Irish Breakdown

Notre Dame Football: Nothing To Gain From Beating Navy, Everything To Lose

Not many fans are fond of playing Navy every year...

Mason Plummer

Oct 19, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates after a victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Oct 19, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates after a victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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As of this past Sunday's AP Poll rankings, Navy sits at #23. It's not a common sight for Navy to be ranked in today's day and age of college football and that isn't great news for the Irish this season that the Midshipmen are in in the Top 25.

Navy, while it is never an easy game, is much more difficult when it is undefeated and flying on all cylinders. There is a reason next to no Power 4 teams play Navy on a regular basis and why I would not be against Notre Dame ditching the rivalry with Navy entirely.

Navy plays a style and brand of football that is ugly and limits possessions, doing what it can to shorten the game through the triple-option and chew clock. The chop blocks and stress Navy can put on a defense and team overall can be a lot.

Even with the Midshipmen being ranked #23, they haven't played anyone of substance quite yet and that's where the issues arise with there being nothing for Notre Dame to gain from beating Navy this upcoming Saturday.

Navy is always a tough game, no matter its ranking or record, but does not have the national respect for there to be any sort of degree of 'respect' for the Irish beating Navy. It won't matter if it is by 3 points or 30, the fact that its "Just Navy" will resonate throughout the country, even though the Irish will have knocked off another ranked team and a team that no one wants to play against, ever.

There is nothing to gain from Navy. The only thing Notre Dame could 'gain' is a few more knee injuries from the chop blocks. It happens every single season.

However, on the other side of the coin, there is everything to lose playing a team like this. With one more loss, Notre Dame's playoff hopes are eviscerated. Gone. See ya later. Navy's style of play lends itself to upsets and ugly games - something Notre Dame is trying to avoid like the plague.

At this point, 11-1 is the only focus and I'm not sure I care how you get there. Upsets happen every week and will continue to happen down the stretch. Notre Dame just has to keep on winning, even through a schedule that is much tougher and annoying than initially anticipated.

If the Irish can hold strong and get to 11-1, hosting a playoff game is on the cards.

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Mason Plummer
MASON PLUMMER

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