Greg McElroy explains why his opinion of Notre Dame didn't change despite blowout win vs. Navy

Despite calling their third win of the season over a ranked opponent, Greg McElroy didn’t think much of the latest victory for Notre Dame.

McElroy, who was on the call for the 51-14 win for the Fighting Irish over Navy, assessed the outcome afterward on ‘Always College Football.’.

“Notre Dame handles Navy in convincing fashion,” said McElroy. “Notre Dame rolls. Riley Leonard had a really solid day throwing the football and running the football. Notre Dame’s defense was really good diving on those balls when they were there to be dove on.”

However, McElroy thought this was more about how Navy lost than how Notre Dame won. The Midshipmen turned the ball over six times, five lost fumbles, including one for a touchdown, and an interception, after playing well to get to 6-0. After prepping on them, that outing had him questioning them based on how they’ve played against the different strengths of schedule.

“It was a complete beatdown but Navy was really their own worst enemy – six turnovers by the Navy Midshipmen. It was disappointing,” said McElroy. “We were on the call for it. It was disappointing because I’d studied Navy all week, right. Studied Navy all week and this is a really impressive outfit. This offense is really cool, Blake Horvath is excellent, they’ve got good skill positions, the defense is opportunistic. So I’m sitting there thinking, alright, this is going to be kind of a fun game, this should be fun. I mean, I think the world will be interested in seeing what Navy can do against top-flight competition. Then they just completely wet the bed.

“Dropping pitches, fumbling exchanges,” McElroy added. “They had turned the ball over two times this whole season and they both came in week one. You know, week one stuff, jitters, trying to do stuff – it happens. But to turn it over six times in week eight against the best competition they’ve faced up to this point? Just not going to happen.”

That’s nothing necessarily against Notre Dame following their 37-point win. It just also isn’t going to impress McElroy considering the way in which they were able to win it.

“I just – it’s not one that I can take a whole lot out of it, right?” McElroy admitted. “I mean, I think Notre Dame is really good but – my opinion about Notre Dame did not change as a result of the performance yesterday.

“It just – Navy was terrible. I don’t know how else to describe it.”

Still, that means only so much for Notre Dame. At 7-1 now, the Fighting Irish have another credible win on their resumé ahead of their final four. Victories in those during November, regardless of how they come, is all that’s between them and a berth in the College Football Playoff.