Notre Dame will once again hit the road to head to Gillette Stadium to take on the Navy Midshipmen in Foxborough, Massachusetts. For the Fighting Irish, this game entirely rides on what they bring to the table. Navy has struggled this year, and they do not seem to present any real challenge to Notre Dame. It is up to Notre Dame to take care of business early, denying any possibility of a "look-ahead" with Miami in town next week.

Navy, led by Head Coach Brian Newberry, is on pace for its worst finish in the four-year Newberry era. After going 5-7 in his first season in 2023, the Mids put together back-to-back 10-plus win years in ‘24 and ‘25. A step back was certainly expected after the departure of key offensive personnel, including Blake Horvath, Eli Heidenreich, Alex Tecza, and Brandon Chatman.

On offense, BYU will be missing its heartbeat, RB LJ Martin, along with starting LT Andrew Gentry for the second straight week. They were able to get by last week against Iowa State, in large part due to QB Bear Bachmeier’s dual-threat abilities, but the Notre Dame defense will provide a different level of test for this unit. Defensively, they were also able to maintain a high level of play against the Cyclones last week despite several key players with injuries.

Irish Hockey officially drops the puck tomorrow. Read about this year's squad as we enter the final season of the Coach Jackson era.