2007 Navy vs. Notre Dame

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
61

<p>Victory over Irish a matter of Mids' 'ship coming in'</p>

<p>Navy</a> eyes are still smiling -- baltimoresun.com</p>

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[quote]
An hour after Saturday's 46-44, triple-overtime victory that ended a 43-game losing streak to Notre Dame, Navy coach Paul Johnson had already moved on.</p>

<p>"It's [already] processed," he said. "It is a big win. I'm excited for our players, [but] you know, I think as a football coach, what happens is you inevitably, when you win, you never enjoy it as much as when you beat yourself up when you lose.</p>

<p>"I find myself doing that all the time. We had a celebration in the locker room, and I told our guys we got to come back [today] and get ready for next week."...

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62

<p>Academy lets students celebrate off campus after football team's win over Notre Dame</p>

<p>Navy</a> victory earns Mids a free day -- baltimoresun.com</p>

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[quote]
First-year midshipmen, or plebes, were allowed off campus yesterday, a break from rules that typically keep them in their dorms or at the library on Sundays, and classes today are canceled - all in recognition of the Naval Academy's thrilling football victory over the University of Notre Dame.</p>

<p>Such reprieves come at a time when the academy has made headlines for cutting back on Mids' free time, canceling pep rallies and scaling back incentives for attending out-of-town football games.</p>

<p>Then again, Saturday's game wasn't just another victory: The Navy football team snapped a 43-game losing streak against the Irish in a triple-overtime shootout in South Bend, Ind., defeating a down-on-its-luck Notre Dame squad and tilting one of the most lopsided rivalries in college sports....

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63

<p>Navy</a> Rewind -- baltimoresun.com</p>

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[quote]
Replay</p>

<p>The fourth-quarter sack of Notre Dame quarterback Evan Sharpley by Navy junior right end Michael Walsh and Sharpley's ensuing fumble that was scooped up by senior left end Chris Kuhar-Pitters and returned 16 yards for a touchdown....

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64

<p>Baltimore</a>, Maryland news, jobs, real estate, weather from the Baltimore Sun -- baltimoresun.com</p>

65

<p>Mids</a>' big win could bring big dividends - - The Washington Times, America's Newspaper</p>

<p>
[quote]
Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada said after Saturday's triple overtime victory against Notre Dame that the win not only would reward the football team but the athletic program and the rest of the academy in years to come.</p>

<p>Even if there is not a long-term effect from snapping an NCAA-record 43 years of futility against the Fighting Irish, the triumph in South Bend, Ind., could alter the short-term landscape for the Midshipmen....

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66

<p>Midshipmen</a> enjoy historic win - Examiner.com</p>

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[quote]
The walls of Bancroft Hall rocked like never before Saturday night as the Midshipmen in the Naval Academy dormitory watched their football team end its 43-game losing streak to Notre Dame.</p>

<p>Still, it's unclear whether the students were cheering the thrilling 46-44 triple-overtime win or that word had spread that classes were cancelled on Monday because the Midshipmen toppled the Irish for the first time since 1963.</p>

<p>For Midshipmen Matt Willmann, Michael Ross and William Smith, the biggest part of Saturday night was just being witness to history and knowing they can say they were a part of the Brigade when Navy halted the longest consecutive losing streak ever in college football to a single opponent....

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67

<p>Patrick Reusse: Superman? The Vikings have more than one</p>

<p>By Patrick Reusse, Star Tribune</p>

<p>The Vikings shattered the team's previous standard with 378 yards rushing in Sunday's 35-17 victory over San Diego. This rushing outburst included an NFL-record 296 yards from rookie Adrian Peterson, and 311 yards as a team in the second half.</p>

<p>This was astounding. This was breathtaking.</p>

<p>Heck, this was so remarkable that it was the second-best rushing effort in the Metrodome in a 15-hour period over the weekend.</p>

