Navy Midshipmen Plummet in Power Rankings After Awful Loss to Tulane

The Navy Midshipmen's season continues to spiral with their latest loss coming in shutout fashion to the Tulane Green Wave.

Nov 16, 2024; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen head coach Brian Newberry walks on the field during the second half against the Tulane Green Wave at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Being shutout is never fun, even less so when it comes at home, as the Navy Midshipmen found out on Saturday at the hands of the Tulane Green Wave.

The Midshipmen were not able to get anything going against the Green Wave's powerful defense, which is something that many teams can say this year.

At one point earlier in the year, it was a matchup that many had circled as one that would potentially crown the American Athletic Conference champion. While it did not do that, it did solidify the two teams that will take part in the championship game — Tulane and the Army Black Knights.

The Mids have now gone just 1-3 over the last four weeks after starting the year with a six-game win streak. Their latest efforts have continued to see their stock plummet, and Chris Vannini of The Athletic has dropped the program in his weekly college football power rankings once again, from 38th last week to 46th this week.

Navy now has two weeks to prepare for their final contest of the regular season, coming Nov. 29 against the 6-4 East Carolina Pirates. The rivalry game with the Black Knights is not considered a part of the regular season, and with seven wins already, the Midshipmen should be locked in for a bowl game.

It will be the program's first bowl game since playing in the Liberty Bowl in 2019, and 16th this century. Even with the recent run of losses, it has been a successful sophomore campaign for head coach Brian Newberry.

The Midshipmen and the Pirates share two common opponents this year in the Temple Owls and the Charlotte 49ers. While records against common opponents do not always indicate who would win in a matchup, the Mids went 2-0 against those teams while East Carolina went only 1-1, losing to the 49ers 55-24.

Navy outscored those two teams 89-28 and should be the favorites to win next Saturday and close out their 2024 regular season with eight wins, a mark to be proud of.

Not only is this Newberry's sophomore campaign as the head coach of the Midshipmen, it is only his second season as a head coach anywhere. If he can lead this program to win out, adding three more wins to their current total, a 10-win year would be a fantastic mark on his resume.

It all begins next week with East Carolina.