No. 5 Notre Dame looks to answer its first loss of the season when it faces Navy on Saturday, Oct. 31, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Fighting Irish enter at 6-1 after a 28-24 defeat at BYU, while the Midshipmen come in at 2-5 and have dropped four of their last five. This Notre Dame vs Navy preview breaks down the matchup, the statistical gap between the two offenses and what to watch when kickoff arrives at noon ET on ABC.
The neutral-site setting adds an unusual wrinkle to what is otherwise a steep mismatch on paper. Notre Dame has outscored its six wins by a combined margin that includes a 58-7 rout of Stanford and a 49-10 win at Purdue, while Navy has allowed at least 34 points in four of its last five games.
Notre Dame Vs Navy Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 31
- Time: 12 p.m. ET
- Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts (neutral site)
- TV: ABC
- Weather: 52 degrees, 0% chance of precipitation
By The Numbers
- Points per game: Notre Dame 41.1, Navy 29.7
- Total yards per game: Notre Dame 445.1, Navy 427.1
- Passing yards per game: Notre Dame 261.7, Navy 119.4
- Rushing yards per game: Notre Dame 183.4, Navy 307.7
- Third-down conversion rate: Notre Dame 44.05%, Navy 43.21%
- Turnover differential: Notre Dame +8, Navy -7
- Total giveaways: Notre Dame 2, Navy 10
- Sacks allowed: Notre Dame 2, Navy 9
- Record last five games: Notre Dame 4-1, Navy 1-4
Notre Dame Outlook
Notre Dame’s offense has been one of the most efficient in the country, averaging 41.1 points and 445.1 total yards per game. Quarterback CJ Carr has completed 66.8% of his passes for 1,832 yards, 17 touchdowns and just one interception, numbers that have produced a 162.2 QB rating through seven games.
The Irish have taken care of the football better than almost anyone, with a turnover differential of plus-8 built on 10 takeaways against only two giveaways. That ball security matters against a Navy defense that has forced takeaways at a modest rate, but Notre Dame’s one blemish came in a 28-24 loss at BYU on Oct. 17, a reminder that the Irish are not immune to a letdown. Jordan Faison leads the receiving corps with 34 catches for 451 yards and four touchdowns, and Jonaz Walton paces the ground game with 426 yards and three scores on 57 carries. Carr is projected to start under center, with Faison and Walton expected to anchor the skill-position attack.
Navy Outlook
Navy’s offense runs through quarterback Jackson Gutierrez, who leads the team in both passing and rushing. Gutierrez has thrown for 692 yards and seven touchdowns while also carrying the ball 150 times for 869 yards and 12 touchdowns, making him the engine of a Midshipmen rushing attack that averages 307.7 yards per game, nearly 125 more than Notre Dame allows to surrender on average.
The bigger issue has been consistency on defense and ball security. Navy has given the ball away 10 times against only three takeaways, a turnover differential of minus-7 that has contributed to four losses in its last five games, including a 49-39 setback to North Texas on Oct. 24. Gutierrez is projected to start at quarterback, with Jordan Collins, who has averaged over 35 yards per catch on his six receptions, expected to see targets in the passing game.
Key Matchup
Navy’s option-based rushing attack against Notre Dame’s defense is the matchup that will shape the game. The Midshipmen rank among the nation’s most run-heavy offenses, leaning on Gutierrez and a ground game that produces 307.7 yards per contest, while Notre Dame’s defense has posted 15 sacks and 31 tackles for loss on the season. If the Irish defensive front can contain Gutierrez and force Navy into passing situations, the Midshipmen’s 119.4 passing yards per game and 47.1% completion rate become a significant disadvantage. Navy’s success will depend on sustaining drives on the ground and avoiding the kind of giveaways that have plagued it all year.
Players To Watch
CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
Carr has thrown just one interception on 217 attempts this season and is coming off a four-touchdown effort in Notre Dame’s win over North Carolina. His efficiency has been the driving force behind the Irish offense’s 41.1 points per game.
Jackson Gutierrez, QB, Navy
Gutierrez accounts for nearly all of Navy’s offensive production, leading the team in both passing and rushing yards. His 12 rushing touchdowns are more than double any other scoring category for the Midshipmen.
Jordan Faison, WR, Notre Dame
Faison’s 34 receptions and 451 yards lead a Notre Dame passing attack that averages 261.7 yards per game, the top mark on either roster.
What To Watch
Notre Dame arrives in Foxborough looking to show its loss at BYU was an aberration rather than a trend, a result that drew attention after BYU’s win boosted the Cougars’ playoff case and after the Big 12 later admitted an officiating error in the finish. A win keeps the Irish firmly in the national conversation at 7-1, while a second straight loss would raise new questions about a team that had looked dominant in blowout wins over Stanford and Purdue. For Navy, the game is a chance to right a season that has produced just two wins through seven contests. The Midshipmen’s next opportunity to find rhythm offensively will hinge on whether Gutierrez and the ground game can control the clock against a defense that ranks among the stingier units Notre Dame has fielded this year.
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