Notre Dame enters Saturday night’s clash with Navy carrying a top-10 ranking from the College Football Playoff selection committee. Marcus Freeman’s squad sits at No. 10 in the initial CFP rankings.
The Fighting Irish have little room for mistakes as they host their longtime rivals in the 98th meeting between the programs.
Notre Dame (6-2, No. 10 CFP) brings a six-game winning streak into the matchup. The Irish started the season with two close losses to ranked opponents but have turned things around completely.
Quarterback C.J. Carr has been leading the offense during the hot streak. The defense has become a turnover-creating machine, forcing fumbles and interceptions at a rate similar to Notre Dame’s previous playoff appearances.
Navy presents a unique challenge with its triple-option attack. Freeman knows the scheme well from his coaching days at Cincinnati.
“I feel we’ll have a good plan,” Freeman said. “Our guys have experience, which is important.”
The Midshipmen (7-1) feature quarterback Blake Horvath, who’s averaging 115.8 rushing yards per game. Navy leads all FBS teams with 317 rushing yards per contest under coach Brian Newberry.
Notre Dame’s ground game has been equally impressive. Running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price have combined for 19 rushing touchdowns this season.
Newberry understands the challenge his defense faces against the Irish backfield.
“They can both go to the house from anywhere,” Newberry said. “It’s going to be a huge challenge for us.”
Notre Dame holds a commanding 83-13-1 advantage in the all-time series. The Irish have won 12 of the last 13 meetings between the schools.
Freeman still views Navy as a significant opponent despite the historical dominance.
“It’s an every year rivalry like USC,” he said. “The history of this game means a lot.”
The game kicks off Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC from Notre Dame Stadium.
