Countdown to kickoff: Notre Dame vs. Ohio State only 94 days away
To preview one of the most anticipated games for Notre Dame this century and the official start of the Marcus Freeman era, BlueandGold.com is counting down the days to the matchup against Ohio State on Sept. 3.
This daily series of 99 stories celebrates some of the most notable names, dates, moments and memories related to the past and present of Notre Dame football.
Today we feature No. 94 with a look at the Notre Dame-Navy rivalry, which has played out on the gridiron 94 times during its storied history.
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Notre Dame and Navy are two of the oldest college football programs in the country. The Midshipmen started playing football in 1879, and the Irish joined them eight years later in 1887. Since their inception in the 19th century, the programs have become two of the nation’s most historic and boast an annual rivalry not based on conference affiliation or geographic proximity but mutual respect and history.
The teams first squared off in 1927 in Baltimore, Md., and the Irish brought home a 19-6 victory. From that point, they continued the annual game due in part to an interesting twist. During World War II, Notre Dame’s school population fell to less than 3,000 students, leading to financial issues for the university. Navy stepped in and the schools formed a mutually beneficial relationship, as Admiral Chester Nimitz and the U.S. Navy eventually sent 12,000 officers through training in South Bend. The operation may have saved the school.
“We were out of business during World War II,” former Notre Dame President Rev. Theodore Hesburgh said in a 1992 interview with the South Bend Tribune. “Navy came in and kept us afloat until the war was over.”
The rest is history.
When the contest is a Notre Dame home game, it is played at Notre Dame Stadium. However, the game has never been played at Navy’s Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md., due to a seating capacity of just 34,000. This scheduling note allows the historic rivals to meet up all over the country (and the world).
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The Notre Dame-Navy game has been played at the Baltimore Ravens’ M&T Bank Stadium and the Washington Commanders’ FedEx Field, among other NFL stadiums. More recently, the contest has been played in military-centric locations like San Diego and Jacksonville, Fla. The teams have even traveled overseas and played in Ireland. They will do the same in 2023.
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The game has seen numerous high-profile matchups, particularly in its earlier days. In 1964, the Irish versus the Midshipmen featured Navy quarterback and 1963 Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach against Notre Dame quarterback and eventual 1964 Heisman Trophy winner John Huarte.
Notre Dame leads the series 80-13-1 all-time and has won the last four contests. From 1964-2006, the Irish beat the Midshipmen each year (43 seasons), which was the longest series win streak between two annual opponents in the history of the FBS. Navy has had more luck recently, topping Notre Dame three additional times since 2007 (2009, 2010 and 2016).
The Irish and the Midshipmen will square off once again this fall. The Nov. 12 game will be played at M&T Bank Stadium for the first time since 2008.
