9), James Madison (6) and New Mexico (4) are the non-autonomy teams that received more votes than Navy.
•    The Mids will not play another home game after Saturday's opener until Oct. 10 when they play host to Tulsa. Navy travels to FAU on Sept. 12, UAB on Sept. 25 and Air Force on Oct. 3. It is the first time Navy will have played three-consecutive true road games since 2010 when the Mids played at Louisiana Tech (W, 37-23), at Air Force (L, 14-6) and at Wake Forest (W, 28-27). Navy finished that year with a 9-4 record, which included a 31-17 win over Army.    
•    This will be the first time Navy has played three of its first-four games of the season on the road (not counting neutral site games) since 1997, when the Mids played at San Diego State (L, 45-31), Rutgers (W, 36-7), at SMU (W, 46-16) and at Duke (L, 26-17). That team finished 7-4, which included a 39-7 win over Army, but did not go to a bowl game because two of those seven wins were against FCS teams.
•    Navy is one of five schools in the country that will play three-consecutive road games in 2026, joining Western Kentucky, Syracuse, UNLV and Cal.
•    Navy is 2-1 in season openers under head coach Brian Newberry (2023 / L, 42-3 vs. Notre Dame in Ireland, 2024 / W, 49-21 vs. Bucknell and 2025 / W, 52-7 vs. VMI) and 3-0 in home openers (2023 / W, 24-0 vs. Wagner, 2024 / W, 49-21 vs. Bucknell and 2025 / W, 52-7 vs. VMI).
•     The last six times Navy has won the season opener, it has gone on to play in a bowl game. The last time Navy lost the season opener and still qualified for a bowl game was in 2014 when the Mids lost to eventual National Champion Ohio State in Baltimore 34-17, but went on to finish 8-5 and defeat San Diego State in the Poinsettia Bowl.
•    Navy has gone to a bowl game in 12 of the last 13 years it has won its season opener.
•    Navy has won 78-consecutive games at home when leading after 3 quarters, the nation's longest streak. The last time Navy lost at home when leading after 3 quarters was Oct. 23, 1999, when the Mids led Akron 29-13 and lost 35-29.
•    Navy is an extremely young team, ranking 134th out of 138 FBS teams in career snaps played.
•    Navy's 21-5 record (.808) over the last two years is the eighth-best winning percentage in the FBS and the best among the non-autonomy four. 
•    Navy finished 6-0 at home in 2025. It is just the 6th time in school history Navy has gone undefeated at home in years it has played 5 or more home games. The Mids also went undefeated at home in 2019 (6-0), 2015 (7-0), 2013 (5-0), 2004 (6-0) and 1981 (5-0). Navy is now 13-3 (.813) at home under Brian Newberry.
•    Navy was 8-0 last year when it scored on the opening drive.
•    Navy owns a 759-605-57 (.554) record over 145 seasons. The 759 wins are the 22nd most in the FBS and the most of any team not in the Autonomy four. 
•    Brian Newberry started his head coaching career at Navy with a 20-10 record, which is the best 30-game start by a Navy head coach since Wayne Hardin went 20-9-1 from 1959-61. Ken Niumatalolo, the winningest head coach in school history, started his first-30 games at Navy with a 19-11 record. Newberry is currently 26-12 (.684) as a head coach.
•    Hoke Smith II (Sr. / OG) has the honor of wearing jersey No. 68 this season in memory of former Navy offensive lineman David Forney. Forney, who was a senior offensive lineman on the 2019 team, died on Feb. 20, 2020, after being found unresponsive in Bancroft Hall. He was 22 years old. Forney was a 3-year varsity letter winner for the Mids and played in 39-consecutive games over his final 3 seasons.
•    Navy's roster represents 31 different states, including 21 players from the state of Maryland, the fourth most of any state (Georgia-28, Texas-27, Florida-23). Key players include junior tackle Sean Crowley (Glen Arm), sophomore outside linebacker Trent Gillis (Glen Burnie), senior fullback Vic Listorti (Pasadena), senior corner Ira Oniha (Silver Sping) and junior safety Aaron Rose (Windsor Mill).
