After losing back-to-back games to open the season, Notre Dame has clawed back into the College Football Playoff picture.
Just don’t tell Fighting Irish coach Marcus Freeman about his team’s No. 10 ranking.
Notre Dame (6-2) will get an opportunity to bolster its playoff credentials when it faces Navy (7-1) on Saturday evening in South Bend, Ind. The Fighting Irish have won six straight games, including their past four home contests.
Freeman said it would be “wasting time” to try to use the playoff rankings to motivate his group.
“If I sit in my office and try to come up with some way to utilize our ranking to use it as motivation, I’m wasting time that I need to be really using to prepare for this upcoming game on Saturday,” Freeman said. “So that’s the motivation, is this opportunity that we have on Saturday.
“That’s all we need to spend time thinking about.”
The Midshipmen will try to play spoiler against an opponent they know well. Navy won its first seven games of the season before losing 31-17 at North Texas last Saturday.
Blake Horvath has thrown for 1,143 yards and seven touchdowns against five interceptions to go with 926 rushing yards, including 13 scores. Five other Midshipmen players have rushed for at least 100 yards, including Alex Tecza with 523 yards and six touchdowns.
Navy coach Brian Newberry said he and his players are excited to renew the storied rivalry.
“I don’t think I have to do a whole lot to get our guys pumped up,” Newberry said. “I want to make sure that we understand we’re going up there to win the game, not to have a good showing or to get a pat on the back. I think our guys feel the same way.
“So we’re super excited about the opportunity. (We) have to have a great week of preparation, but we’re going to go swing the bat, that’s for sure.”
Navy must find a way to slow down a talented one-two punch in the Notre Dame backfield. Running back Jeremiyah Love has rushed for 894 yards and 11 touchdowns, and teammate Jadarian Price has run for 521 yards and eight scores.
CJ Carr provides a threat in the passing game, as well. The first-year starting quarterback has completed 66.5% of his passes for 2,057 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Freeman said it was important for the offense to include multiple threats.
“We have to be able to run the ball, but if teams aren’t going to allow you to run the ball, as you’ve seen some teams try to do, we’ve got to be able to throw the ball to the top of the defense,” he said. “And we’re having some success doing it.”
On defense, Freeman said, the Fighting Irish need to stay disciplined.
“It isn’t one where you can have a whole bucket list of calls defensively,” he said. “Because they do so much, and it’s a unique offense that you’re going to have to make sure your eyes are in the right spot.”
