Annapolis, MD – In the first of three games for football supremacy among the three US military academies, the Midshipmen of Navy scored a field goal with 6:47 to play before stopping a Falcon drive to win a hard-fought battle, 34-31. Unlike many games played between these fierce archrivals, this contest featured an unlikely passing game instead of one between two teams oriented for running attacks. Navy came into this game as the leading rush offense in the nation. The Midshipmen (5-0) averaged 352.3 yards per game coming in. In this one, Navy rushed for only180 yards. QB Blake Horvath picked up 130 of those and ran for a TD among his 17 carries. However, he also completed 20 of 26 passes for 339 yards and three TDs. On the receiving end, Slotback Eli Heidenreich hauled in all three scores from 19, 60, and 80 yards out among 243 receiving yards.
Falcons fought toe-to-toe with the Midshipmen
Air Force (1-4) came into this rivalry as a 13.5-point underdog. The Falcons took offense to that right from the beginning. They took a 10-3 lead in the second period based on QB Liam Szarka’s seven-yard run to cap a 75-yard drive in the first followed by Jacob Medina’s 39-yard FG in the second period. Like Horvath, Szarka led the Air Force in both rushing and passing. He outrushed Horvath with 25 carries for 152 yards and two TDs. Passing, he targeted TE Bruin Fleischman six times for 166 of his 212 passing yards. He also tossed a 53-yard bomb to WR Jonah Dawson for a late score. For both teams, the receivers beat the secondaries consistently for wide-open, long pass receptions.
Both teams lack great quickness and speed in their respective secondaries. It seems difficult for academy teams to consistently come up with good, top-notch FBS defensive backs. Although during the past few seasons, Midshipmen Safety Rayaun Lane III demonstrated his talents in the Navy secondary to become the first player from that position to be drafted by the NFL. In the sixth round, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him at No. 200. He made the 53-man roster and plays regularly now on special teams where he also starred at Navy.
No early blow-out between these two rivals
After Air Force took the early lead in the second period, the Midshipmen and Falcons stayed neck and neck tying the score four more times. Most scores came on quick strikes. On two consecutive drives, Navy tied the score on Horvath’s first TD pass to Heidenreich for 19 yards. Then with 4:02 left in the second, they connected again for 80 yards for a 17-10 lead heading into halftime. On a bright, hot sunny day, many among the 37,517 in attendance sought shade and liquid replenishment under the stands of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. That included collegefootbalfan.com Guest Game Analysts Steve Maloney (USNA ’78) and his wife Liz along with long-time GGA Frank Lorito. Steve and Liz were glad to be back after having seen Air Force win here with us in 2023, 17-6. Frank came up from Delaware where he’s now retired, and we checked out the Guiness Open Gate Brewery in Halethorpe, Maryland the night before. He also contacted his brother-in-law Joe who introduced us to some new USNA grads/fans to enjoy a great tailgate with in the Stadium’s Gold Lot
A fight to the finish for The Commander-in-Chief’s Hardware
To start the second half, Air Force put together a 70-yard drive for a one-yard TD run by Szarka to knot the score, 17-17. A key play came on a 37-yard pass to Fleischman to set the Falcons up at the Navy 13. On the ensuing kickoff, Navy return man Isaiah Bryant’s feet went out from under him to start the Midshipmen from their three. Eight plays later, Horvath dashed through the line and around Air Force defenders for a 59-yard TD run to regain the lead. The game continued 24-17 with the Midshipmen leading into the fourth quarter, but the Falcons threatened on a third and nine at the Navy 18 as the third ended. To start fourth, Szarka led Fleischman with an 18-yard spiral in the left corner of the end zone to tie the score once again at 24-24.
Navy responded quickly. Bryant’s 21-yard kick return started the next drive from their 29. The Midshipmen moved to the 40. From there, Horvath went long for a scoring strike of 60 yards with Heidenreich to extend the USNA lead by seven once again. However, the Falcons did not give up either. With 10:59 left to play in regulation, Szarka hit Dawson with his 53-yard scoring pass to even it up for the fourth time, 31-31.
Turnover time
Navy’s ensuing drive started from its 23. The Midshipmen drove to the Falcon 12 where they faced a fourth down and one. However, a false start, one of about five for Navy today, unusual for the Mids as pointed out by GGA Mike Malinack (USNA ’78) after the game, set them back. Nathan Kirkwood who opened the scoring with a 39-yard boot in the first was called on by HC Brian Newberry to put up three once again. His 34-yarder sailed through with 6:47 left to play. Plenty of time remained for Air Force to drive to put up another seven to take a lead on its next possession. On top of that, the Falcons still had three time-outs.