<p>On Saturday night, Illinois rushed for 462 yards against the Gophers. This accounted for the largest share of 655 yards and enabled the Gophers defense to put a death grip on its No. 119 ranking among 119 Division I-A teams.</p>

<p>Peterson used 145 yards in the fourth quarter to establish the NFL record and to overtake Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall as the Dome's rushing king for the weekend. Mendenhall finished with 201 yards.</p>

<p>What Peterson did with his second Sunday of historic magnificence in a period of 22 days was two-fold:</p>

<p>One, he muffled all the conversation about this as a uniquely wretched autumn for big-time football in Minnesota; and two, he stole the attention from a Vikings defense that offered an enormous effort.</p>

<p>We wrote this last month in Chicago, and we will offer it again: Forget Randy Moss. Forget Kevin Garnett. Forget Torii Hunter. Adrian Peterson has arrived and Minnesota is taken care of on the superstar front.</p>

<p>There was also such a player representing the Vikings defense on Sunday. Maybe it was merely for these 31Ž2 hours, but E.J. Henderson at middle linebacker could have passed for Chicago's Brian Urlacher at his best.</p>

<p>"Isn't he Superman?" said Chad Greenway, a linebacking peer, in the winning locker room. "That's what I told him: 'You were Superman on that one.' "</p>

<p>Greenway was talking about a third-and-5 in the middle of the third quarter. Henderson came up the middle on the attack against Philip Rivers, the Chargers' stumble-footed quarterback.</p>

<p>LaDainian Tomlinson, the MVP running back rendered futile by the Vikings' strong run defense, went low to try to block him. Henderson hurdled Tomlinson and went airborne into Rivers' grill.</p>

<p>Rivers threw one of his many wobblers for an incompletion, and the Chargers punted.</p>

<p>Henderson had a role model for this play, but it wasn't Clark Kent's alter ego.</p>

<p>"You know where I got that play?" Henderson said. "It was from that Navy linebacker. I was watching the last part of Navy's game, and this kid jumped over a blocker and went flying at the quarterback, and he stopped Notre Dame.</p>

<p>"I came through and saw the blocker going low and thought, 'If that kid from Navy can do it, I can do it.'"</p>

<p>A call to Navy's information office on Sunday night was answered by Scott Strasemeier, the football SID.</p>

<p>"I can tell you exactly the play he's talking about," Strasemeier said. "It was 28-28 with 45 seconds to go in the fourth quarter, and Notre Dame was fourth-and-8 at our 24. They were going for it.</p>

<p>"Ram Vela, our linebacker, leaped over a block and went flying like Superman at [quarterback Evan] Sharpley, causing a sack."</p>

<p>Navy then won in three overtimes and ended a 43-game losing streak against Notre Dame. The Vikings' victory was less monumental -- ending a two-game losing streak -- but the Superman reference was being used in both Annapolis, Md., and the Metrodome's basement on Sunday.</p>

<p>Henderson finished with a team-high seven tackles. None of them was a sack, although he was disruptive for Rivers every time E.J. had permission to go after the quarterback.</p>

<p>The Chargers came with a reputation for high-powered offense topped only by New England and Indianapolis. The Vikings forced six three-and-outs. They ended two other San Diego possessions before a first down by intercepting a pass and recovering a fumble.</p>

<p>"That's where we needed to improve -- on third down," Henderson said. "The defense we were playing was the same. We were able to get more pressure around the quarterback, and we executed on third down."</p>

<p>It helps when you have a guy playing with an S on his chest on defense, to go with the other caped crusader on the offensive side.</p>

<p>"AD's the best back in the NFL already, and he's only 22," Henderson said. "Wait until he gets used to the defenses in this league."</p>

68

<p>Scout.com:</a> Instant Analysis: Navy-Notre Dame</p>

<p>
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After forty four years, it was worth it for Navy to wait out a third overtime and a late pass interference call against Notre Dame. It took forever for the Midshipmen to finally fell the Fighting Irish, and that only described Saturday's memorable affair in South Bend....