•    The Naval Academy Athletic Association (NAAA) and USAA have extended their historic partnership for an additional 10 years, continuing a longstanding relationship built on shared values of service, leadership and commitment to those who serve. As part of the expanded partnership, USAA has been named the Anchor Partner of Navy Athletics, the highest level of corporate partnership within the Naval Academy Athletic Association. Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, the USAA logo will appear on jerseys for 30 Navy varsity sports, providing a visible representation of the continued collaboration between two organizations with deep connections to the military community.
•    Navy Athletics will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its only football national championship during the 2026 season, honoring a remarkable 1926 team that finished 9-0-1 and captured a share of the national title. The Midshipmen will wear a commemorative uniform with a special patch for the Notre Dame game in recognition of a team whose accomplishments remain one of the great chapters in Navy football history.
•    On Friday (Sept. 4), thanks to a generous donor, the doctor's office in the Romo Athletic Training Room in Ricketts Hall will be named in memory of William and Suzanne Person. The Persons had four sons earn letters as football players at the Naval Academy: Andy ('96) was a rare four-year letter winner, Chris ('98) earned one letter, Dan ('03) earned two letters and Joe ('07) earned two letters.  
•    Navy Athletics will name its home radio booth the Pete Medhurst Navy Radio Network Broadcast Booth in honor of longtime broadcaster Pete Medhurst. The dedication ceremony will be held on Saturday at 2 pm prior to the Towson game. A plaque honoring Medhurst will be displayed outside of the broadcast booth. Medhurst passed away in January of 2025, following a courageous battle with brain cancer. He was 55 years old.
•    2nd Lts. Eli Heidenreich and Alex Tecza of the United States Marine Corps made Naval Academy football history when they appeared for the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 28-27 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills.Heidenreich and Tecza are believed to be the fourth pair of Naval Academy graduates to appear for the same team in the same NFL game. They are the second pair of former Navy football teammates, and the first pair of Marine Corps officers who graduated from the Naval Academy, to accomplish the feat.

Game Day Timeline
1:00-1:15 pm - Team arrival
    The Navy football team will arrive at the Blue Angel / Marine Harrier on the West (Blue) side of the stadium. The team will walk down the sidewalk and through NavyFest before walking through the tunnel. Fans are invited to stand on both sides of the sidewalk to cheer on the players.
3:11 pm - March-on of the Brigade of Midshipmen
3:21:30 pm - National Anthem, Flyover
    The information on Saturday's flyover was not available at the time of print.
3:28:20 pm - Teams Take the Field
    Navy will run out first, followed by Towson
3:32 pm - Kickoff
    There is a chance for a five minute slide if the Army vs. Bryant game runs long. That decision will be made by no later than 2:32 pm.
1st/2nd Qtr Break - Patriot League Presidents' Cup recognition
    Navy captured the 2025-26 Patriot League Presidents' Cup, winning six league titles during the spring and a league-best 10 titles overall to finish atop the leader board for the 11th time in the last 12 years and for the 12th time overall. Navy has finished either first or second in each of the last 19 times the Presidents' Cup has been awarded. Navy also won the men's title for the fourth year in a row and has now won at least a share of nine men's titles. Navy earned 154 points during the 2025-26 season, reclaiming the Presidents' Cup after finishing second in 2024-25. The Midshipmen had previously won a Patriot League-record 10 straight Presidents' Cup titles from 2013-14 through 2023-24. Last year, Navy won Patriot League championships in men's cross country, men's indoor track and field, men's swimming and diving, women's swimming and diving, men's outdoor track and field, men's golf, women's golf, men's tennis, women's tennis and women's lacrosse. Additionally, men's and women's basketball, men's tennis (shared with Lehigh) and women's lacrosse (shared with Army) won regular-season titles. Navy has won 100 Patriot League titles since the league expanded to 10 teams in 2013-14. The next-closest school is Boston University with 48. Navy has won 51 titles over the last five years, while Boston U. is second with 22. Overall, Navy has won a Patriot League-record 182 titles, while Army is second with 163.
Halftime  
    Naval Academy Drum and Bugle Corps will perform and there will be a demonstration by the USNA parachute team.
3rd/4th Qtr Break - 
    Recognition of pilots from flyover
Postgame - Navy Blue & Gold
    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.

