Things did not go well for Navy in it’s trek to the Emerald Isle. Not at all.
Notre Dame scored touchdowns on five of its first six possessions. Navy had twice as many drives end in turnovers (four) as scores (two). That’s how a 50-10 score can come to be.
SEE RELATED:
In any case, it wasn’t a great day for predictions, either.
1. Noah Copeland will score his first career touchdown.
INCORRECT. The sophomore had only six carries for 29 yards as the Midshipmen were nudged into 20 passing attempts (not quite double their average from last year) based on the direction of the game. Navy had only 60 offensive snaps and the fullback dive was held in check until the final two plays, at which point there had been liberal substitutions on both sides.
2. Brye French will have his second career double-digit tackle game.
INCORRECT. French had seven stops, one of five Mids to hit that plateau. The only one to reach double figures was cornerback Parrish Gaines, who had 12
3. Navy will have a five-minute drive.
CORRECT. The Mids milked nearly seven minutes off the clock with a second-quarter drive that took up 12 plays. The last of those, though, was a Trey Miller fumble that freakishly athletic defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt collected and ran 77 yards with to put the Irish up 27-0.
4. So will Notre Dame.
CORRECT. The Irish’s first possession of both halves last longer than five minutes. Both also culminated in touchdowns.
5. Notre Dame will win by double digits.
CORRECT. It was clear by halftime this prediction would work out. The Irish simply dominated up front on both sides of the ball and rolled up 490 yards of total offense. The three wins in four years against Notre Dame was a nice stretch for Navy, but the Mids were outscored 106-24 the last two seasons. The long-lopsided series has shifted back toward the Irish.
SEASON: 3-for-5
—- Patrick Stevens