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69

<p>City considering its own victory celebration</p>

<p>Academy</a> gives mids a day off - Naval Academy - (HometownAnnapolis.com)</p>

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[quote]
To celebrate an end to the 43-game drought against Notre Dame's football team, the Naval Academy's 4,400-member student body got a day off from classes today.</p>

<p>On top of that, plebes actually got to see some daylight yesterday because of Navy's 46-44 victory on Saturday. Normally, plebes, or freshmen, are required to remain on the Yard on Sundays to study, but they were allowed to go out into town yesterday from noon to 10 p.m., as a reward for finally beating Notre Dame. ...

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70

<p>Navy still riding high after finally beating Irish</p>

<p>Streak</a> over, buzz continues - Navy Sports - (HometownAnnapolis.com)</p>

<p>
[quote]
A throng of nearly 1,000 Midshipmen greeted the Navy football team buses when they rolled up to Bancroft Hall in the wee hours of yesterday morning.</p>

<p>A few hours later, head coach Paul Johnson was in his office fielding a slew of interview requests from the likes of ESPN and The New York Times....

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71

<p>Navy Ends Losing Streak Against Notre Dame</p>

<p>Morning Edition, November 5, 2007 • Every once in a while something happens in sports that reminds us all why we care about games even in times when it would seem games really don't matter very much.</p>

<p>A moment like that took place on Saturday on one of college football's most hallowed fields. Only this time, the home team was the victim. The heroes were the visitors. Those were the kids from Navy -- young men who will never play in the NFL but may very well fight in Iraq very soon -- who somehow found a way to beat Notre Dame 46-44 in three overtimes in as remarkable a football game as anyone is likely to ever see.</p>

<p>Navy and Notre Dame play football against one another every fall. Quite literally, this is the most one-sided rivalry in football history. Prior to Saturday Navy hadn't beaten Notre Dame for 43 years. The last time Navy won, John F. Kennedy was president; Vietnam was just a place in southeast Asia and Roger Staubach was Navy's quaterback.</p>

<p>There are good reasons why Notre Dame dominates Navy. It has more football tradition than anyone from George Gipp and Knute Rockne (win one for the Gipper) to the fight song and touchdown Jesus. It has its own TV network -- NBC pays millions of dollars a year to televise all Notre DAME home games -- and more money than it knows what to do with. There isn't a football player born who doesn't at least think about playing at Notre Dame. The Irish don't Recruit players, They select them.</p>

<p>Not so Navy ‹ especially now when coach Paul Johnson has to answer questions in recruits homes about how likely it is that someone's son might have to go to war if he plays football at Navy. Navy is four years of a hard life: it is academically stringent; militarily difficult and there are no corners cut for football players. If you graduate, your reward is five years in the Navy or the Marine Corps.</p>

<p>Most of Navy's players are smart, tough kids too small or too slow to be recruited by Notre Dame or other big time schools. They are kids like Zerbin Singleton, who scored the first touchdown on Saturday. He's an aerospace engineering major who wants to be an astronaut. As a kid he watched a bounty hunter shoot and arrest his mother; was injured by a drunk-driver in a car accident and was told by coaches at Georgia Tech that, at 5-foot 8-inches, 174 pounds he was just too small to play college football. He transferred to Navy and Saturday he helped beat Notre Dame.</p>

<p>Navy's team is full of kids like Singleton: Reggie Campbell, the 5-foot-six inch, offensive captain who scored the winning points Saturday; Brad Wimsatt who hopes to follow his two brothers into the Marines as a pilot; Kaiponoa Kahayaku-Enhada, the quarterback who spent the entire afternoon urging the Notre Dame crowd to get louder because he so loved being part of a game like this one.</p>

<p>There simply is no way Navy can beat Notre Dame. There are too many obstacles -- size, speed, strenth, money, referees -- to overcome. On Saturday, an extraordinary group of young men proved that if you believe enough and care enough and absolutely refuse to ever give up you can overcome just about anything.</p>

