No. 12 Notre Dame and No. 24 Navy are set to face off for the Rip Miller Trophy Saturday afternoon inside East Rutherford, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. This would be the third yr in a row certainly one of faculty soccer’s most historic rivalries is performed at a impartial website.
Navy and Notre Dame performed yearly from 1927-2019, making it the longest uninterrupted non-conference sequence in faculty soccer, however that streak was damaged in 2020 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
Notre Dame, which holds an 80-13-1 all-time benefit in 96 conferences (not counting contests that had been vacated), has largely dominated the rivalry. The Midshipmen have only one win towards the Preventing Irish up to now 10 years and 4 because the flip of the century.
Navy did triumph 35-17 in 2010, the final time this recreation was held in East Rutherford. That is additionally simply the third time within the final 67 seasons that the 2 are assembly as ranked groups. Notre Dame leads the all-time sequence 7-2-1 when each groups are within the AP Prime 25.
Although this recreation might not rely in direction of any type of convention standings, it would have main implications on the School Soccer Playoff race, past the normal bragging rights that include beating prime rival. Notre Dame is a -250 wager to make the CFP, in line with DraftKings. Navy checks in at +1500 on the sports activities betting app.
The right way to watch Notre Dame vs. Navy dwell
Date: Saturday, Oct. 26 | Time: Midday ET
Location: MetLife Stadium — East Rutherford, New Jersey
TV: ABC | Reside stream: fubo (Strive at no cost)
Notre Dame vs. Navy: Must know
Greatest recreation in a very long time: There’s much more than rivalry delight on the road when Notre Dame and Navy take the sector Saturday. At 12-1, the Midshipmen and Preventing Irish carry their greatest mixed file into a gathering since 1945, when each groups had been 5-0. That led to a 6-6 tie. Navy is searching for its first 7-0 begin since 1978, whereas Notre Dame has the possibility to win six consecutive video games for the primary time underneath Marcus Freeman. Navy additionally hasn’t overwhelmed a number of ranked groups in the identical season since 1958.
Notre Dame is taking groups to process: Notre Dame has put its surprising loss to Northern Illinois firmly within the rearview mirror. The Preventing Irish have gained every of their 5 video games since then, tying the longest win streak of the Freeman period, and are doing so in largely dominant trend. Notre Dame is permitting simply 10.8 factors per recreation in that span, which leads the FBS. The Irish additionally boast a points-per-game differential of 30.2 of their favor. They gained their final two video games by a mixed rating of 80-20 and three of their final 4 wins have come by no less than 25 factors.
Notre Dame’s success is much more spectacular when you think about the litany of essential accidents the Irish have endured. They’re down two beginning offensive linemen (sort out Charles Jagusah and middle Ashton Craig), two beginning defensive linemen (Jordan Botelho and Boubacar Traore) and their greatest cornerback in Benjamin Morrison.
Navy’s offense main the best way: Navy offensive coordinator Drew Cronic has led one of many nation’s most spectacular turnarounds, and it is an enormous cause why the Midshipmen are churning towards their greatest season in current reminiscence. Navy is main the American Athletic Convention with 44.8 factors per recreation — a 27.1-point enhance over final season. As issues stand, that is the most important year-to-year scoring enhance by any FBS group this century. The Midshipmen have scored no less than 34 factors in each recreation, and their six straight video games of 30-plus factors are probably the most for this system since 2010.
Quarterback Blake Horvath has been a revelation. Naturally, he is getting work accomplished on the bottom, however he has additionally opened up Navy’s aerial assault. He leads the FBS in move effectivity (210.5) and yards per try (12.3, minimal of fifty makes an attempt). He is additionally certainly one of 5 FBS quarterbacks — together with Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard — to attain 10-plus dashing touchdowns this yr. He is additionally the primary participant since Jalen Hurts in 2019 to to common greater than 100 yards passing and dashing per recreation by six video games.
Notre Dame vs. Navy prediction, picks
Notre Dame has been dominant currently, so it makes slightly sense that the road can be inflated. However Navy would possibly simply be Notre Dame’s greatest non-Mid-American Convention take a look at since Week 1’s street recreation towards Texas A&M. The Midshipmen are for actual. The offense steals a whole lot of the headlines, however their protection has additionally held every of their final three opponents underneath 10 factors. Regardless of all of the accidents, issues appear to be coming collectively for Notre Dame on each side of the ball. The betting-favorite Irish are a wise choose to win, however this one’s going to be lots nearer than Vegas appears to suppose. Choose: Navy +12.5
All sports activities betting odds by way of DraftKings Sportsbook. Take a look at the most recent DraftKings promo code to get within the recreation.
SportsLine’s confirmed pc mannequin is looking for 5 outright upsets in Week 9 of faculty soccer. Go to SportsLine now to see all of them, plus get unfold picks for each recreation from the mannequin that simulates every recreation 10,000 instances.