Broadcast Coverage
•    CBS Sports Network will carry Saturday's game with Chris Lewis (play-by-play), College Football Hall of Famer Randy Cross (color) and Brandon Baylor (sidelines) on the call.
•    The Navy Football Pregame Show with Joe Miller, Mike James, Keenan Reynolds, Keith Mills and Scott Wykoff will get underway at 2:30 pm on the Navy Radio Network, followed by game action beginning at 3:30 pm.
•    Following the contest, Miller, James, Reynolds, Mills and Wykoff will recap the day's events on the Navy postgame show.
•    The Navy Football Insider Show with Scott Wykoff will air on WBAL Radio (1090 AM) on Tuesday at 7 pm and again on Saturday at 2 pm.
•     Expanding upon an aggressive Navy-related programming lineup; WNAV (1430 AM) will broadcast the Sing Second Sports Podcast followed by an encore airing of the Navy Sports Magazine five hours prior to kickoff.
•    The Anchors Aweigh and Navy Football Podcasts will air four and three hours prior to kickoff, respectively each week.
•    The WNAV Navy Tailgate Show will bring fans a live program from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium two hours prior to kickoff for each home game and from the studio when the Mids are on the road.
•    WNAV will then join the national pregame show with Wykoff, Miller, Reynolds, James and Mills for all the exciting action on the Navy Football Radio Network.

Navy Radio Network
• WBAL 1090 AM and 101.5 FM (Baltimore) 
• WFED 1500 AM (Washington, D.C.)
• WFED 104.5 FM (W. Fairfax / Loudon, Va.)
• WNAV 1430 AM  (Annapolis)
• KWFN 97.3 FM (San Diego)
• WGH 1310 AM / 100.9 FM (Norfolk)
• WJGM 105.7 FM (Jacksonville, Fla.)
• KIKI 990 AM (Honolulu, Hawai'i)
• Satellite: 
    Navy Broadcast - 
    SiriusXM (Channel 85) and the SXM App (Channel 85)
    • Apps: Audacy (WNAV and KWFN) and TuneIn (WBAL)

Scouting Towson
0-1 Overall  |  0-1 CAA
Head Coach: Pete Shinnick

•    Towson enters Saturday's game 0-1 after dropping the season opener to Maine 21-18.
•    The Tigers fell behind 21-0 in the second quarter before making a furious comeback and nearly pulling off the win.
•    Sophomore running back Kemarrion Battles rushed for 89 yards on 18 carries, while redshirt junior Tristen Kenan, a transfer from Gannon College, ran for 34 yards on seven carries.
•    Sophomore quarterback Andrew Indorf had a great game against the Bears, throwing for 267 yards and two touchdowns while completing 15 of his 21 pass attempts. He did throw an interception after throwing just four last year.
•    Redshirt sophomore Cleveland Charlton, who stands 6-5, was the Tigers' big play man at receiver, catching four passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. Battles had two catches for 59 yards.
•    The defense was led by redshirt junior linebacker Bryan Lodge, a transfer from Northeast Oklahoma A&M, and redshirt sophomore defensive back TJ Sands with 7 tackles and a half tackle for loss each.
•    Towson has 35 transfers on its roster (22 FCS or below and 13 FBS, 2 from the autonomy four).
•    There is some familiarity with the two coaching staffs. Towson head coach Pete Shinnick and defensive coordinator Darian Dulin came from West Florida, where they won the D-II National Championship in 2019. On the way to the final, West Florida beat #6 Lenoir-Rhyne, coached at the time by Navy offensive coordinator Drew Cronic (Linebackers coach Britt Myers was also at West Florida but was not on the 2019 staff). Dulin was also the defensive coordinator at Abilene Christian in 2016 when it played at Air Force. Edge coach Kal-El Statham was the assistant defensive line coach at FAU last year when it played the Mids.

Naval Academy Athletic Association and USAA Extend Historic Partnership
•    The Naval Academy Athletic Association (NAAA) and USAA have extended their historic partnership for an additional 10 years, continuing a longstanding relationship built on shared values of service, leadership and commitment to those who serve.
•     As part of the expanded partnership, USAA has been named the Anchor Partner of Navy Athletics, the highest level of corporate partnership within the Naval Academy Athletic Association.
