Notre Dame’s defense doesn’t get many ordinary Saturdays against Navy. This one demands something specific: a sturdy interior, sharper discipline and a return to the form the Irish showed early in the season.
That matters now because the stretch ahead is unforgiving. Miami visits on November 7, and after that comes a November slate that includes two Top 20 teams, among them the current No. 1 team in the country. Before that gauntlet arrives, Notre Dame has to clean up what went wrong against BYU and avoid letting Navy drag the game into the kind of grind that exposes mistakes.
The concern didn’t start with the loss to BYU, either. The warning signs were already there against North Carolina.
Over their first four games, the Irish defense allowed 199.3 yards per game and 8.3 points per game. In the last three, those numbers jumped to 282.6 yards and 20.3 points per game, with Stanford’s seven-point output in between North Carolina and BYU helping soften the climb.
That’s the backdrop for this rivalry meeting.
Navy’s offense always forces Notre Dame into a different kind of exam, and this year’s version comes with different personnel. Offensive coordinator Drew Cronic is working with a new group than he had in 2024 and 2025, which means the Irish have to prepare for an evolved triple option rather than a carbon copy of past Navy teams.
The heart of the matchup is right down the middle. Notre Dame cannot let Navy get moving between the guards, because once the Midshipmen establish that lane, the offense can start building toward its perimeter game. Fullback Vic Listorti is the name to watch there, and the Irish front seven has to deny him any comfort.
That makes the interior defensive line a major battleground. Notre Dame’s tackles have been solid, but they haven’t yet produced the kind of breakout performance that showed up in bursts in 2023 and 2024.
Now the group has to deal with an experienced Navy offensive line that does its best work inside. Sixth-year tackle Jason Onye is back from injury, Armel Mukam had his coming out party last season against the Midshipmen, and portal additions Francis Brewu and Tionne Gray are expected to factor in.
Gray, in particular, feels built for this assignment. At 6-5 and 320 pounds, he brings the kind of frame Notre Dame wanted when it brought him in from the portal. The question is whether this is the week that turns into a real breakout for the former Oregon defensive tackle.
The linebackers have their own test, and it starts with the quarterback run. That is the other key to slowing Navy, especially with Jackson Gutierrez and Braxton Woodson both in the mix.
Woodson is more of a gadget player in the offense, but he will still rotate under center at times. Middle linebacker and captain Drayk Bowen will be central to making sure the Irish are lined up correctly and accounting for Woodson when he is on the field.
There is also a broader challenge for Chris Ash’s defense. This is coming off its worst performance since September of 2025, and Saturday offers a chance to reset before the schedule tightens again.
Navy is not a team Notre Dame can afford to treat casually, even with Miami looming. The Midshipmen have already shown they can score, putting up 39 against North Texas and 38 against UTSA in their last two games.
If Notre Dame wants this game to do more than just survive, the defense has to look like the unit that opened the season, not the one that has drifted in recent weeks. The Irish currently own the third-ranked rush defense in the country. Against Navy, that strength has to show up in a hurry.
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 🡒]