Navy Midshipmen Dominate Cincinnati Bearcats In AutoZone Liberty Bowl
In a game that felt wetter than a submarine’s front porch, Navy rolled over the Cincinnati Bearcats 35-13 in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. This wasn’t just a win; it was a statement. The Midshipmen secured their 11th win of the season. This is a feat they have only pulled off three times in their 146-year history. For Cincinnati? Well, let’s just say it was a long, soggy flight home.
The Midshipmen Brought the Air Support
Here’s the irony: Navy, a team that famously treats the forward pass like a desperate last resort, actually won this game through the air.
Sure, they lead the nation in rushing, but it was Quarterback Blake Horvath’s arm that broke the Bearcats’ back. Just before halftime, with the rain coming down sideways, Horvath found Luke Hutchinson for a 30-yard touchdown strike. That sent Navy into the locker room up 14-7, and you could feel the momentum shifting like the tide.
They came out swinging in the second half, too. Horvath connected with Eli Heidenreich—first for a big gainer, then for a 13-yard score. Suddenly, it was 21-7, and the Bearcats looked like they were trying to bail out a sinking ship with a teaspoon.
Cincinnati’s Roster Woes
To be fair to the Bearcats, they were playing with one hand tied behind their back. Actually, maybe both hands.
Cincinnati was missing a laundry list of starters, including star Quarterback Brendan Sorsby and their top two running backs, thanks to the transfer portal and NFL opt-outs. It showed. The offense looked disjointed, managing only 97 passing yards all day. Quarterback play from Samaj Jones and Brady Lichtenberg just couldn’t cut through the weather or the Navy defense.
It is hard to win a bowl game when your roster looks more like a MAS*H unit than a football team. They were outgained 349-239 in total yardage, and frankly, it felt even more lopsided than that.
A Historic Season For the Academy
Let’s take a moment to appreciate what Navy pulled off here. In an era of college football dominated by NIL deals and transfer portal chaos, the Service Academies operate in a different reality. For Navy to notch an 11-win season is monumental.
They controlled the clock (34 minutes of possession), they controlled the tempo, and eventually, they controlled the scoreboard. The icing on the cake was a classic Navy drive in the fourth quarter: 14 plays, 56 yards, and nearly eight minutes drained off the clock, ending in an Alex Tecza touchdown. That’s textbook. That’s demoralizing. That’s Navy football.
