In a commanding display of offensive and defensive prowess, the Navy Midshipmen trounced the Temple Owls 38-11 at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. This win marked Navy’s first 2-0 start since 2019 and set a strong precedent for their season in the American Athletic Conference (AAC).
Junior quarterback Blake Horvath was central to Navy’s victory, demonstrating dual-threat capabilities by rushing for 122 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries, and passing for another 112 yards and a touchdown. Navy’s cohesive performance was highlighted in comments by head coach Brian Newberry, who emphasized the team’s preparation, saying, “We always talk about deserving success and I thought our guys prepared for that during the course of the week… It’s great to get a win and always great to get our first conference win.”
The game began with Navy’s defense asserting dominance, as Temple struggled offensively throughout the first quarter. The Owls were restricted to a mere five yards from 10 plays, setting a frustrating tone for the team. This defensive pressure paid off early when Navy scored the first points through a safety, caused by Justin Reed knocking Temple quarterback Forrest Brock out of the end zone.
Coach Newberry praised his defensive team’s strategy, noting, “Defensively, we flew around. I thought Coach Volker and the defensive staff put together a really nice game plan. We bent, we gave some things underneath, but we didn’t give up big explosive plays.”
On the offensive front, after the free kick following the safety, Navy efficiently covered 58 yards over 11 plays, culminating in a two-yard touchdown by Horvath. The momentum continued as Jaxson Campbell intercepted a pass, setting up Horvath for a 62-yard touchdown run. This play underlined Navy’s “big play capability,” a recurrent theme in their strategy, allowing them to accumulate 409 yards of total offense, with 297 coming from the ground game.
Temple managed to score towards the end of the first half with a 36-yard field goal by Alex Trujillo, but Navy’s relentless offense extinguished any potential comeback. The second half began with Navy driving 81 yards in nine plays, highlighted by a 31-yard touchdown pass from Horvath to Eli Heidenreich.
Navy’s defense, led by senior linebacker Colin Ramos with 15 tackles, was equally formidable, holding Temple to just 35 rushing yards. Coach Newberry remarked on the defensive performance, emphasizing the team’s focus on stopping the run and their preparation against Temple’s offensive tactics.
As Navy looks forward to a bye week followed by a significant matchup against preseason favorite Memphis, Coach Newberry remains optimistic about their preparedness and ability to perform under pressure. With the support of a strong home crowd and a solid game plan, Navy aims to continue its strong start to the season.
