[Baltimore Sun] Navy football crushes Air Force, 34-7, for first road win at rival since 2012
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COLORADO SPRINGS — Navy football exorcised a lot of ghosts on a sunny, steamy Saturday afternoon on the Air Force Academy campus.
Quarterback Blake Horvath directed an offense that piled up more than 400 yards for the fifth time this season, while inside linebacker Kyle Jacob spearheaded a determined defensive effort as Navy defeated Air Force, 34-7, before a sellout crowd of 39,441 at Falcon Stadium.
Horvath passed for 134 yards and rushed for another 115 yards as Navy beat Air Force on its home field for the first time since 2012. Jacob notched 10 tackles as the Midshipmen made the Falcons earn every yard and point they got.
Snipe Eli Heidenreich had another big game with 101 receiving yards and 100 rushing yards for unbeaten Navy (5-0), which is off to its best start since 2017 and has won the first leg of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the first time since 2019. End Justin Reed recorded seven tackles, while cornerback Deshaun Peele came up with a clutch interception that helped the Mids seize control early.
Navy ended a five-game losing streak in Colorado Springs, dating to a 28-21 overtime victory over Air Force when record-setting quarterback Keenan Reynolds was a plebe. Saturday’s win marked the most points the Midshipmen have scored at Falcon Stadium since 1978, when they put up 37.
Meanwhile, it’s the fewest points for Air Force in the series since it lost to Navy, 10-7, in 1977.
Speedy wide receiver Nathan Kent provided an early spark for Navy by taking a reverse 34 yards for a touchdown. Fullback Alex Tecza put the game away by taking a pitch and galloping across the goal line for his second touchdown of the game with just under seven minutes to go.
Navy came into the contest averaging 46 points and 466 total yards and was not far off those figures against an Air Force (1-4) club that has defended as well as any opponent. The Mids finished with 463 total yards.
Horvath completed 7 of 9 passes for 100 yards and rushed for 89 yards and two touchdowns as Navy took a 21-7 halftime lead.
The Midshipmen had four double-digit gains in marching 87 yards on 10 plays for a touchdown on their second possession. Heidenreich picked up 18 yards on a sweep, then Horvath took a keeper for another 17 yards.
Slotback Brandon Chatman made a great catch while backpedaling for a 24-yard gain that set up first-and-goal from the 1-yard line and Horvath took it over from there to give Navy a 7-0 lead at the 6:25 mark of the first quarter.
Peele intercepted an ill-advised pass by quarterback John Busha and returned the ball 21 yards into Air Force territory. Facing fourth-and-2 from the home team’s 34-yard line, offensive coordinator Drew Cronic dialed up a trick play that was perfectly executed.
Horvath pitched to Kent for a reverse, and the world-class sprinter raced 34 yards untouched into the end zone to increase the lead to 14-0 with 2:34 to go in the opening period. It was a well-designed play that got the entire Air Force defense flowing left and there was no one on the right side of the field.
A PERFECT PLAY ON 4TH DOWN. @NavyFB with a beautiful tocuhdown. pic.twitter.com/pPaT66I9IC
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) October 5, 2024
After punting twice and turning the ball over, Air Force finally got something going on its fourth possession. Sophomore Quentin Hayes replaced Busha at quarterback and provided a spark.
A personal foul penalty against Navy safety Ray Lane gave the Falcons a first down in enemy territory and Hayes found wide receiver Tre Roberson open over the middle. Lane fell down while trying to make the tackle, and that enabled Roberson to complete a 45-yard catch-and-run that cut the deficit to 14-7 early in the second quarter.
An offensive pass interference penalty against Kent nullified a 57-yard touchdown pass to Heidenreich on the ensuing possession and Navy was forced to punt. However, the Mids immediately forced a three-and-out and were right back in business.
Horvath connected with Heidenreich on completions of 22 and 25 yards to get Navy into the red zone. Heidenreich did a tremendous job of dragging his toe on the second catch with an incompletion being overruled on replay review.
Eli Heidenreich with a RIDICULOUS toe drag.
After review, this was complete for @NavyFB. pic.twitter.com/SAemBxMF12
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) October 5, 2024
Four plays later, Horvath scooted across the goal line from 2 yards out to restore the advantage to two touchdowns with just over 2 1/2 minutes left in the first half.
Navy started the second half exactly the way coach Brian Newberry would have hoped with the defense forcing a three-and-out and the offense following with a time-consuming touchdown drive.
Hayes fumbled the snap on third down and Air Force was forced to punt after getting the ball to start the second half. Navy then converted on three third-down attempts during a punishing 14-play, 76-yard drive that increased the lead to 27-7 with 6:08 remaining in the third quarter.
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Horvath ran the ball four times for 17 yards and personally converted two third downs in his own territory during the methodical march, which culminated with Tecza bursting through a huge hole on the right side and racing 7 yards untouched into the end zone.
Any hopes for a miraculous comeback by Air Force were extinguished when outside linebacker Jaxson Campbell sacked Hayes for a 14-yard loss on fourth-and-5 deep in Navy territory.
The Midshipmen added an exclamation point with Heidenreich breaking loose for a 57-yard run that set up their final touchdown. Heidenreich made two wicked cutback moves to get past the second level and was off to the races.
That explosive play set up a 12-yard scoring scamper by Tecza, who gained 19 of his 26 rushing yards on his two touchdown carries.
This article will be updated.
Homecoming
Charlotte at Navy
Saturday, Oct. 19, 3:30 p.m.
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 1430 AM
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