NAVY FOOTBALL IS ABOUT TO DOMINATE THE 2025 SEASON (AND HERE’S WHY)

Navy football just delivered its first 10-win season since 2019, and it’s only getting started.

After half a decade of mediocrity, the Midshipmen roared back to life in 2024 with a statement season: 10-3 record, Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, and a bowl victory that stunned Oklahoma. Navy’s triple-option offense became appointment viewing again, and heading into 2025, this team has all the ingredients to make another run at the American Athletic Conference title.

Here’s why Navy is positioned to become one of college football’s best stories in 2025:

Navy’s 2024 resurrection wasn’t a fluke—it was a foundation

The Midshipmen shocked college football by transforming from perennial losers to conference contenders overnight.

What happened in 2024 wasn’t just a good season but a complete program resurrection. Navy opened with six straight wins, including a 56-44 offensive explosion against Memphis. They reclaimed the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy by dismantling Air Force 34-7 and handling Army 31-13. The season’s exclamation point came with quarterback Blake Horvath’s jaw-dropping 95-yard touchdown run to secure a 21-20 bowl victory over Oklahoma.

“That run against Oklahoma showed exactly what makes our offense dangerous,” noted Navy Athletics Director Chet Gladchuk in a January interview with the Naval Academy’s alumni magazine. “When you combine discipline with explosive athleticism, special things happen.”

This wasn’t just a good season. It was a warning shot to the rest of the conference.

The offense returns 73% of its production (which is absurd in the transfer portal era)

Returning nearly three-quarters of your offensive production in today’s college football landscape is practically unheard of.

Navy’s triple-option attack ranked 12th nationally in returning production, creating a level of continuity that option offenses particularly benefit from. The system’s effectiveness comes from precision, timing, and split-second decision-making—all qualities that improve dramatically with experience.

The offense brings back these critical pieces:

  • Senior QB Blake Horvath (1,154 passing yards, 11 TDs, 870 rushing yards, 13 TDs)
  • Established fullback Alex Tecza (576 yards, 8 TDs)
  • A cohesive offensive line with multiple returning starters
  • Backup QB Braxton Woodson, who gained valuable experience in 2024
  • A rushing attack that already averaged 247.5 yards per game at 5.4 yards per carry

“Our triple-option is the great equalizer,” Horvath told the Capital Gazette following the Armed Forces Bowl victory. “Teams can prepare for it, but until you’ve seen our speed and execution in person, it’s tough to simulate.”

The scary part? This offense still has room to grow.

The defense quietly dominated in 2024 (and returns plenty of production)

While the offense gets the headlines, Navy’s defense was the unsung hero of last season’s success.

The Midshipmen defense returns 53% of its production from a unit that surrendered just 22.2 points per game. Against the run—where games are often won or lost in college football—they were particularly stingy, allowing only 156.1 yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry.

What made this defense special in 2024:

  • Disciplined play (just 5.1 penalties for 45 yards per game)
  • Strong fundamentals (particularly in tackling)
  • Creating turnovers in key moments
  • Flexibility against varied offensive schemes in the AAC

The secondary remains the area for potential improvement, allowing 212.8 passing yards per game at a 59.3% completion rate. With the high-powered passing attacks in the American Athletic Conference, developing depth at cornerback and safety positions will be crucial during spring practice.

But the defensive foundation is rock solid.

The 2025 schedule is set up perfectly for another championship run

If you were designing an ideal schedule for sustained momentum, Navy’s 2025 slate comes pretty close.

The schedule breaks down as follows:

  • Early confidence-builders: VMI (Aug. 30) and UAB (Sept. 6) at home to start the season
  • Traditional rivalry games: Air Force (Oct. 4 in Annapolis) and Army (Dec. 13 in Baltimore)
  • Major spotlight game: at Notre Dame (Nov. 8)
  • Late-season statement opportunity: at Memphis (Nov. 27)
  • Balanced distribution: 5 home games, 7 road games

“The 2025 schedule gives us a good balance,” said head coach Brian Newberry in a press release announcing the schedule. “Starting with two home games helps us establish our identity, and having Air Force at home is significant for our Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy defense.”

