Navy Coach Calls Notre Dame an 'NFL Team' Ahead of Saturday Showdown

The biggest challenge for Navy against Notre Dame on Saturday?

Aug 26, 2023; Dublin, IRL; The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Navy Midshipmen prepare for the snap in the second half at Aviva Stadium. / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

When you're an upstart team looking to shake up the college football world by taking down a power in Notre Dame, what is the biggest challenge to prepare for?

Navy head coach Brian Newberry was asked that in an interview with ESPN ahead of Saturday's showdown between the annual rivals who have combined to start the season 12-1.

His answer?

Notre Dame itself.

Navy Head Coach Brian Newberry on Biggest Challenge of Notre Dame:

Aug 31, 2024; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen head coach Brian Newberry looks onto the there field during the first half against the Bucknell Bison at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

"Notre Dame" Newberry said, "You know, its Notre Dame and they look like an NFL team."

"They're super talented and I've got a ton of respect for Marcus Freeman and the staff there and not only are they talented but they're extremely well-coached. They play hard, they're fundamentally sound, and what they do on both sides of the football is problematic."

"We know we're going to have to be at our very best, you know, in all three phases for all four quarters just to have a shot but we're excited about the opportunity. Obviously a huge challenge and looking forward to it."

Notre Dame vs. Navy: Betting and TV Information

Notre Dame and Navy are set to kickoff at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday in a game that can be seen on ABC.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Notre Dame is a 12.5-point favorite on FanDuel with the total in the game currently being listed at 51.5 points.

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