•     Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, the USAA logo will appear on jerseys for 30 Navy varsity sports, providing a visible representation of the continued collaboration between two organizations with deep connections to the military community.
•     The expanded partnership will provide a comprehensive presence across Navy Athletics, including the USAA logo on the field for regular season football games at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, expanded physical and digital venue signage, social media and video collaborations and additional opportunities to engage with Navy's student-athletes, fans and alumni.
•     USAA's partnership with Navy Athletics also includes hospitality opportunities and digital assets.
•     The Naval Academy Athletic Association, founded in 1891 by Robert Means Thompson, is a 501C3 non-profit organization whose objective is to "promote, influence, and assist in financing the athletic contests of the midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy" in accordance with the policy of the Superintendent of the Academy. Through an intercollegiate athletic program that is one of the largest in the country, and a highly organized club sports program and intramural sports program, each midshipman is afforded the opportunity to compete in athletics at a level commensurate with their abilities. The emphasis on physical fitness is borne out in the first line of the mission of the Naval Academy: To develop midshipmen morally, mentally and physically. The NAAA operates one of the few in-house multi-media sales units in the FBS and commercial partnerships directly impact the Naval Academy's Physical Mission.

The Pete Medhurst Navy Radio Network Broadcast Booth
•    Navy Athletics will name its home radio booth the Pete Medhurst Navy Radio Network Broadcast Booth in honor of longtime broadcaster Pete Medhurst. The dedication ceremony will be held on Saturday at 2 pm prior to the Towson game. A plaque honoring Medhurst will be displayed outside of the broadcast booth.
•    Medhurst passed away in January of 2025, following a courageous battle with brain cancer. He was 55 years old. 
•    Medhurst was in his 12th year as the Voice of Navy Football and had been with the Navy Radio Network since 1997. He handled pregame, postgame, sideline and play-by-play duties for football and play-by-play for men's and women's basketball, men's and women's lacrosse, baseball, volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming & diving, wrestling and Brigade Boxing.
•     Medhurst, born and raised in Anne Arundel County and a graduate of Southern High School, had been the play-by-play announcer for Navy basketball for 14 seasons and the voice of Navy lacrosse for 24 years.  
•     Medhurst also handled football play-by-play duties for HDNet and CBS Sports Network and lacrosse for ESPNU and the Big Ten Network. He also filled in on radio broadcasts for the Washington Nationals and was the proud owner of a 2019 Washington Nationals World Series ring.
•     Medhurst called 240-consecutive Navy football games from either the sideline or the booth before missing the game at Rice on Nov. 2, 2024, after being diagnosed with cancer.
•     Medhurst began his broadcasting career at WNAV 1430 AM in Annapolis. He then transitioned to a radio station in Pocomoke City and covered games at Salisbury University and high schools on the Eastern Shore.
•     In addition to his duties at Navy, Medhurst worked pre and postgame shows for the Washington Nationals on WJFK-FM 106.7 in Washington, D.C., filling in as the play-by-play announcer for the Nationals.
•     For the two years prior to his death, Medhurst also worked as a studio host for the Ravens Radio Network, providing his voice for pre and postgame shows on WBAL 1090 AM and WIYY 98 Rock in Baltimore.
•     Additionally, he called horse races at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington.
•     Medhurst is survived by his wife, Brenda, his sons, Ryan and Cody Joyce, and daughter, Kelly.

Heidenreich and Tecza Make History
•    Second Lts. Eli Heidenreich and Alex Tecza of the United States Marine Corps made Naval Academy football history last Thursday night (Aug. 27) when they appeared for the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 28-27 preseason loss to the Buffalo Bills.
•     Heidenreich and Tecza are believed to be the fourth pair of Naval Academy graduates to appear for the same team in the same NFL game. They are the second pair of former Navy football teammates, and the first pair of Marine Corps officers who graduated from the Naval Academy, to accomplish the feat.
•    The first pair of Naval Academy graduates, and the first former Navy teammates, believed to have appeared for the same team in the same NFL game were Tyree Barnes ('09) and Eric Kettani ('09), who played for the New England Patriots during the 2011 preseason.
