Notre Dame Survives Navy Scare, Pulls Away for 35-13 Win in Foxborough

Navy pushed No. 5 Notre Dame to the brink on Saturday before the Fighting Irish found another gear and pulled away for a 35-13 victory at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Midshipmen led 13-7 late in the second quarter as 29.5-point underdogs, but Notre Dame scored 28 unanswered points and shut Navy out over the final two quarters. The result pushed the Irish to 7-1 and dropped Navy to 2-6.

The game is one of college football’s oldest annual rivalries. The programs have played every year since 1927, pausing only in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, in a series born from World War II, when Navy established a training center on the Notre Dame campus that gave the university a vital financial lifeline. Notre Dame now leads the all-time series 85-13-1 and has won nine straight meetings. Navy has not beaten the Irish since 2016.

Navy’s Option Attack Rattles the Irish

For two quarters, the Midshipmen did exactly what underdogs need to do. Navy controlled the clock for more than 23 minutes and piled up 163 rushing yards in the first half against a Notre Dame defense that entered ranked third nationally against the run and allowing just 67.3 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Jackson Gutierrez surpassed that figure by himself in the second quarter, and he finished with 28 carries for 110 yards. His 2-yard touchdown run with 1:52 left in the half gave Navy a 13-7 lead and had the crowd in Foxborough buzzing.

The Navy approach limited Notre Dame to just three possessions in the first half, and the Irish held the ball for only 6:27. CJ Carr, the Notre Dame quarterback, opened 7 of 14 for 80 yards as the offense looked out of sync coming off a bye week and a loss at BYU two weeks ago.

Nolan James Jr. Flips the Game Before Halftime

The turning point came almost immediately after Navy took the lead. Nolan James Jr. broke free for a 52-yard touchdown run, and Notre Dame needed only 50 seconds to retake the lead at 14-13 heading into the locker room. The Irish then received the second-half kickoff and never looked back, scoring touchdowns on their first three possessions of the third quarter. True freshman Jonaz Walton capped a 78-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run to make it 21-13, and James added a 23-yard score to extend the lead to 28-13.

James finished with 107 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries, while Walton added 51 yards and a score on 12 attempts. Carr settled in after halftime and completed 19 of 29 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns. Jerome Bettis Jr. hauled in the first touchdown catch of his college career, a 31-yarder, and led all receivers with six catches for 78 yards. Micah Gilbert also caught a touchdown pass. Notre Dame finished with 426 total yards, its fifth game with 400 or more this season, and held Navy to just 49 rushing yards after the break.

The Betting Angle and What Comes Next

Navy was a heavy underdog at 29.5 points, and while the Midshipmen failed to win, they were within one score at halftime and kept the game closer than the number suggested for most of the first 30 minutes. Bettors tracking college football spreads can compare lines at the best sports betting apps before each week’s slate, and anyone in the Bay State can see where wagering stands through our Massachusetts sportsbook guide, since Saturday’s rivalry game was played in the state.

The win was not pretty, but it keeps Notre Dame’s season on track for a massive showdown. The Fighting Irish host top-ranked Miami next Saturday, November 7, in South Bend with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff, and the defense that struggled with Navy’s hybrid option-spread attack will need to be sharper against a far more explosive opponent.

For Navy, the trip home offers a chance to regroup. The Midshipmen, who were also beaten by North Texas 49-39 a week ago and by UTSA 38-34 on October 17, host Temple next Saturday. Saturday’s first-half effort showed the ground game can still compete with anyone, but for a team that has dropped six of its last eight, finding a way to finish is now the priority.