After the kickoff went into the end zone, Air Force started from the 25. Szarka started to work the clock with handoffs and short passes. Two fell incomplete to stop the clock. The Falcons crossed midfield to the 47 for a third and nine. Official reports say Szarka fumbled on the next play, but what we witnessed was an attempted pass knocked down by the Navy defensive line and a diving catch by number 96, NG Landon Robinson, for an interception. Navy took over with 3:07 to play at the Falcon 49. However, Air Force still possessed its three time-outs.
Clock management takes over
Before the two-minute time-out, Navy gained a first down. Air Force called its remaining time-outs with hopes to regain possession. On a fourth and one at the Falcon 30, Horvath completed an eight -yard pass to Jackson Guiterez for the first down. All time-outs had been used. Navy went into its victory formation and came away with a well-earned victory, 34-31, to assure its opportunity to win its second straight Commander-in-Chief Trophy when the play Army on December 13. Collegefootballfan.com will be there.
For Navy, they will be playing for their 18th C-I-C championship award. Since its inception since 1972, Air Force has taken the award 22 times and Army won it nine times. Whenever each team has won one of the three games in the annual round-about competition, it remains in the possession of the last outright winner in the latest series.
Historical updates
Among our 720 games attended to date, this was our eighth game featuring Navy vs. Air Force. Navy now leads our series, 5-3. Our last two games attended back in 2021 and 2023 were won by Air Force. Prior to that, Navy won three straight in 2015-17-19. Back in 1991, Air Force ruined the 500th game played by Navy, 42-7. All games attended except for one were attended at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. First game attended came in 1975 as a member of the Brigade of Midshipmen at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC. The Mids shut out “the Zoomies,” 17-0. They went on to win their second Commander-in-Chief Trophy by defeating Army also, 30-6. In our record book, Navy’s record now stands at 45-44 overall. Air Force’s record stands at 7-7. We’ve seen both play against Army and in bowl games.
We still have two games featuring the Midshipmen later this season. On November 8, we travel to South Bend, Indiana to see them play at No. 21 Notre Dame. On December 13, we will see them take on Army for our 20th edition in Baltimore. We may consider a bowl game depending on time and distance, once any bids come along to the Mids.
WEEK Seven Coming up!
Navy (5-0, 2-0) heads up to Philly for its third American Conference game vs. Temple (3-2, 1-0). No slouch here against the Owls under their first-year HC Casey Keeler who’s had a successful had coaching career at lower levels and winning FCS national championships at Delaware and at Sam Houston State. USNA has another home game against Florida Atlantic. After that, three Top 25 teams loom for the Midshipmen among four they will face in November with a current combined record of 18-3. High seas ahead for Navy football. Air Force (1-4, 0-3) heads to play UNLV (5-0, 1-0) to try to shake things up in the Mountain West.
For collegefootballfan.com: Two goals – Add Team # 135 and North to Vermont
On Wednesday night, we commute to Murfreesboro where Middle Tennessee State (1-4, 0-1) hosts the Missouri State Bears (2-3, 0-1) in a Conference USA clash. New to the FBS, we add the Bears as our 135th FBS team of the 136. There are no FBS teams in the state of Vermont, but with goal to see a game in all 50 states (well, that includes D.C. not Alaska), on Saturday, we attend Vermont State – Castleton (2-2, 0-1) hosting Christpher Newport University (4-0, 1-0) of Newport News, Virginia in get this – a New Jersey Athletic Conference game. The CNU Captains rank No. 21 in D-III and average 44.2 points per game. They defeated previously ranked Susquehanna, 41-27.
With a noon kick-off, we will plan to attend a second game that evening in New England. Originally considering another D3 game, Bates at Tufts, we came up with a competitive D-2 game closer to Castleton. At 6 pm, we venture to Rindge, NH to see a Northeast 10 contest with the Franklin Pierce Ravens (3-2, 3-1) visiting the St. Anselm Hawks (3-2, 3-1). With this addition, we now see all four divisions of NCAA football play this season.
Read about our previous games played by Midshipmen and Falcons!
Click on the title of my book about this life-long adventure: Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: The Good, the Fun, and the Ugly on Amazon.com. Read the reviews on the book page and get your copy today! If you’re trying to follow NILs and transfer portals, read what we predicted in 2023 and more. You’ll see we know what we’re talking about. In addition, we offered solutions to issues occurring that we anticipated when we wrote this book. Based on our game story above, this fun, unique life-long Journey continues. Catch up on the last 45 years, and then please submit a review. We hope you will get a kick out of our great adventure having seen every (well 134) FBS team play over the years! Two newest to be added later this season including Missouri State on Wednesday, October 8 after next weekend.
Edited by and photos taken by Steve Koreivo – Member of Football Writers Association of America and Author of Fifty Years of Tailgate Tales: the Good, the Fun and the Ugly