•     Two other pairs of Naval Academy graduates have appeared together in an NFL preseason game. Kettani and Joe Cardona ('15) played for the Patriots in 2015, while Cardona and Diego Fagot ('22) played for New England in 2023.
•     Heidenreich carried the ball nine times for 35 yards, including a nine-yard touchdown run, and returned two kickoffs for 47 yards. Tecza saw action on special teams.
•     Heidenreich and Tecza are two of five Naval Academy graduates currently on NFL rosters, four of whom are Marines. Second Lt. Landon Robinson ('26) is with the Cincinnati Bengals, 2nd Lt. Rayuan Lane ('25) is with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cardona, who recently retired from the Navy as a lieutenant commander, is with the Los Angeles Rams. Tecza was cut by the Steelers, but still has a chance to earn a spot on the practice squad (at press time).
•    Multiple Navy and Marine Corps officers have played in the NFL and returned to active duty for their service commitment.
•    Those officers include 1st Lt. Malcom Perry, who transitioned back into the active-duty component of the Marine Corps in 2022 after playing in the NFL. He is currently serving as an unmanned aerial systems officer stationed in Yuma, Ariz., where he leads Marines and integrates cutting-edge technology to ensure the Corps is prepared for the complexities of the modern battlefield.

Person Family Honored
•    On Friday (Sept. 4), thanks to a generous donor, the doctor's office in the Romo Athletic Training Room in Ricketts Hall will be named in memory of William and Suzanne Person. The Persons had four sons earn letters as football players at the Naval Academy: Andy ('96) was a rare four-year letter winner, Chris ('98) earned one letter, Dan ('03) earned two letters and Joe ('07) earned two letters.

100th Anniversary of the 1926 National Championship
•    Navy Athletics will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its only football national championship during the 2026 season, honoring a remarkable 1926 team that finished 9-0-1 and captured a share of the national title. The Midshipmen will wear a commemorative uniform with a special patch for the Notre Dame game in recognition of a team whose accomplishments remain one of the great chapters in Navy football history.
•    Nearly a century ago, college football faced a situation that would still generate national debate today: three undefeated teams competing for the national championship.
•    Navy, Stanford and Alabama each completed the 1926 season without a loss. Stanford finished 10-0-1 after playing Alabama to a 7-7 tie in the Rose Bowl, while Navy and Alabama each finished 9-0-1. With no formal playoff or national championship system in place, the decision was left to the recognized selectors of the day. Boand and Houlgate both awarded the national championship to Navy.
•    The foundation for Navy's historic season was laid by a new head coach. Bill Ingram, a former Navy standout who played for the Midshipmen from 1916-18, took over the program in 1926 after Navy had won just seven games combined during the previous two seasons. Ingram immediately helped turn the program around, building a team that relied on a powerful rushing attack and a physical brand of football.
•    At the center of that attack was All-America tackle and team captain Frank Wickhorst. His blocking helped create opportunities for quarterback Tom Hamilton and a Navy ground game that would prove to be one of the team's greatest strengths.
•    Navy's signature victory came against Michigan before 80,000 fans at Baltimore's Municipal Stadium. After a scoreless first half, the Midshipmen erupted for 10 second-half points to defeat the Wolverines, 10-0. Navy's offense produced 165 yards, with Hamilton and Henry Caldwell leading the rushing attack. Caldwell scored the game's lone touchdown on a one-yard plunge.
•    The celebration that followed was unlike anything seen on the field that day. Navy fans tore down the goal posts at both ends of the stadium and carried away the markers lining both sides of the field. The jubilation was especially meaningful after the disappointment of the previous season, when Michigan handed Navy its worst loss in school history at the time, a 54-0 defeat.
•     The victory over Michigan left Navy 9-0 heading into its season finale against Army. The game was played in Chicago at Soldier Field, which had been built as a memorial to the Americans who lost their lives in World War I. It was fitting that Army and Navy were invited to play the inaugural contest in the new stadium. The New York Times' James R. Harrison called the matchup "the greatest of its time" and "a national spectacle."
•    More than 110,000 fans packed Soldier Field as Navy jumped to a 14-0 lead. Army, however, rallied to take a 21-14 advantage early in the third quarter. The Midshipmen responded behind their powerful ground game, led by running back Alan Shapley.
