Week 11 of the college football season featured another eventful slate for the service academies. Army returned home to Michie Stadium looking to build on the momentum from its thrilling walk-off victory over Air Force. In a hard-fought defensive battle against Temple, the Black Knights leaned on their disciplined rushing attack and time-of-possession dominance to secure a narrow 14-13 win. Out west, Air Force traveled to California and earned a much-needed 26-16 victory over San Jose State, capitalizing on key defensive takeaways to avoid a two-game losing streak.
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Meanwhile, Navy’s remarkable season hit a setback in South Bend, where the Midshipmen, playing without injured quarterback Blake Horvath, fell to nationally ranked Notre Dame, 49-10, under a rainy and snowy Indiana sky.
Army Edges Temple
Army entered Saturday afternoon’s game looking to build on the momentum from its dramatic walk-off win over Air Force. Facing a tough American Athletic Conference (AAC) opponent in Temple, the Black Knights once again relied on their disciplined rushing attack and clock-control strategy to earn a hard-fought 14-13 victory. In a game defined by defensive stands, methodical drives, and a tense fourth quarter, Army’s grit and time-of-possession dominance proved the difference in securing its fifth win of the 2025 campaign.
Cale Hellums led the Black Knights’ offense with 118 rushing yards and what would be the game-winning touchdown. The junior quarterback was especially clutch down the stretch, controlling time of possession in the final minutes of the contest. A supporting cast of Army players also contributed to the narrow victory over Temple. Fullback Jake Rendina scored the Black Knights’ opening touchdown of the game and finished with 42 rushing yards on nine carries.
Evan Simon completed 15 of 25 passes for 157 yards and threw a two-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Colin Chase. Chase had six receptions for 36 yards and one carry for seven yards on Saturday. True freshman running back Keveun Mason also contributed four carries for 36 yards and one reception for seven yards.
Temple vs Army Football Highlights | Nov. 8, 2025
Army and Temple played to a scoreless stalemate in the first quarter. On each team’s opening drive, they exchanged punts. The Owls used four plays to get into field goal range, but kicker Carl Hardin missed his 45-yard attempt at 4:08 in the first.
On the Black Knights’ next possession, they used 11 plays to score on a Rendina seven-yard touchdown. This was the junior running back’s first trip into the endzone of the 2025 campaign. Samari Howard and Parker Poloskey had key blocks to support this scoring play. Temple answered on their next possession, using a 13-play drive that concluded in Simon’s two-yard touchdown toss to redshirt junior receiver Chase, his third of the season. The score was tied 7-7 with 4:03 left in the first half.
Army got the ball back, but its running game failed to generate points, turning the ball over on downs. On the final possession of the half, the Owls used four plays to set up a field goal attempt from 24 yards out. This time, Hardin’s kick hit the mark and put Temple up by three with one second left in the half.
At the half, the Owls led the Black Knights 10-7.
An overwhelmingly run-heavy possession supported Army’s march down the field. Hellums took matters into his own hands when he carried the football into the endzone on a three-yard rushing touchdown at 6:39 in the third quarter. With the extra point, Army reclaimed the lead, 14-10.
Temple burned up more of the clock on its next possession, hitting another field goal to end a 12-play scoring drive. Hardin’s 31-yard attempt was good with 22 seconds left in the third. The Black Knights still led 14-13.
Army showcased its trademark time-of-possession dominance in the fourth quarter, grinding down the clock to maintain control and set up a close victory. The Black Knights punted after a seven-play possession, with the Owls responding with a punt of their own after going three-and-out. The third and final possession of the quarter and game consisted of 18 plays that drained 9:53 off the clock. This possession consisted of all ground plays, with Hellums taking a knee on the final two. Army narrowly defeated Temple 14-13 to improve to 5-4 (3-3 AAC) on the season.
The Black Knights are off next weekend before returning to action on Saturday, Nov. 22, when they host AAC opponent Tulsa at Michie Stadium in West Point.
Air Force Achieves Much-Needed Win on the Road
Former Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo and his San Jose State Spartans hosted Air Force on Saturday night at CEFCU Stadium in a matchup defined by narrow margins and high stakes. Both teams entered the contest familiar with close finishes; seven of San Jose State’s eight games and three of Air Force’s last four had been decided by a single score. Taking the field in their crisp road whites and blue lightning bolt-emblazoned helmets, the Falcons imposed their will early through a relentless ground attack and capitalized on three costly Spartan turnovers to seize control of the game’s tempo and earn a much-needed road victory.
Liam Szarka led the Air Force offensive attack, accounting for two rushing and one passing touchdowns. The sophomore Colorado-native was 5-for-10 passing for 41 yards, with 87 rushing yards on 25 carries. Wide receiver Quin Smith caught the lone touchdown pass and had 12 receiving yards in the matchup. Running back Owen Allen paced the Falcons with 109 yards on 20 carries.
