Undefeated Navy Football Set for First Road Trip of 2024

Navy (3-0, 2-0 AAC) at UAB (1-2, 0-0 AAC)
When	Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024 | 12:00 pm (ET) / 11:00 am (CT)
Location	Birmingham, Ala. | Protective Stadium
Television	ESPN2 (Roy Philpott, Sam Acho, Taylor Davis)
Live Video Stream	WatchESPN and ESPN+
Listen	Navy Football Radio Network (Pete Medhurst, Joe Miller, Keith Mills, Scott Wykoff) WBAL 1090 AM / 101.5 FM (Baltimore) | WFED 820 AM, 94.3 FM (Frederick, Md.) | WFED 1500 AM (Washington, D.C.) | WFED 104.5 FM (Western Fairfax / Loudon, Va.) | WNAV 1430 AM, 99.9 FM (Annapolis) | KWFN 97.3 FM (San Diego) | WGH 1310 AM / 100.9 FM (Norfolk, Va.) | WJGM 105.7 FM (Jacksonville, Fla.) | KIKI 990 AM (Honolulu, Hawai’i) | Satellite: Sirius Ch. 160 or 201, SXM App Ch. 963 | Apps: Audacy (WNAV and KWFN) and TuneIn (WBAL)
Live Stats	StatBroadcast
Game Notes	Navy | UAB | AAC
Season Statistics	Navy | UAB | AAC
Social Media	@NavyAthletics | @NavyFB | Facebook | Instagram

Opening Kick
•    RV / RV Navy (3-0, 2-0 AAC) and UAB (1-2, 0-0) will meet on the gridiron for just the second time when the two square off on ESPN2 Saturday at 12 noon at Protective Stadium (42,351) in Birmingham, Ala. Navy is trying to start the season 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the American Athletic Conference for the first time since 2017.
•    Navy is 1-0 all-time against the Blazers, winning last year’s matchup 31-6 in Annapolis. 
•    Navy, picked 11th in the 14-team AAC preseason poll, is coming off a thrilling 56-44 victory over No. 23 Memphis (AFCA Coaches Poll). It was Navy’s first win over a ranked opponent since Nov. 19, 2022, when the Mids went to Orlando and knocked off #17/18 UCF 17-14. It was Navy’s first win at home over a ranked opponent since Nov. 23, 2019, when the Mids defeated #21/21 SMU 35-28.  
•    Navy is just 3-10 over the last two seasons when playing away from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The Mids play at home just 2 more times in their final 9 regular-season games.
•    Navy has gone to a bowl game the last 5 times it started the year 3-0. The last time the Mids started 3-0 and did not go to a bowl game was in 1979 when Navy opened the year 6-0 and finished 7-4. Navy has started 3-0 just 15 times since 1943. Navy has started 4-0 just 6 times since 1960.
•    Navy has scored 143 points in its first-3 games of the season which are the most points by a Navy team in the first 3 games since 1918 when the Mids scored 150 points. The 4-game record is untouchable, as that same 1918 team hung 127 points on Ursinus in week 4.  
•    Navy’s 143 points in the first-3 games are more than the Mids scored in the first-7 games last year.
•    The 94 points Navy has scored in the first-2 conference games are the most by Navy in the first-2 games of AAC play since joining the conference in 2015.
•    Navy has scored a touchdown on the first play of a drive an incredible 5 times this season which is the most in the FBS.
•    Navy’s 56 points scored against Memphis are the most in a game since Nov. 30, 2019, when the Mids blasted Houston 56-41.
•    Navy’s 566 yards of total offense against Memphis are the 29th most in school history and the most since Nov. 1, 2019, when the Mids gained 573 yards against UConn.
•    Navy is 11-11 in the red zone this year with all 11 scores resulting in touchdowns. Last year, Navy was tied for 130th in the country in red zone offense, scoring just 14 touchdowns all year on 29 attempts.
•    Blake Horvath (Jr. / QB) had a monster day against Memphis, rushing for a career-high 211 yards and 4 touchdowns on just 12 carries, throwing for a career-high 192 yards and 2 touchdowns on 9 of 12 passing and catching his first-career pass for 13 yards. His 6-combined touchdowns are the most for a Navy player since Malcolm Perry ran for 4 and passed for 2 against East Carolina in 2019. His 416 yards of total offense were just 12 yards off the school record of 428 set by Will Worth against USF in 2016 and his 90-yard touchdown run in the game tied for the 5th-longest run in school history. 
•    Eli Heidenreich (Jr. / Snipe) has 4 touchdown catches this season and 8 in his career. The school record for touchdown catches in a season is 6, while the career record is 13.
•    Colin Ramos (Sr. / LB) had a career-high 20 tackles in Navy’s win over Memphis. The 20 tackles are the most by any player in the FBS this year and the most by a Navy player since Ross Pospisil had 20 vs. Northern Illinois in 2007.
•    Rayuan Lane III (Sr. / S) made his 33rd-consecutive start at safety for the Mids against Memphis, which is the longest active streak for a safety in the FBS and second longest by a player in the secondary. His 86-yard interception returned for a touchdown with 23 seconds left in the game clinched the victory for the Mids. It is the second pick-6 of his career and the 86-yard interception return was the fifth longest in school history. Lane’s 97-yard interception return last year against UAB is the second longest in school history. Lane’s pair of pick-6’s are tied for the second most in school history. Rashad Smith (1994-97) holds the record with 3.  
•    The following players on the three-deep missed the Memphis game due to injury: Starting senior offensive tackle Trey Cummings (leg), sophomore kickoff returner / snipe Tyler Bradley (hand), starting sophomore cornerback Ira Oniha (leg), second-team raider junior Dylan Spelios (head) and third-team linebacker junior Elijah Oatsvall (knee).