•    With Navy facing fourth down and three yards to go, Shapley broke through for an eight-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 21-21. In the final quarter, Army mounted one last threat, but its 25-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide.
•    The 21-21 tie preserved Navy's unbeaten season and secured a place in college football history. 
•     There was another remarkable twist to the 1926 season that involved Notre Dame.
•    Notre Dame entered its November 27 game against Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon) undefeated at 8-0 and had allowed only one touchdown all season. The Fighting Irish appeared to be firmly in the national championship conversation, but Carnegie Tech stunned Notre Dame, 19-0, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh.
•    Even more remarkable, Notre Dame head coach Knute Rockne was not in Pittsburgh for the game. Instead, Rockne traveled to Chicago to watch the Army-Navy game at Soldier Field. Confident that his undefeated team would handle Carnegie Tech, Rockne chose to scout the Army-Navy matchup and work on his All-America selections. He would not get the result he expected.
•    While Rockne watched Navy and Army battle to a 21-21 tie before more than 110,000 fans, Carnegie Tech was shutting out his Notre Dame team. The loss ended the Irish's undefeated season and ultimately left Notre Dame 9-1.
•    Nearly 100 years later, the connection makes Navy's 2026 meeting with Notre Dame even more meaningful. On the day Navy secured its first national championship in 1926, Notre Dame was simultaneously suffering the only loss of its season — and its legendary head coach was in Chicago watching it happen from afar.
•    The 1926 team remains a symbol of what Navy football can accomplish: a program coming off two difficult seasons, a new head coach, an undefeated record, signature victories over Michigan and Army, and a national championship earned on the game's biggest stages.
•    In 2026, Navy will celebrate that team not simply as a part of its past, but as a reminder of the tradition, toughness and determination that have defined the Midshipmen for generations.

A Look Back at 2025
•    Navy (11-2) finished the 2025 season ranked 23rd in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls. It is only the fourth time since 1963 Navy has ended the season ranked in the AP Poll and the first time since 2019. Navy was among three teams in the American Conference that finished the year ranked in the top 25 (Tulane and North Texas), which is one more team than the ACC had.
•    Navy finished the season strong with a 35-13 win over Cincinnati in the Liberty Bowl. It was Navy's fourth-consecutive bowl win, all against Autonomy four teams (Virginia, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Cincinnati). Navy's last five bowl wins have come against Autonomy four teams (Pitt, Virginia, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Cincinnati). Navy is 7-1 in its last eight bowl games.
•    The Liberty Bowl was Navy's 26th bowl appearance (14-11-1 all-time) and marked the third time the Mids have appeared in the Liberty Bowl (2-1). 
•    Navy recorded back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history. The 11 wins in 2025 tied the school record for most wins in a season (Navy also won 11 games in 2015 and '19).
•    Navy's 21 wins over the last two years are the most wins in school history over a two-year span. 
•    Navy defeated Army 17-16 on Dec. 13 to win the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy, which is presented annually to the winner of the football competition among the three major service academies (Navy, Air Force and Army) and is named in honor of the President of the United States. 
•    Navy has won the CIC Trophy 13 times in the last 23 years, including each of the last two years. Navy won the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy in back-to-back years for the first time since 2012-13. The Mids are a combined 32-15 (.681) against Army and Air Force over the last 47 games. 
•    Navy was named the winner of the Lambert Trophy, which is awarded to the best team in the East. It is the 1st time since 2015 and just the 2nd time since 1963 the Mids have won the Lambert Trophy.
•    Navy finished in a three-way tie for the American Conference regular-season title with North Texas and Tulane, but did not play in the championship game due to Tulane being ranked in the CFP and North Texas beating Navy head-to-head. 
•    The Navy Football Strength of Record (ESPN metric) was 17th in the country. That was the best in the American Conference and ahead of such Autonomy four teams as Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, USC, LSU, Tennessee, Arizona, Georgia Tech, Washington, Arizona State, Houston, Virginia, Louisville, TCU, Iowa State, Pitt, SMU and NC State.
•    Navy defeated #24 USF on Senior Day in Annapolis 41-38. It was Navy's third win over a ranked opponent in the last two years. Navy defeated #19 / #22 Army (31-13) and RV / #22 Memphis (56-44) in 2024. 
