A look back at the history of the Notre Dame-Navy football rivalry

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) – Notre Dame vs. Navy is one of the most-played rivalries in all of college football, and it’s been going on for nearly a century.

It began way back in 1927 with the two teams meeting up for the first time in Baltimore, Maryland. The Irish came out on top 19-6.

From then on, the two teams just kept on playing. While they had a rivalry on the gridiron, they became connected as academic institutions with a pivotal moment coming in 1942.

With World War II raging on and many American men fighting for their country, Notre Dame — which was still an all-male institution — was facing severe financial problems. But the U.S. Navy made the campus a training center for the V-7 program, paying the university enough money to keep it afloat and saving Notre Dame.

The two football teams continued to play every year. In 1963, Roger Staubach led the Midshipmen to a 35-14 win over the Irish. But then in 1964, No. 2 Notre Dame got its revenge with a 40-0 win.

For the next 43 years, Notre Dame would set a Division I record, winning 43 consecutive meetings in an annual rivalry. That all came to an end in 2007 when Navy beat Notre Dame in triple overtime 46-44.

The two continued to play annually until 2020 when COVID forced the first missed year in the rivalry since it started in 1927. But in 2021, they picked it right back up and have gotten back to playing it annually every year since.

Most recently, the Irish beat Navy in Ireland 42-3 last season. But now with both teams ranked in the top 25 (Notre Dame at No. 12, Navy at No. 24), this year’s matchup is sure to go down in the record books.

“It’s awesome. It’s a great rivalry that goes back many years and there’s a lot of history behind it,” said Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman. “Just a credit to the job Coach (Brian) Newberry has done with that program, from where it was last year to where it is now. To be 6-0 and doing the things it’s doing, it’s a credit to their program. So, I love it. We’re looking forward to a great challenge.

“To play a 6-0 team, as the head coach, you’d much rather do that than play a team that’s 0-6 because it doesn’t take much to motivate your guys,” Freeman added. “They know the opponent. They know the challenge we have ahead of us. So, looking forward to the opportunity, should be a great matchup and we’ll get back to preparation and get ready for it.”

It’s a rivalry marked with respect, and Notre Dame continues to keep it going as a way to repay Navy for financially saving the university in the 1940s, allowing this game to keep its place as one of college football’s signature rivalries.

Kickoff for Saturday’s matchup, which is being played at MetLife stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., is set for 12 p.m. EDT. You can watch the 97th all-time matchup between these two programs on ABC/ESPN+.

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