Notre Dame gets its chance to shake off the BYU loss this weekend, and the matchup could hardly come at a better time for the Irish offense. The No. 5 Irish are 6-1 and meet Navy in the 99th edition of this longtime series, looking to start a new streak after their 16-game run was snapped last time out.
The Irish Breakdown staff is expecting a lopsided finish, with every prediction leaning heavily toward Notre Dame. The most aggressive call in the bunch has the Irish rolling to a 59-17 win, and that outlook is rooted in how vulnerable Navy has been through the air and on defense overall.
The Midshipmen come in ranking 108th in scoring defense, 102nd in yards allowed per play, 122nd in third-down defense and 76th in total defense. Against the pass, the numbers are even rougher: 123rd in pass defense, 136th in yards allowed per completion and attempt, 138th in passer rating and 137th in most passing yards of 30-plus yards allowed.
That’s why the expectation is for Notre Dame to use this game to get CJ Carr and the passing attack moving. Carr and the Irish offense sputtered against BYU, but this matchup is viewed as a prime chance to clean that up. Even with Navy’s option offense bringing its own headaches, the sense is that Notre Dame’s defense should settle in after any early trouble and eventually take control.
Another prediction has Notre Dame winning 52-7, with the reasoning centered on the Irish’s recent track record in the series. Over their last three meetings with Navy, Notre Dame has won 42-3, 51-14 and 49-10, and the idea here is that this game should look much the same.
The Midshipmen are not considered the same team they were in 2024 and 2025 because of key personnel losses, and the bigger question is not whether Notre Dame will score but how the Irish get there. That outlook puts a spotlight on Mike Denbrock and the need to open up the offense against one of the worst pass defenses in the FBS.
Vince DeDario has Notre Dame winning 49-10, calling Navy one of college football’s trickiest opponents because of the triple-option system. The Midshipmen can drain the clock and keep opposing offenses on the sideline, but the view here is that Notre Dame has too much talent on both sides to be slowed down for long. Defensive discipline is expected to matter most for the Irish, especially from the linebackers and defensive line, while Carr and the offense are projected to capitalize through the air and still do enough on the ground to keep Navy guessing.
Andrew McDonough’s prediction is 47-9, and he points to the recent pattern in the rivalry since Notre Dame’s narrow 35-32 win in Marcus Freeman’s first season. Since then, the Irish have controlled the matchup, winning the last three by an average score of 47-9.
McDonough expects the Notre Dame run defense to limit Navy well below its season average of 307 yards per game, which would make it tough for the Midshipmen to stay on schedule. He also notes that last season Notre Dame held Navy to 206 rushing yards, kept the Midshipmen to 27% on third downs and allowed just one touchdown.
On the other side, he sees this as the kind of matchup where Carr could top 300 passing yards for the first time, especially against the nation’s 123rd-ranked pass defense.
Bryan Ault is also forecasting a big Notre Dame win, choosing 42-10. He frames the week off as a mix of relief and frustration for the Irish after the four-point loss to No.
8 BYU, and expects them to come back eager to play winning football again. Navy, meanwhile, is 2-5 and coming off losses to North Texas and UTSA, games in which the defense gave up 38 and 49 points.
The hope from the Notre Dame side is that the Irish avoid getting caught looking ahead to Miami and instead use this one to build momentum before next weekend’s heavyweight matchup with the Hurricanes.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Is Still Waiting On A Return That Could Change Its Defense
Brauntae Johnsons absence has already stretched well beyond what Notre Dame initially expected, leaving the Fighting Irish without a safety many around the program believed would be back in a matter of weeks. Instead, the injury has kept him sidelined for more than half the season, and the defense has had to keep moving without one of its more promising pieces.
The outlook around the program has stayed upbeat, though, with teammates and coaches continuing to sound hopeful about his recovery. Notre Dame is eyeing a possible return for the Miami or SMU games, and if Johnson does get back in time, it could give the defense a noticeable lift at just the right moment. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Is Doing What It Takes To Keep A 5-Star Locked In
When a five-star recruit takes a bye week, Notre Dame is making sure the relationship stays front and center. Marcus Freeman and Charlie Partridge recently visited Abraham Sesay during his high school break, a reminder that the Irish are treating the 2027 edge rusher like a priority long after his June 2026 commitment. Partridge even stayed to watch a game after Sesay exited early with an injury, a small gesture that still says plenty about how seriously Notre Dame is approaching the recruitment.
Sesay has plenty of reason to stay on the programs radar, too. The five-star from the 2027 class chose Notre Dame over several major programs, and his profile keeps rising with a Navy All-American honor coming at a school pep rally before he heads to the East vs. West All-American Bowl in January 2027. For the Irish, the next challenge is less about winning him over and more about making sure that commitment keeps holding as the spotlight gets brighter. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Has Too Much NFL Talent For This Start
Even after a loss to BYU, there is no shortage of NFL-caliber talent on Notre Dames roster, and ESPNs Mel Kiper underscored that in his latest 2027 mock draft. Kiper placed five Irish players among the top five at their positions, a reminder that this team is stocked with prospects who are already drawing national attention. Leonard Moore came in as the No. 1 cornerback, while Brauntae Johnson was slotted as the top safety despite limited playtime this season.
For Notre Dame, that kind of preseason and early-season respect only raises the pressure to translate potential into results. Marcus Freemans demeanor after the BYU loss suggested a coach who knows the standard is higher than what the Irish showed, and the roster rankings only sharpen the spotlight on a group expected to look much further along. The talent is obvious, but the challenge now is proving it in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]