<p>If that's not inspiring I don't know what is. That's why sports is worth caring about. Because at it's best it can inspire us all.</p>

72

<p>You can also listen to, print, or email John Feinstein’s tribute to NAVY at:</p>

<p>NPR</a> : Navy Ends Losing Streak Against Notre Dame</p>

73

<p>ESPN</a> - Schlabach: On (and off) the Mark - College Football</p>

<p>
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When Navy coach Paul Johnson addressed his football team Saturday morning, he told the Midshipmen they had to do three things to beat Notre Dame for the first time in 44 years. </p>

<p>"I told them, 'Believe you can win. Believe you can win. Believe you can win,'" Johnson said Sunday. </p>

<p>If the Midshipmen needed to be reminded of their 43-game losing streak to the Fighting Irish, the longest drought against one opponent in NCAA history, they got it when their team buses stopped at a toll booth outside South Bend, Ind., only hours before the game at Notre Dame Stadium....

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74

<p>Navy's</a> streak-ending ship finally comes in - USATODAY.com</p>

<p>
[quote]
The military service academy's players were smaller and slower, nary a blue-chipper among them in a roiling sea of anointed gold helmets and grand tradition. On paper, Notre Dame — even the can't-get-out-of-their-own-way 2007 version — should beat Navy every year from now until they stop building billion-dollar warships. On real grass, it sometimes doesn't happen that way.</p>

<p>Notre Dame is an educational-institutional giant that used to double as a college football factory. This season, it has cranked out losses, eight in nine games, as if they are widgets. Still, the notion of losing to Navy, which had just lost to Delaware, was unthinkable to those wearing green-tinted shades. Luck surely wouldn't be needed on this day because the Irish were faster, bigger, stronger and had two weeks to prepare for the game at South Bend, Ind....

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75

<p>The</a> Herald Argus</p>

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La Porte High School graduate Scott Reider has enjoyed success on the football field.</p>

<p>From winning a northwest state Pop Warner League championship, to being part of a Duneland Conference championship team for La Porte coach Bob Schellinger.</p>

<p>None of those accomplishments could match the thrill Reider and the rest of his teammates from the United States Naval Academy experienced early Saturday night at Notre Dame Stadium....

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76

<p>DALLAS (FWAA) - With their 46-44 overtime win at Notre Dame, the Navy Midshipmen (5-4) are the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week for games of the weekend of Nov. 3. </p>

<p>Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Campbell on the first play of the third overtime possession, then found him again in the end zone for the 2-point conversion as Navy defeated Notre Dame for the first time since 1963. </p>

<p>The win ended an NCAA-record 43-game losing streak to Notre Dame, dating back to a 35-14 Navy win in '63. </p>

<p>Navy's Michael Walsh and Irv Spencer sealed the win when they tackled Notre Dame's Travis Thomas short of the goal line on the Fighting Irish's final play. </p>

<p>"Wow, what a game," Navy coach Paul Johnson said. "I'm so happy for our players. Now they will have that they are the class that broke the streak and they won't have to hear any more about it." </p>

<p>Other Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Nov. 3 included: </p>

<p>· Kansas (9-0): Todd Reesing threw six touchdown passes as the Jayhawks piled up the most points ever scored vs. Nebraska in a 76-49 rout. </p>

<p>· Oregon (8-1): Dennis Dixon threw five touchdown passes in the Ducks' 35-23 win over previously unbeaten Arizona State. </p>

<p>The FWAA has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. This is the third season that the award has been sponsored by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. </p>

<p>Select members of the FWAA board of directors decide the weekly honor. Each Monday during the 2007 college football season, the FWAA will name the Tostitos Bowl National Team of the Week through Nov. 26. </p>

<p>Since 1971, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl has hosted five games that have decided the college football national championship, including two Bowl Championship Series title games. Last season, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl presented three post-season games, including the Insight Bowl and the BCS title game. This season the game will be played on Jan. 2, 2008 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. </p>