San Jose State quarterback Walker Eget completed 27 of 42 passes for 334 yards. The redshirt senior, known as a pocket passer, made two costly mistakes in the game, throwing interceptions on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter. Running back Steve Chavez-Soto had nine carries for 49 yards, recording the Spartans’ lone touchdown on the ground. Leland Smith was his team’s leading receiver, making nine catches for 144 yards. Fellow wide receiver, Kyri Shoels, also had a solid performance with six catches for 93 yards. Most of San Jose State’s points came from their kickers—Denis Lynch converted two field goals, while Mathias Brown made one.
🏈 HIGHLIGHTS: Air Force's 26-16 win over San José State
Air Force got the ball first, going three-and-out and punting. The Spartans drew first blood in the matchup on Lynch’s 31-yard field goal. San Jose State led 3-0 at the 11:44 mark of the opening quarter. On the Falcons’ next possession, they again went three-and-out, punting the ball back to the home team.
Air Force’s defense came up big on the Spartans’ next possession. Quarterback Xavier Ward fumbled the ball on 2nd & 3 at the Falcons’ 17-yard line, with sophomore defensive back Roger Jones, Jr. recovering the ball for Air Force.
The Falcons did not waste this big defensive play. On a 15-play scoring drive, Szarka scored on a three-yard rushing touchdown that put Air Force up 7-3 at 13:45 of the second quarter.
The Falcons had the first of two interceptions at 12:59 in the second, when sophomore linebacker Jaylin Reese picked off Eget. Air Force again capitalized on this San Jose State mistake. Szarka led his offense down the field and punched the ball into the endzone on a one-yard touchdown run, his second rushing score of the day at 8:31 of the second quarter. The Falcons jumped out to a 14-3 lead.
On the ninth play of their possession, Eget was picked off again by Air Force. This time, senior cornerback Levi Brown recorded the interception. The Falcons were forced to punt on their next possession.
The offensive woes continued for the Spartans on their next possession, as Air Force’s defense recorded a safety, increasing its lead to 16-3 at 1:51 in the second.
Air Force ran 31 consecutive rushing plays before attempting a pass with 56 seconds left in the first half. Szarka’s pass to Bruin Fleischmann broke up the streak. A few plays later, instead of going for a 55-yard field goal, the Falcons attempted to convert the first down through the air. Szarka’s pass attempt was batted away, and San Jose State took over on downs. The Spartans went three-and-out, punting the ball back to Air Force as time expired in the first half.
At halftime, the Falcons led the Spartans 16-3.
Two extended possessions consumed much of the third quarter. San Jose State kicked a field goal on a 10-play scoring drive to open the half. Brown’s kick from 29 yards out was good at 10:34. Air Force still led 16-6. The Falcons next possession, an 11-play drive, culminated in a punt.
San Jose State carried over an 11-play scoring drive from the third into the fourth quarter. Freshman running back Steve Chavez-Soto rushed up the middle on an eight-yard touchdown run. The Falcons led 16-13 at 14:20 of the final quarter.
Air Force fired back on its next possession when Szarka hit senior wide receiver Smith through the air on a 12-yard touchdown pass. With the extra point, the Falcons increased their lead to 23-13.
Lynch’s field goal from 34 yards out was good on San Jose State’s next possession. Air Force led 23-16 at the 5:43 mark of the fourth. On their next possession, the Falcons responded with a field goal of their own to increase the lead to 26-16. Senior kicker Reagan Tubbs’ 33-yard attempt was good. The Spartans had the last possession of the game, running four plays before time expired in the contest. With this victory, Air Force improves its record to 3-6 (2-4 MW).
Next weekend, the Falcons travel to the East Coast for their matchup with Independent UConn (7-3). The Huskies are coming off a 37-34 victory over Duke this weekend. The game is scheduled for a noon ET kickoff at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut.
UConn is one of two Independents in Division I college football, the other being Notre Dame. Having secured bowl eligibility with their sixth win of the season on Nov. 1, the Huskies are now eyeing postseason bowl placement. Sixth-year college quarterback Joe Fagnano leads the offense. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound native of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, has had a strong season through the air, going 236-for-343 passing for 2,840 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also has quality numbers on the ground, rushing for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
Two major contributors to UConn’s offense are running back Cam Edwards and wide receiver Skyler Bell. Edwards, a redshirt junior from Connecticut, has 159 carries for 866 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also has 13 catches for 133 yards and a touchdown. Bell has 85 catches for 1,081 yards and 13 touchdowns. The redshirt senior, who previously played for Wisconsin, was honored this season by being named to the 2026 Senior Bowl Top 300 and the Shrine Bowl 1000.