•    It is the first time Navy has beaten three ranked opponents over a two-year span since 1957-58 when the Mids beat #5 / #5 Notre Dame (20-6) and #10 / #9 Army (14-0) in 1957 and #8 / #7 Rice (20-7) and #14 / #12 Michigan (20-14) in 1958.
•    Navy's Class of 2026 put together a 30-20 (.600) record, including a 21-11 (.656) mark in the American. The 21 conference wins are the most of any other Navy class (Joined the American in 2015).
•    The 30 wins are the most by a Navy senior class since the Class of 2020 posted a 30-23 (.566) mark, including a 20-12 (.625) record in the American. 
•    The Mids led the FBS in rushing, averaging 285.6 yards per game. 
•    Navy's 41 rushing touchdowns tied with Utah for the 2nd most in the FBS behind North Texas (49). 
•    Navy finished 2nd in the FBS in rushing yards per carry, averaging 5.76 yards per carry. Utah finished 1st at 6.02
•    Navy finished second in the country in passing yards per completion, averaging 15.9 yards per catch. 
•    Navy finished third in the nation with 10 offensive plays going for 60 yards or more. 
•    Navy gave up 3.1 tackles for loss per game, which was the fewest in the country. 
•    The Navy defense held its final three opponents under 300 yards of total offense (Memphis-288 yards, Army-202 yards, Cincinnati-239 yards). It is the first time Navy has held 3-straight opponents under 300 yards since 2020. 
•    The Mids tied for third in the country in fewest sacks allowed (9). Navy's offensive line was on the Midseason Watch List for the Joe Moore Award, which is given to the nation's best offensive line. 
•    Navy's 24 first-time starters in 2025 were tied for the second most in the country.
•    Blake Horvath was named a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year award and the Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Year.He was also named the ECAC Offensive Player of the Year.
•    Horvath was named a first-team Academic All-American and the Div. I Football Team Member of the Year by the College Sports Communicators. He is the 13th Navy football player to be named a first-team Academic All-American and the 1st Navy player to be named the overall football scholar-athlete of the year, an award that has been handed out since 1987.
•    Horvath was named the winner of the Maxwell Club's inaugural Military Service Academy Leadership Award, established to honor a player from one of the United States Military Service Academies who exemplifies exceptional leadership both on the football field and within their academy community.
•    Horvath was also a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, also known as the Academic Heisman. Horvath graduated with a 3.73 grade-point average majoring in operations research. He is the 11th Navy player to be named a finalist and the 1st since Cameron Kinley in 2020. 
•    Eli Heidenreich was invited to the East-West Shrine Game. He is the 35th Navy football player to be selected and the first since linebacker Diego Fagot in 2021, who earned defensive MVP honors. Heidenreich is Navy's first offensive player to be selected since Malcolm Perry in 2019 and the first non-quarterback since wide receiver Brandon Turner in 2012. Heidenreich was joined by Landon Robinson (Sr. / NG), giving Navy two players in the East-West Shrine Game for the first time since 1957. They were among the four game captains selected to represent the East.
•    Heidenreich earned an invite to the NFL Combine. 
•    Either Heidenreich or Alex Tecza, Navy's dynamic duo from Pittsburgh who grew up as childhood friends, scored a touchdown for Navy in 28 of their 36-career games (they scored in the same game nine times, including the season finale against Cincinnati in the Liberty Bowl). Heidenreich recorded 23-career touchdowns (seven rush, 16 rec), while Tecza had 26 (23 rush, three rec). Remarkably, they each scored the same number of touchdowns as high school teammates (29).  Both made their first-career start at Memphis in 2023. 
•    Robinson was among the seven semifinalists for the Outland Trophy. He was one of only two defensive linemen to be named.
•    Robinson was named a first-team All-American by USA Today, Sports Illustrated, the Associated Press, the Football Writers Association of America and by Phil Steele. He was named a second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation, ESPN and the Sporting News.
•    Robinson, who was also named the American Conference Defensive Player of the Year and the ECAC Defensive Player of the Year, recorded 64 tackles, a team-high 8.5 tackles for loss, a team-high 6.5 sacks and a team-high 7 hurries in 2025.