Notre Dame will take the field Saturday night looking to defend its top-10 status after the College Football Playoff selection committee ranked Marcus Freeman’s squad among the nation’s best.
At No. 10, the Fighting Irish have little margin for error, beginning with a visit from rival Navy in the 98th meeting between the programs.
Freeman’s team (6-2, No. 10 CFP) enters on a six-game winning streak after a rocky start that included two one-score losses to top-20 teams. Irish quarterback C.J. Carr has led the offense, while a veteran defense has turned into an opportunistic unit, forcing turnovers at a rapid pace similar to past playoff runs.
But the Irish will be tested by Navy’s unconventional, triple-option attack. It's a scheme Freeman remembers well from his Cincinnati days. “I feel we’ll have a good plan,” Freeman said. “Our guys have experience, which is important.”
The Midshipmen (7-1) are led by quarterback Blake Horvath, who averages 115.8 rushing yards per game, part of a ground attack that tops the FBS at 317 yards per contest. Navy coach Brian Newberry knows his team faces a tall task against one of college football’s deepest backfields, headlined by Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, who have combined for 19 rushing touchdowns.
“They can both go to the house from anywhere,” Newberry said. “It’s going to be a huge challenge for us.”
Notre Dame has dominated the series 83-13-1 and has won 12 of the last 13. Still, Freeman embraces the matchup’s significance. “It’s an every year rivalry like USC,” he said. “The history of this game means a lot.”
The Irish face the Midshipmen in South Bend on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC).
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