Navy Midshipmen fall to Notre Dame, face must-win stretch

Notre Dame defeated Navy 35-13 on Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

The Fighting Irish extended their winning streak in the annual series to nine consecutive games. For the Midshipmen, the loss drops their record to 2-6 and raises the stakes for the final month of the season. Every remaining game now carries bowl-or-bust implications for the Annapolis team.

Navy competed well in the first half, leading twice and trailing by only one point at the break. The Midshipmen trailed 14-13 at halftime. However, Notre Dame outscored Navy 21-0 in the second half to secure the victory.

Navy relied on its running game to keep the Irish offense off the field. The Midshipmen rushed for 212 yards and controlled the clock for 32 minutes and 40 seconds. They did not commit a single turnover during the contest.

Jackson Gutierrez led the Navy offense with 28 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown. He also completed four of seven passes for 25 yards. Michael Barrow added 65 rushing yards on 11 carries. Navy opened the scoring with a 38-yard field goal in the first quarter and added a 26-yarder in the second quarter.

Gutierrez put Navy ahead 13-7 with a 2-yard run with 1:52 left in the first half. The lead lasted less than a minute. Notre Dame running back Nolan James Jr. broke a 52-yard touchdown run with 55 seconds remaining before halftime. The Irish never trailed again after that play.

Notre Dame's second half surge included a 3-yard run by Jonaz Walton and a 23-yard touchdown run by James in the third quarter. Quarterback CJ Carr hit Jerome Bettis Jr. for a 31-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Carr finished with 19 of 29 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns without an interception.

The passing game proved to be the deciding factor. Navy managed only 33 net passing yards, while Notre Dame's aerial attack connected for significant yardage and scores. Bettis Jr. recorded six catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. James finished with 107 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries.

This was the 99th meeting between the two schools. Notre Dame now leads the all-time series 83-13-1. Navy's last victory in the series came on Nov. 5, 2016, a 28-27 upset in Jacksonville, Florida.

The game was held in Foxborough because the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis is too small for the demand. Navy has played previous home games in Baltimore and Landover. The Midshipmen now must win all four of their remaining games to reach six wins and qualify for a bowl game. Their next opportunity is a trip to Annapolis, with the season ending at the Army-Navy Game in New Jersey.