Navy is playing bigger and better games (especially entering November) than it was as an independent. And thanks to non-conference agreements with Notre Dame, a consistent Air Force, and a rapidly improving Army, it has one of the best resumes in the G5 every season.
“I think initially, our administration was a little wary, back when we were approached by what was then the Big East. They were worried if we’d have to change our academic standards. I just felt like the landscape was changing, and I didn’t want to get left out,” Niumatalolo said.
That background helps explain why Niumatalolo is so distressed by what he has been seeing this season. Navy has consistently hurt itself with turnovers, penalties and mental mistakes — all the things the coaching staff constantly harps on not doing. The Midshipmen overcame those issues while winning five straight games to start the season, but could not do so against a pair of ranked opponents from the American Athletic Conference.
It’s not only Navy’s defense that has been hurt by injuries. Abey, who came into the game second in the FBS in rushing average, suffered a concussion in the Oct. 21 loss to UCF. Then he was forced from the Temple with an injured right shoulder in the fourth quarter.
Without Abey, the Midshipmen (5-3, 3-3) rushed for only 136 yards, well below their nation-best average of 376. They averaged only 2.6 yards per carry Thursday after entering the game netting 5.9 and had only 95 yards on offense in the first half. And they saw a streak of 69 consecutive games with at least one rushing touchdown end.
That in itself would be a tremendous accomplishment as Navy has already finished in a tie for first place (2015) and as West Division champ (2016) since joining the American. A runner-up finish this season would further establish the Midshipmen as an annual contender for the AAC championship.
In that respect, Friday’s contest does have relevance as every school’s final position in the American Athletic Conference standings does matter.