Notre Dame-Navy: Tale of the Tape

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Navy Midshipmen resume their annual rivalry this weekend as they meet at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

The Irish enter the contest on a down note: they were blanked by Boston College 17-10 last wseekend. It was the second loss in a row by the ND who dipped to 5-4 overall. Most of the team's struggles this season have come on the road, where the Irish have won just once in four tries.

Navy was idle last week after pulling out a thrilling 33-27 victory over Temple on Nov. 1. The win was their second straight as the Mids became bowl eligible at 6-3.

Navy already has intentions of playing the inaugural Eagle-Bank Bowl in the nation's capital come mid-December. Notre Dame owns a commanding 70-10-1 historical lead over Navy and that includes a 44-6-1 advantage at neutral sites.

The Mids, however, snapped a NCAA-record 43-game losing streak to the Irish with a 46-44 triple-overtime victory last season. It was the first time Navy won since a 35-14 victory in 1963 when Roger Staubach was quarterback for the Midshipmen.

Notre Dame has enjoyed success on offense for the most part this season, entering the weekend averaging 24.3 ppg and 375.0 total ypg. They have been more effective through the air (259.4 ypg) than on the ground (115.6 ypg), but have had some issues with turnovers, committing 20 on the year.

Last weekend the Irish turned the ball over five times, gaining just 292 total yards in a 17-0 loss at Boston College.

Quarterback Jimmy Clausen had an awful game, throwing for 226 yards and four interceptions on 26-of-46 tosses. It was certainly a disappointing effort from Clausen, who has fared much better on the year, averaging for 258.8 ypg, with 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Michael Floyd and Golden Tate have provided Clausen with a pair of dangerous targets, collectively accounting for 89 receptions, 1,444 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. Last weekend Tate hauled in six passes for 66 yards while Floyd finished with five catches for 69 yards.

The Fighting Irhs haven't had much success on the ground and Armando Allen and his modest 457 rushing yards pace the team.

The Irish have really clamped down on defense this year, limiting foes to 20.4 pg and 324.7 total ypg. The unit has done a respectable job versus both the run (132.1 ypg) and pass (192.6 ypg), also managing 17 takeaways.

In last weekend's loss, ND's defense actually played very well and was only responsible for 10 of the 17 points allowed. The defense didn't force any turnovers, but did hold BC to just 236 total yards, including only 79 through the air. The Irish also stepped up on third down, holding BC to a tune of 3 successes in 14 tries.

Harrison Smith guided the team in defeat with nine stops, while Kyle McCarthy made eight stops. On the year, McCarthy heads the club with 84 tackles, but David Bruton is a close second with 76 take-downs. Bruton also has a team-best three interceptions to his credit.

Behind their option attack, the Mids are turning out an impressive 308.0 ypg on the ground behind a 5.4 yard-per-carry average. Of the offense's 29 touchdowns scored, 24 have come via the run.

In its 33-27 overtime victory over Temple two weeks ago, Navy amassed 293 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns on the ground. Eric Kettani led the way, rushing for 118 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. He currently ranks second in the squad with 673 yards, trailing only Shun White's 834 yards and six scores.

Quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada added 64 yards and a score on 11 carries in the win, but he left the game with a hamstring injury and is listed as questionable for this weekend. Kaheaku-Enhada has missed significant time with injuries this season, resulting favorably for Jarod Bryant and Ricky Dobbs.

With Bryant out of action last game due to a shoulder injury Dobbs was called upon and he responded, rushing for 47 yards and a score, also throwing for 87 yards and another touchdown. Bryant, who ranks third on the team in rushing with 440 yards, is also listed as questionable for this game which may land Dobbs the starting gig. Dobbs has seen action this season, rushing for 342 yards and six scores.

Defensively, the Mids have been up and down all season and enter the contest allowing 25.6 ppg and 373.0 total ypg. The unit has fared well against the run (116.3 ypg), but has been torched for 256.7 ypg through the air. Creating turnovers, though, has helped compensate for some of those yards: Navy have recorded 20 takeaways.

The Midshipmen generated a pair of turnovers and even tied the game against Temple, scoring on a 42-yard fumble by Clint Sovie with 37 seconds left in regulation. That miscue helped the defense overcome 409 yards of total offense by Temple, which hadn't had much success moving the ball this season. Ross Pospisil had 11 stops and a forced fumble in the win, while Corey Johnson logged 10 tackles and a forced fumble. Johnson tops the club with 62 tackles this season, including 5.5 for losses.

Navy have had plenty of joy this season, but Notre Dame should throw all over the soft Midshipmen defense en route to the victory this weekend.

Notre Dame 35
Navy 21

Navy Injury Report
QB Jarod Bryant (11/12, right shoulder) probable
DE Michael Walsh (11/12, foot) questionable
KR John Angelo (9/29, concussion) out indefinitely
OL Andrew McGinn (10/3, concussion) out for season
QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (11/12, hamstring) doubtful

Notre Dame Injury Report
OL Chris Stewart (11/12, leg) doubtful
LB Kerry Neal (11/12, leg) questionable
WR George West Jr (11/12, undisclosed) questionable
FB Luke Schmidt (10/1, headaches) out indefinitely

TE Will Yeatman (10/1, disciplinary/legal) out for season

DB Jashaad Gaines (9/12, personal) out indefinitely
DB Darrin Walls (8/27, personal) out for season
TE Mike Ragone (8/23, left knee surgery) out for season

Team Leaders
Receptions: Navy Barnes (15), ND Floyd (46)
Rec. Yards: Navy Barnes (280), ND Tate (742)
Rushing Atts: Navy Bryant (129), ND Allen (102)
Rushing Yds: Navy White (834), ND Allen (457)
Pass Atts: Navy Bryant (32), ND Clausen (335)
Pass Comp: Navy Bryant (18), ND Clausen (198)
Pass Yards: Navy Bryant (265), ND Clausen (2,329)
Comp %: Navy Dobbs (85.7), ND Clausen (59.1)
TD passes: Navy Bryant & Kaheaku-Enhada (2), ND Clausen (18)
INTs: Navy Bryant (3), ND Clausen (13)