The schedule provides the perfect mix of winnable games, high-profile showcases, and conference challenges.

While everyone else rebuilds through the transfer portal, Navy builds through development

Navy’s approach is refreshingly old-school in college football’s transfer portal era.

While the portal has revolutionized roster construction elsewhere, Navy’s unique service academy structure means it operates differently by necessity. Yes, they lost a few players through the portal—defensive end Jacob Busic (to UCLA) and quarterback Trey Dunn (to Marshall)—but the program’s mission and requirements naturally limit both departures and arrivals.

This creates three massive competitive advantages:

  • Unrivaled continuity in an era of constant roster turnover
  • Players fully bought into Navy’s unique system over multiple years
  • A culture that develops players rather than replacing them

What initially seems like a disadvantage reinforces the team’s identity and approach.

Navy is built differently than 99% of college football programs (and that’s their superpower)

The Midshipmen are positioned to build on their 2024 revival and potentially take it even further in 2025.

Navy stands apart in a world where college football programs increasingly resemble each other with similar offensive systems, transfer portal strategies, and NIL approaches. Their identity is crystal clear: physical, disciplined football executing a unique system with precision and purpose.

If the passing game develops as a more consistent threat and the defense maintains its stinginess, Navy could find itself in the AAC championship game come December. For a program built on tradition, 2025 presents an opportunity to establish a new winning tradition for the current generation of Midshipmen.

The ingredients are all there. Navy isn’t just hoping to win—they’re built to win.

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Week 9 Featured Games:The Underdogs, the Upsets, and the Unraveling

Step back from the spreadsheets, the power rankings and the expert predictions – Week 9 featured games are about to remind us why we watch this sport in the first place: for the moments that defy logic and rewrite the script.

Early Game

No. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 24 Navy

Noon Eastern/9:00 AM Pacific

Network: ABC

This isn’t just a football game; it’s a collision of worlds. Notre Dame, the wounded lion, stumbles into the arena, its playoff hopes hanging by a thread. Five starters down, they’re a symphony orchestra missing half its instruments. And Navy? They’re the barbarians at the gate, 6-0 and averaging 45 points a game, led by Blake Horvath, a quarterback who turns the triple option into a weapon of mass destruction. Imagine Barry Sanders with a playbook designed to make defensive coordinators spontaneously combust. The line moved? You bet it did. The smart money knows: Notre Dame’s defense is built for finesse, not this kind of organized chaos. They’re chess players facing a barroom brawl. If Navy pulls off the upset, it’s not just a win; it’s a statement. A declaration that the Midshipmen belong in the playoff conversation, while the Irish are left wondering where it all went wrong.

Afternoon Games

No. 21 Missouri at No. 15 Alabama

Gametime: 3:30 PM Eastern/12:30 PM Pacific

Network: ABC

The eyes of the college football world are on Tuscaloosa. Not just because Alabama has stumbled – two losses in three games is practically an apocalypse in these parts – but because a new era has dawned. The offensive guru, Kalen DeBoer, takes the reins from the legendary Nick Saban. The pressure is immense. Can DeBoer exorcise the ghosts of Alabama’s recent struggles and establish his reign? Or will Eli Drinkwitz and his Missouri Tigers play the role of party crashers, exposing the vulnerabilities of a transition program? This isn’t just a game; it’s a referendum on the future of Alabama football.  

No. 5 Texas at No. 25 Vanderbilt

Game Time: 4:15 PM Eastern/1:15 Pacific

Network: SEC Network

While Alabama grapples with a new identity, Vanderbilt embraces its unexpected transformation. They’ve slain giants, toppling Alabama and sending shockwaves through the SEC. Now, they face another test: the Texas Longhorns, a team still finding its footing after a humbling loss to Georgia. Diego Pavia, the Commodore quarterback, embodies this new Vanderbilt: fearless, confident, and ready to take on anyone. Texas, meanwhile, needs to rediscover its swagger. Can they overcome the chaos in Nashville and avoid becoming another victim of Vandy’s magic? Or will the Commodores continue their Cinderella story, proving their rise is no fluke?

