Notre Dame vs. Navy: Six Little Known Facts about the Storied Rivalry

Notre Dame football welcomes the Naval Academy to South Bend on Saturday in one of college football's longest and most storied rivalries. Despite the Irish owning the series 71-12-1, the relationship is one that is likely to continue infinitely.

The historical origins of the series began during World War II when Notre Dame struggled to continue funding its operations. To assist Notre Dame, the U.S. Navy stepped in and made Notre Dame's campus a training facility to help supplement the school's finances. Since then, Notre Dame has pledged to play the Midshipmen annually as a repayment of that debt.

In addition to the historical origins of the Notre Dame-Navy rivalry, did you know...

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...the Notre Dame-Navy rivalry is the longest uninterrupted series in college football, beginning in 1927?

...Notre Dame has never played a game at the Naval Academy's home field in Annapolis?

...the 1964 game featured two Heisman Trophy winners against each other, Navy's Roger Staubach and Notre Dame's John Huarte?

...Notre Dame's 43-game winning streak against Navy is the longest streak Division I NCAA Football, beginning in 1964?

...1969's game marks a record for the Irish offense as Notre Dame amassed 720 yards against the Midshipmen?

...Notre Dame barely preserved the streak in 1984 on a John Carney field goal.  Unfortunately for the Midshipmen, the ball was snapped after the clock expired, but officials failed to notice. Notre Dame won 18-17?

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As fans watch the game with their friends on Saturday, they can impart these random bits of knowledge on their friends, or even win a trivia contest. Either way, everyone is looking for, yet, another great battle between these to programs.