Broadcast Coverage

•    ESPN2 will carry Saturday’s game with Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Sam Acho (color) and Taylor Davis (sidelines) on the call.

•    The Navy Football Pregame Show with Pete Medhurst, Joe Miller, Keith Mills, Scott Wykoff and special commentary from John Feinstein will get underway at 11:30 am on the Navy Radio Network, followed by game action beginning at 12 noon with Medhurst, Miller and Mills on the call.

•    Following the contest, Medhurst, Miller, Mills and Wykoff will recap the day’s events in a 30-minute postgame show.

Better Get Used to the Road

•    Navy started the year with 3-straight home games, but now will have to play away from home in 7 of its final-9 games (5 road, 2 neutral site).

•    Navy is the only FBS team in the country that has just 2 true home games in the final 9 contests.

Horvath Off to a Blistering Start

•    Blake Horvath (Jr.) won the starting quarterback job in the spring over Braxton Woodson (So. / QB) in a close contest.

•    Horvath made his first-career start last October against North Texas and ran for 88 yards on 18 carries in the first half before leaving with a season-ending thumb injury late in the 2nd quarter.

•    He finished his sophomore campaign completing 6 of his 12 passes (50.0) for 84 yards and 2 touchdowns, while carrying the ball 37 times for 183 yards (4.9 yds/carry, 45.8 yds/gm). 

•    Horvath had some bright moments last year in his limited playing time, completing 4 of his 6 pass attempts for a career-high 83 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushing for 52 yards on 10 carries against USF. He entered the Memphis game with 10:47 remaining in the contest and rushed for 49 yards on 7 carries.

•    Horvath made his second-career start in the 2024 opener against Bucknell where he completed 7 of his 12 passes for 108 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed for 33 yards on 7 carries. He left in the third quarter due to cramps.

•    Horvath was sensational against Temple, rushing for a career-high 122 yards and 3 touchdowns on 15 carries, while completing 5 of his 9 pass attempts for a career-high 112 yards and a touchdown.  

•    According to ESPN Stats and Information, Horvath is the first Navy player to throw 3 touchdown passes in the first 2 games of the season.    

•    He was even better against No. 23 Memphis, rushing for a career-high 211 yards and 4 touchdowns on just 12 carries, while throwing for a career-high 192 yards and 2 TDs on 9 of 12 passing. Additionally, he caught his first-career pass for 13 yards.  

•    His 6-combined touchdowns against the Tigers are the most by a Navy player since Malcolm Perry had 6 (4 rush / 2 pass) against East Carolina in 2019.  