Evening Game

No. 3 Penn State at Wisconsin

Game Time: 7:30 PM Eastern/4:30 PM Pacific

Network: NBC

The whispers are swirling in Happy Valley. “Ohio State, Ohio State, Ohio State.” It’s the biggest game on Penn State’s horizon, a clash of titans that could decide the Big Ten East. But first, there’s the matter of Wisconsin, a team lurking in the shadows, hungry to play spoiler. Fresh off a bruising battle with USC, Penn State can’t afford to look past this one. Camp Randall at night is a cauldron of noise and fury, a place where dreams go to die. But this Penn State team, led by the cool-headed Drew Allar, has the grit and the talent to silence the doubters. Their defense is a fortress, and Allar is growing into a true field general. Can they weather the storm in Madison and escape with their undefeated season intact? Or will Wisconsin, sensing vulnerability, deliver a knockout blow and send shockwaves through the Big Ten?

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Coaches Hot Seat is Targeting Winners for Week 9

Think you know college football? Think again. Coaches Hot Seat spends a little time listening to the Targeting Winners Podcast every Friday afternoon during the season. We take our picks and look for the storylines, the upsets, the wins, and the losses to bring you the inside scoop on where the seats are getting hot. We’re not just talking about picking winners but about understanding the why behind the wins. The hidden narratives, the coaching mismatches, the moments that define a season.

The CFB Dudes at Targeting Winners live and breathe this stuff. They break down film, analyze matchups, and find the edges that the casual fan misses. We compare our picks with the Targeting Winner’s intel, and boom!

So buckle up, because we’re about to take you on a wild ride through three games we’ve got our eye on this week. Fans looking for an edge? You’ve come to the right place.

Notre Dame vs. Navy: The Midshipmen’s Mutiny

Notre Dame limps in, battered and bruised. Five starters down, maybe more. They’re like a prizefighter with a glass jaw, and Navy, they come in with a battering ram. 6-0, averaging 45 points a game. Blake Horvath, their quarterback? He’s not just running the triple option, he’s weaponizing it. Think Barry Sanders with a playbook designed to make defensive coordinators cry.

The line moved? Of course, it did. Smart money knows: Notre Dame’s defense hasn’t seen this kind of chaos. They’re trained for chess matches, not bar fights.

The Play: Navy +12.5. Take it, and don’t look back. This isn’t about talent; it’s about heart. Navy’s got it in spades.

Penn State vs. Wisconsin: The Calm Before the Storm

Penn State is undefeated, but they just survived a brawl with USC. Now they’re staring down Ohio State, the biggest game of their season. It’s a classic trap game. Wisconsin smells blood.

But here’s the thing: Penn State’s defense is a force. Drew Allar, their quarterback? He’s growing up fast. Wisconsin’s offense? Let’s say they haven’t exactly been lighting up the scoreboard.

Camp Randall’s a tough place to play, sure. But Penn State’s been there, done that. They’ve got the experience, the defense, and the quarterback play to weather the storm.

The Play: Penn State -6.5. They’ll win this one ugly, but a win’s a win. And take the Under 47.5. This game’s going to be a slugfest.

Boise State vs. UNLV: The Rebels’ Redemption

Boise State has Ashton Jeanty, a one-man wrecking crew. But here’s their problem: their quarterback, Maddux Madsen, is like a Ferrari with a lawnmower engine. He has lots of flash but not enough horsepower.

UNLV? They’ve got a secret weapon: the “Go-Go Offense.” Hajj-Malik Williams, their quarterback, is slinging the ball like he’s got something to prove. And their offensive line? They’re opening holes you could drive a truck through.

Boise’s defense? They lead the nation in sacks but can’t stop a nosebleed on third-and-short. UNLV’s going to exploit that weakness.

The Play: UNLV +140 on the moneyline. They’re at home, they’re playing with confidence, and they’re about to pull off the upset. Boise State? They’re about to learn a hard lesson: talent only gets you so far.


There you have it. Three games, three takes. This is all about the story. And these stories, they’re just getting started. Post your comments here.

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