(Photo: Bret Feiner)
It’s game nine for the Irish, which means the Fighting Irish Preview staff is back at it. We love Notre Dame football, we love covering it, and we love talking trash while we do it. From editors to interns, writers to photographers, this team knows the game — and we’re not afraid to say so. Here’s how we see Saturday’s showdown against Navy playing out.
Phillip Houk – Senior Editor
This week I feel compelled to make a prediction within my prediction—and it’s a bold one. Here goes: this week ND makes all its extra points and kicks a field goal. I know, out on a very shaky limb, but if they just do that, they’ll be fine. CJ Carr will have another excellent day against a challenged secondary, and this coaching staff has plenty of experience defending the option—or “millennial Wing-T,” or whatever Navy is calling it these days. The Irish contain the option, force a few turnovers, and pull away after halftime.
Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Navy 17
Caleb Conrad – Staff Intern
Notre Dame keeps finding ways to win, and the Irish will look to do just that against a solid Navy team. It’s expected to be a rainy night in South Bend, which means Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price could get plenty of touches. The real question: can Notre Dame make its extra points and field goals? Expect a bounce-back performance from the offense after a sluggish showing last week. If the defense stays patient and disciplined against the triple option, this one shouldn’t be close.
Prediction: Notre Dame 35, Navy 7
Jesse Craig – Webmaster
Phil made a prediction within a prediction? Okay, I’ll take it one step further: Freeman announces that Schmidt—the powerful leg he recruited to be the future—is kicker No. 1, and the saboteur Buchner has been replaced as holder. Problem solved. Other than that, not much to see here.
Prediction: Notre Dame 42, Navy 6
Chad Ryan – Photojournalist / Multimedia Editor
Every year when the Navy game looms, we talk about the Midshipmen’s unique offense posing a challenge. Occasionally, it does. But most times—save for 2007–2010—Notre Dame solves the equation. Of the 97 times these teams have met, the Irish have won 83 and are winners of the last seven straight. Make it eight.
Prediction: Notre Dame 34, Navy 20
Connor Fitzharris – Staff Writer
Notre Dame, Navy, at night—it’s an intriguing setup, especially with the weather forecast. Navy is coming off its first loss of the year and seems to have cooled off. Quarterback Horvath will likely be forced to throw downfield, which didn’t go well last week against North Texas when he threw two interceptions. I wrote Chris Ash an apology a few weeks back, and it’s paying off: Notre Dame’s defense has 12 interceptions in its last four games. Expect three more as the Irish confuse Horvath.
Prediction: Notre Dame 31, Navy 3
Adam Schenkel – Producer / Audio Editor
I don’t think I’ve been close on a prediction yet this year, so I’m not expecting this one to be either. The No. 10 team in the country should beat this year’s Navy team by 25+ points. Some weeks Notre Dame looks like that kind of team, some weeks they don’t. Will they be this week? I guess we’ll find out.
Prediction: Notre Dame 38, Navy 17
AJ Houk – Photojournalist / Director of Brand Strategy
If you know ball, you know defending Navy’s triple option is always a challenge. That’s still true this year—but after a sluggish showing coming out of the bye, this feels like a week where the Irish come out with bad intentions. The key will be discipline on defense: stay in assignments, force the Midshipmen into mistakes, and make them play behind the sticks. If that happens, this could turn into another stat-padding night for the Irish offense against a defense giving up 25 points per game.
Prediction: Notre Dame 45, Navy 10
The Final Byte
The Final Byte is a data-based prediction that evaluates statistical matchups, efficiency trends, and recent team performance — independent of staff opinions. It’s the analytical voice behind Fighting Irish Preview predictions.
Navy’s 7–1 record looks nice on paper — but the paper doesn’t play football. The Midshipmen rank 97th nationally in yards per play and have one of the least explosive offenses in the country. That’s a math problem Chris Ash’s defense is built to solve. Notre Dame is allowing fewer than 280 yards per game and forcing turnovers at a rate that would make any option quarterback lose sleep.
On the other side, Navy’s defense has been decent against the run but gets lost in coverage. And when you give C.J. Carr time and windows, you get points — lots of them. Expect efficiency, tempo, and depth to take over by the second quarter.
The numbers say it, the film confirms it — and the gut agrees. Notre Dame rolls, Navy rows home.
Final Byte Prediction: Notre Dame 41, Navy 13