Blake Horvath rushed for a 51-yard touchdown and passed to Alex Tecza for the two-point conversion with 39 seconds remaining, lifting Navy to a 32-31 victory over Temple on October 11, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field. The win kept Navy unbeaten at 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the American Athletic Conference, securing bowl eligibility for the second straight year.
Navy trailed 31-24 late in the fourth quarter when Horvath orchestrated the decisive five-play, 75-yard drive in 37 seconds. His game-winning run capped a performance where he completed 6 of 17 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown, while rushing 19 times for 155 yards and two scores. Temple, which led 24-21 after three quarters, fell to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in conference play despite 518 total yards.
Temple opened scoring after missing a 39-yard field goal on its first possession. Navy responded with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Horvath to Cody Howard at 10:18 in the first quarter. Temple tied the game at 7-7 on a 2-yard rush by quarterback Evan Simon at 3:19. The Owls added a 23-yard field goal by Carl Hardin at 14:13 in the second and a 1-yard rush by Jay Ducker at 0:25, leading 17-7 at halftime.
Navy mounted a comeback in the third, with Horvath’s 2-yard rush at 9:59 making it 17-14. Temple extended to 24-14 on a 26-yard pass from Simon to Jojo Bermudez at 6:37, but Tecza’s 2-yard rush at 2:22 narrowed it to 24-21. In the fourth, Nathan Kirkwood’s 48-yard field goal at 6:34 tied the game at 24-24. Temple regained the lead on Ducker’s second 1-yard rush at 1:16, setting up Navy’s final drive.
Horvath rushed for over 100 yards for the fourth straight game, the first Navy player to do so since Malcolm Perry in 2019. He has achieved 100 yards rushing and passing in the same game three times this season. Eli Heidenreich led Navy receivers with three catches for 72 yards, while Tecza added 30 rushing yards and the two-point reception. Jacob Carlson punted four times for 225 yards, averaging 56.2 yards per punt, with a long of 62 yards.
For Temple, Simon completed 25 of 36 passes for 345 yards and one touchdown. Ducker rushed 24 times for 97 yards and two scores. Kajiya Hollawayne caught nine passes for 146 yards, and Bermudez had five receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown. Hardin made 4 of 4 extra points and one field goal.
Navy forced Temple’s first turnover of the season when Adam Klenk sacked Simon, with Job Grant recovering the fumble at the Navy 27-yard line in the second quarter. Ira Oniha tied a career high with six tackles and three pass breakups, matching the second-most by a Navy player in the last 20 years. MarcAnthony Parker led with 12 tackles, and Giuseppe Sessi had 11.
Navy outrushed Temple 243-173 but was outpassed 345-141. The Midshipmen converted 3 of 11 third downs and 3 of 3 fourth downs, while Temple went 6 of 12 on third and 2 of 2 on fourth. Navy held the ball for 25:58 compared to Temple’s 34:02.
The victory marked Navy’s ninth straight win dating to last season, the longest active streak in the nation entering the game. It was Navy’s first 6-0 start in consecutive seasons since 1978-1979. Navy leads the series 11-9 and evened games in Philadelphia at 4-4. Coach Brian Newberry improved to 2-1 against Temple.
Navy has scored on its opening drive in five of six games this season and on the second-half opening drive in four. The Midshipmen have 10 offensive plays of 50 yards or more, including Horvath’s run and pass to Howard. Navy did not reach 450 total yards for the first time this year, finishing with 384.
Temple punted just once, at 14:48 in the fourth. The Owls’ seven first-half points allowed were Navy’s fewest in an opening half since a 3-0 halftime deficit against East Carolina last year.
Navy next hosts Florida Atlantic on October 18, 2025, at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Temple travels to Tulsa on October 18.