<p>For more information on the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week, go to footballwriters.co m or fiestabowl.org. Navy is Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week Ted Gangi On behalf of the FWAA</p>

77

<p>In celebration of the Navy Midshipmen's thrilling victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish</p>

<p>ANNAPOLIS, MD (November 5, 2007) - Governor Martin O'Malley signed a Proclamation today declaring November "Navy Football Month," after Navy's 46-44, triple-overtime victory over Notre Dame. Saturday's victory ended a 43-game losing streak to Notre Dame. </p>

<p>"On behalf of the Citizens of Maryland, I want to congratulate the entire Navy football team, Head Coach Paul Johnson and all of our Midshipmen for their unconquerable spirit in their victory over Notre Dame on Saturday," said Governor Martin O'Malley. "During the month of November, we celebrate the incredible accomplishments of the Navy Midshipmen, their leadership, sacrifice and service to our nation." </p>

<p>The Proclamation read: </p>

<p>WHEREAS, In celebration of the Navy Midshipmen's thrilling victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish; and </p>

<p>WHEREAS, The Midshipmen never relented during one of the most memorable and hard fought battles in history, finding uncommon strength in their fellowship to outlast the Fighting Irish through three overtimes; and </p>

<p>WHEREAS, The State of Maryland congratulates the entire Navy team, Head Coach Paul Johnson and all of our Midshipmen for their unconquerable spirit in overcoming 43 years of mounting adversity with the beginning of a new legacy; and </p>

<p>WHEREAS, Marylanders, particularly residents of Annapolis, are proud of the leadership of Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, Reggie Campbell, Shun White, Zerbin Singleton and many others among a team of leaders; and </p>

<p>WHEREAS, The citizens of Maryland recognize the willingness of each Midshipman to sacrifice for their team to carry on the lasting tradition of Navy service known throughout the world; and </p>

<p>WHEREAS, The State of Maryland enthusiastically declares a special month of celebration to honor the incredible accomplishments of the Navy Midshipmen and joins the City of Annapolis in expressing our deep appreciation to the most devoted fans in the Nation.</p>

78

<p>[url=<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/05/AR2007110501915.html%5Dwashingtonpost.com%5B/url"&gt;http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/05/AR2007110501915.html]washingtonpost.com[/url&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p>

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In the wake of a 46-44, triple-overtime win over Notre Dame on Saturday, even the simple task of going to his car proved exciting for Navy senior defensive end Chris Kuhar-Pitters. As he went to move his car before practice yesterday, a couple of midshipmen he had never met approached him and congratulated him on the victory. </p>

<p>"I was wearing my Navy football sweats," Kuhar-Pitters said. "Everyone around here was pretty excited."...

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79

<p>Acting Mayor Classie Hoyle representing Mayor Ellen Moyer and the City of Annapolis will present a proclamation honoring the Naval Academy football team's dramatic victory over Notre Dame to representatives from the Academy. The short ceremony will take place TOMORROW, Wednesday November 7, 2007 at Market Space in Downtown Annapolis at 12:15 PM</p>

<p>The Commandant of Midshipmen, CAPT Margaret Klein, and two players are confirmed as representatives from the Academy.</p>

<p>MIDN 1/C Greg Veteto and MIDN 1/C Joey Bullen (who kicked the tying field goal in the second overtime) will represent the Naval Academy.</p>

<p>The City of Annapolis has been energized by this victory, and all fans and friends of the Academy are invited to stop by and celebrate the team. </p>

<p>News release: City of Annapolis
November 6, 2007</p>

80

<p>NAVY Game Replay on Comcast ON DEMAND - ND Sports</p>

<p>I discovered that our local (N. Florida) Comcast Cable Digital Service ON DEMAND programming includes a Notre Dame Sports Network under the Sports menu. They include replays of all ND football games including the NAVY game on Nov 3rd. For anyone interested...</p>