Navy Midshipmen, Oklahoma Sooners Offensive Stars to Watch in Armed Forces Bowl

Here are some of the top offensive stars to watch for both the Navy Midshipmen and the Oklahoma Sooners in Friday’s Armed Forces Bowl.

Dec 14, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen quarterback Blake Horvath (11) celebrates his touchdown against the Army Black Knights during the second half of the the 125th Army-Navy game at Northwest Stadium. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The Navy Midshipmen haven’t played an SEC team in a bowl game in decades. They’ve only played the Oklahoma Sooners once.

Both of those things change when the Midshipmen (9-3) face the Sooners (6-6) in the Armed Forces Bowl at noon eastern on ESPN.

Navy enters the game with Commander-in-Chief’s trophy after beating Army and Air Force and looking for its sixth 10-win season. The Midshipmen have scored 386 points, 174 more than it scored a year ago under second-year coach Brian Newberry. And, the Midshipmen are playing for the seventh time away from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in the last nine games to end the season.

Oklahoma is having an offseason and it comes into the game with several players entering the transfer portal, including starting quarterback Jackson Arnold.

Still, the Sooners beat Alabama earlier this season and two of their six losses are to teams selected for the College Football Playoff. It’s been a grind, but Navy won’t give them any time off.

Here are three offensive players to watch for each team going into the contest.

Navy Midshipmen

QB Blake Horvath

He could end up with gaudy numbers for the season. He’s already tied the school record for touchdown passes (13). He’s the first Navy player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since Malcolm Perry in 2019, and the first Navy quarterback to throw for more than 1,000 yards since Perry that same season. Horvath's 1,261 passing yards are the most by a Navy player since Will Worth threw for 1,397 yards in 2016.

So, yeah, it could be a big day for the junior.

FB Alex Tecza

When Tecza scores, along with his Pittsburgh buddy Eli Heidenreich, things tend to go well for the Midshipmen. The pair have combined to score a touchdown for Navy in 17 of the last 22 games dating back to the 2023 season. He has 525 rushing yards and seven touchdowns entering the season’s final game.

SB Eli Heidenreich

No Navy player has benefited more from Horvath’s arm than Heidenreich, who earlier his season became the first Navy receiver with back-to-back 100-yard receiving games in a decade. If h scores again he would make history. His six touchdown receptions this season is tied for Navy's single-season record which with four other players. Heidenreich was named a third-team All-American by College Football Network.

Oklahoma Sooners

QB Michael Hawkins Jr.

The freshman is set to start after Arnold departed for Auburn in the transfer portal. He threw for 536 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in six games and was benched after he committed three fumbles against South Carolina.

His legs will be a problem, too. He rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown.

RB Taylor Tatum

Leading rusher Javontae Barnes appears to be unavailable. So Tatum, a freshman, is the most productive back available on OU’s depth chart (and there are five players on there). Tatum rushed for 273 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games. Given all the changes due to the portal, the Sooners need a big game on the ground from someone.

WR Deion Burks

If Hawkins is able to get the ball downfield, Burks is the most likely target. He played in five games this season but had 31 catches for 245 yards and three touchdowns. With leading receiver Bauer Sharp having transferred to LSU, Burks is as big a target as the Sooners will have in this game.