Washington Post sports coverage post-game
Froim this morning's Washington Post. I've bolded some areas to indicate Navy played a ranked team with a winning record... and won. On paper, Notre Dame played great, except they didn't get it done in the red zone.
SOUTH BEND, IND. -- This time, there was no wild celebration when the final seconds ran off the clock in a Navy victory over Notre Dame. The Midshipmen, to be sure, were happy with their 23-21 win that silenced the 80,795 fans at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday afternoon, but they just raised their arms and exchanged hugs.
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Navy returns for an encore
Final summary: Navy 23, Notre Dame 21
"I wanted to jump up and down and run on the field, but I was kind of tired," said senior linebacker Ram Vela, who had nine tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception. "We've done it before. We went into this game not really placing much emphasis, too much importance on it. We treated it like another game. I think that's why, in the end, you kind of got the celebration like it was just another game."
This was the Midshipmen's first visit to Notre Dame Stadium since Nov. 3, 2007, when they edged the Fighting Irish, 46-44, in triple overtime. That victory may have been more significant -- after all, it ended a 43-year losing streak to Notre Dame -- but this one was perhaps more impressive. As junior cornerback Kevin Edwards put it, "The first year we broke the streak, but this year we actually beat a real good team."
Indeed, the Notre Dame that Navy beat in 2007 was struggling; it came into that game with a 1-7 record and finished 3-9. This Notre Dame was 6-2, ranked 19th in the nation, and had hopes of winning its final three games to sneak into the Bowl Championship Series. This Notre Dame had a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback and one of the best pairs of wide receivers in the country.
The Midshipmen countered with a confident offense and a defense that Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis called "by far the best Navy defense that they've had in my time here." Ten of Navy's 11 defensive starters played in the 2007 victory, and that experience helped buoy a unit that gave up 512 yards of total offense and didn't force a single punt by the Fighting Irish, yet made countless big plays in the red zone.
"Coach always said that if we believe, we can make things happen," junior safety Wyatt Middleton said. "You can't really stop athletes like that. You can only hope to contain them. I feel we did a great job doing that, so it was a great victory."
Notre Dame junior Jimmy Clausen set career highs for pass attempts (51), completions (37) and passing yards (452, the fourth-highest single-game total in the program's history). Wide receivers Michael Floyd and Golden Tate each had more than 100 yards receiving.
But the Fighting Irish committed three turnovers -- two inside the Navy 15-yard line -- missed two field goals and were stopped once on downs inside the 5-yard line. Clausen was also sacked twice in the final 70 seconds, and the latter one -- by senior linebacker Craig Schaefer (Robinson) -- resulted in a safety.
Navy set the tone of the game early. On Notre Dame's third play from scrimmage, senior cornerback Blake Carter leveled wide receiver Robby Parris following a four-yard catch and popped the ball loose. Vela recovered. The Midshipmen immediately marched 51 yards in 12 plays to score. Junior quarterback Ricky Dobbs -- who did not start the past two games because of a cracked right kneecap -- twice converted on fourth and short, including on his one-yard touchdown run. Navy took a lead that it would not relinquish.
"We were coming for the win," Navy Coach Ken Niumatalolo said of going for it on fourth down. "I knew that they're very good offensively, and I didn't want to settle for threes."
The Midshipmen, who gained 404 yards on offense, felt confident that they could move the ball against the Fighting Irish after struggling to do so in a 27-21 loss last season. Junior fullback Vince Murray rushed for 158 yards on just 14 carries -- he scored Navy's second touchdown on a 25-yard burst up the middle -- and junior wide receiver Greg Jones caught a 52-yard touchdown pass on a deception play that the team practiced throughout the week.
But it was Navy's defense that made the biggest plays. Late in the third quarter, with the Midshipmen holding a 21-7 lead, Clausen scrambled eight yards toward the left corner of the end zone. Edwards -- whose injured right shoulder prevents him from raising that arm above his head -- met him at the 1-yard line and hit him so hard that Clausen fumbled and then lay on the ground for several minutes.
Clausen returned to the game and drove the Fighting Irish to the Navy 12-yard line; he then threw a pass off the back of Floyd and it bounced directly to Vela. Clausen threw two touchdown passes in the final five minutes, but the Fighting Irish ran out of time.
"Every time the ball was in the air, all of us on our side held our breath," said Niumatalolo, whose team booked its spot in the Texas Bowl with the victory.
Scores of Navy players completed their collegiate careers having never beaten Notre Dame. Now, this group of Navy juniors and seniors has experienced two victories over the Fighting Irish -- and it has never lost inside Notre Dame's storied stadium.
"Fortunately for me, I never will. Because next time we play them" is in the Meadowlands, Middleton said with a grin. "That's great. I'm very excited. I love playing in South Bend."
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Just a super game, all around.