By the Numbers: Notre Dame Defense, Explosive Offense Pave Way to Navy Blowout

In front of 76,112 fans at MetLife Stadium, No. 12 Notre Dame showcased their firepower, outclassing No. 24 Navy in a 51-14 win that improved the Irish to 7-1 this season.

5 Fumbles Recovered by Notre Dame Defense

Notre Dame’s defense was relentless, tying a school record by recovering five Navy fumbles. Adon Shuler set the tone with a recovery on Navy’s first drive—Navy’s first lost fumble of the season. Junior Tuihalamaka followed up with another on Navy’s next drive, while Jaylen Sneed capped the series with a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. The Irish defense capitalized on several unforced errors by Navy in collecting their five fumble recoveries.

7 Consecutive Games with a Rushing TD by Riley Leonard

Quarterback Riley Leonard opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run, marking his seventh straight game with a rushing touchdown. This accomplishment brings him closer to Brandon Wimbush’s season record of 14 in 2017. Leonard has 11 rushing scores on the season with four games left in the regular season.

64-Yard Touchdown Run by Jeremiyah Love

Jeremiyah Love, who has scored in every game this season, notched his longest touchdown run of the year with a 64-yard sprint in the second quarter. Love’s two touchdowns also pushed his season total to nine. Love’s eight straight games with a rushing touchdown is tied for 5th most all-time at Notre Dame, tying him with Brandon Wimbush (2017), Kyren Williams (2021) and Jonas Gray (2011). Love topped 100 yards for the second time this season in the win.

10th Victory Over a Ranked Opponent for Marcus Freeman

This victory brought Head Coach Marcus Freeman his 10th career win over a ranked team, equaling legendary coach Frank Leahy’s record for the most ranked wins within a Notre Dame coach’s first three seasons.

First Red Zone Stop Against Navy in 2024

Notre Dame handed Navy their first red zone shutout of the season with a defensive stand in the second quarter, followed by another in the fourth, punctuated by freshman Leonard Moore’s first career interception.

With a record-breaking defensive effort and an explosive offensive display, Notre Dame heads into the final stretch of the season with momentum and confidence.

Career Bests and Firsts

Notre Dame’s standout performance against Navy saw multiple players setting career highs and achieving milestones:

Career Firsts:

• Jaylen Sneed: Recovered his first career fumble and scored his first career touchdown with a fumble return.
• Adon Shuler: Recorded his first career fumble recovery in the first quarter.
• Junior Tuihalamaka: Tallied his first career fumble recovery.
• Leonard Moore: Intercepted his first pass in the fourth quarter.
• Kedren Young: Rushed for his first career touchdown.

Career Highs:

• Jeremiyah Love: Logged a career-long 64-yard touchdown run and recorded his second game with two rushing touchdowns, totaling 102 yards.
• Jaylen Sneed: Led the defense with a career-high nine tackles.
• Adon Shuler: Set a career-best with seven tackles.
• Junior Tuihalamaka: Also hit a career high with seven tackles.
• Kedren Young: Rushed for a career-best 52 yards.

Notre Dame’s young talent delivered in a big way, demonstrating both skill and depth, as they recorded personal milestones and solidified the team’s win.