•    His 416 yards of total offense were just 12 yards off the school record of 428 set by Will Worth in 2016.        

•    He is the first Navy quarterback to throw for over 200 yards and rush for over 100 yards since Zach Abey did it against Florida Atlantic in 2017.

•    He is the first Navy quarterback to rush for more than 100 yards and throw for more than 100 yards in consecutive games since Zach Abey did it 3 times at the end of the 2016 season and beginning of the 2017 season.

•    His 90-yard touchdown run against Memphis is tied for the fifth-longest run in school history and the second longest in the FBS this year.

•    His 211 rushing yards against Memphis are the most by a Navy player since Malcolm Perry ran for 213 yards in Navy’s Liberty Bowl victory over Kansas State in 2019.     

•    On the year, Horvath has rushed for 366 yards (122.0 yds/gm, 7th in the FBS) and 7 touchdowns (6th nationally) on 34 carries (10.8 yds/carry, 1st nationally) and completed 21 of his 33 pass attempts for 412 yards with 5 TDs and an interception.   

•    As a team, Navy is averaging 19.6 yards per completion, which ranks 1st nationally and 4th in team passing efficiency (195.1).

•    Horvath has been responsible for 76 points this season. His 25.3 points responsible for per game is 2nd in the country, while his 14.0 points per game is 4th.

•    He is averaging 126.3 all-purpose yards per game which ranks 25th nationally.

•    Horvath ranks 1st in the country in ESPN’s QBR Rating.

Scoring Quickly

•    Navy has 3 of the 9-fastest touchdown drives in the country, scoring in 8, 9 and 10 seconds.

Quick Strikes

•    Navy has scored a touchdown on the first play of a drive 5 times in its 3 games this season.  

•    Daba Fofana (Sr. / FB) scored on a 49-yard run against Bucknell, while Brandon Chatman (Jr. / Snipe) scored on a 42-yard screen pass from Blake Horvath (Jr. / QB). 

•    Horvath and Alex Tecza (Jr. / FB) scored on back-to-back runs of 62 and 65 yards against Temple. 

•    Horvath did it again against Memphis, going 90 yards on a keeper. 

•    The 5 touchdown scores on the first play of a drive are the most in the FBS.

Dominating in the Red Zone

•    Navy is No.1 in the country in red zone offense going 11-11, with all 11 scores resulting in touchdowns.  Last year, Navy was tied for 130th in the country in red zone offense, scoring just 14 touchdowns on 29 attempts.

•    Navy and Ohio State are the only two teams in the country that are perfect in the red zone with all the scores resulting in touchdowns. Like Navy, Ohio State is 11 for 11.

•    The Navy defense has given up just 7 scores in 11 opportunities, with just 5 resulting in touchdowns. The Mids rank 11th in the country in red zone defense.

Piling Up the Points

•    Navy is averaging 47.7 points per game, which is the 10th-best scoring average in the country. 

•    Navy has scored 143 points in its 3 games this season, which are the most points in the first-3 games by a Navy team since 1918 when the Mids scored 150 points. The four-game record is untouchable, however, as that same 1918 team hung 127 points on Ursinus in week 4.  

•    Navy’s 143 points in its 3 games are more than the Mids scored in the first 7 games last year.

•    The 94 points Navy has scored in the first-2 conference games are the most by Navy in the first-2 games of AAC play since joining the conference in 2015.

•    A big reason for Navy’s scoring outburst is the play of the offensive line. Navy is 1st in the country in tackles for loss allowed (2.0).

•    Navy is averaging 470.7 yards per game which ranks 21st nationally.

Winning the Turnover Battle

•    Navy has recovered 3 fumbles this fall which are the 20th most in the country. Navy is forcing 1.67 fumbles per game which is tied for the 5th-best average in the country.

•    Navy is 10th nationally in turnover margin at +1.33.

•    The Navy offense is one of 20 teams that has yet to lose a fumble this year and the Mids’ 2 total turnovers are tied for the 9th fewest in the country.

•    Navy’s defense came up with 2 turnovers in the 2024 opener against Bucknell, both on forced fumbles, and then forced 3 turnovers against Temple (1 fumble, 2 INTs) and 1 against Memphis (INT).