In order to win their second straight game this weekend, Air Force defensive coordinator Brian Knorr will need to draw up a game plan to contain the Huskies’ passing game. This plan will need to be supported again by the Falcons’ secondary that stepped up against San Jose State’s strong passing game. Fagnano’s big arm has accounted for over two dozen touchdowns this campaign. On offense, the Falcons will need to exploit UConn’s run defense weaknesses. The Huskies have allowed an average of 179.8 rushing yards per game, a vulnerability that Szarka and the Air Force rush-heavy offense are built to exploit.
Navy’s Luck Runs Out Against the Fighting Irish
Navy didn’t stand much of a chance when they traveled to South Bend to face nationally ranked Notre Dame in a historic matchup. On a wet night marked by a mix of rain and snow, the Fighting Irish offense proved far too much for the AAC powerhouse to contain, as the Midshipmen fell 49–10. Missing senior quarterback Blake Horvath, scratched just before kickoff due to an injury sustained against North Texas, the Mids turned to Braxton Woodson under center. Despite his best efforts, the Notre Dame defense held Navy’s depleted offense to just 10 points. Woodson led the team with 101 rushing yards on 23 carries and scored the Midshipmen’s lone touchdown.
On the other hand, Notre Dame had plenty of standout performances. Six different Irish players found the endzone on Saturday night. Quarterback CJ Carr dismantled the Mids’ secondary, completing 13 of 16 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Malachi Fields was the leading receiver, setting a personal best record with Notre Dame, recording 97 yards on four receptions. Running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price significantly contributed on the ground. Love rushed for 94 yards and scored two touchdowns, while Price had 47 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, sophomore linebacker Jaiden Ausberry earned the “game ball.” The 6-foot-2, 228-pounder wreaked havoc on the Midshipmen’s offense, leading the home side with eight tackles, a sack, and two tackles for loss.
Navy vs Notre Dame Football Highlights | Nov. 8, 2025
Navy got the ball first, executing a five-play possession that resulted in a punt. On their first drive of the game, Notre Dame went on the attack. Carr’s 52-yard pass helped to set up Love’s one-yard touchdown run to put the Fighting Irish up 7-0 at the 7:31 mark of the first quarter.
Navy and Notre Dame exchanged punts on the next two possessions. Woodson’s two-yard touchdown run at 11:02 tied up the game at 7-7. On the next possession, the Fighting Irish began their offensive onslaught, not looking back for the remainder of the contest. Junior running back Price’s two-yard touchdown run up the middle put Notre Dame up 14-7 at 5:57 in the second.
The Mids went three-and-out on their next possession, punting the ball back to Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish went up 21-7 on Carr’s five-yard touchdown throw to Jordan Faison with 1:42 left in the second quarter. Navy’s nine-play drive was highlighted by a 41-yard run by Woodson. This big play helped to set up Nathan Kirkwood’s 33-yard field goal, making the score 21-10.
Notre Dame got the ball back before the end of the first half, running one play before time expired. The Fighting Irish led 21-10 at halftime.
Notre Dame opened the second half with a touchdown scoring drive. Love trotted into the endzone after a monster 48-yard touchdown run to put the Fighting Irish up 28-10. Navy turned the ball over on downs during their next possession. This opened the door for another Notre Dame touchdown. Carr connected with wide receiver KK Smith on a 34-yard touchdown pass, his second of the season.
Down 35-10, the Mids went three-and-out and punted on their next possession. Carr used a six-play possession to set up yet another Irish scoring drive. This time, Carr’s four-yard pass to tight end Ty Washington put Notre Dame up 42-10. On the next possession of the game, Navy was again forced to punt with 1:40 left in the third quarter.
The Irish extended their lead to 49-10 on Aneyas Williams’ 54-yard touchdown run at the 11:27 mark of the fourth quarter. On Navy’s ensuing possession, the Midshipmen were forced to punt again. Notre Dame methodically closed out the game with a 10-play drive to seal the 49-10 victory.
At the conclusion of hostilities, Notre Dame and Navy gathered to sing their alma maters, a gesture symbolizing the deep mutual respect between the two institutions. This time-honored tradition commemorates the “debt of honor” Notre Dame owes the U.S. Navy for its support during World War II, when the service branch used the university’s campus for an officer training program. The financial assistance provided by the Navy helped sustain Notre Dame through the war years, preventing the school from potential closure.
The Mids are now 7-2 overall (5-1 AAC). Unfortunately, their schedule won’t get much easier next Saturday, Nov. 15, when Navy welcomes nationally ranked AAC opponent South Florida (USF) (7-2, 4-1 AAC) to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. In a matchup with major AAC Championship and College Football Playoff implications, the Midshipmen will look to rebound from this past weekend’s lopsided loss to Notre Dame. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET, with coverage on ESPN.
The absence of quarterback Blake Horvath against the Irish underscored just how vital he is to the success of the Midshipmen’s offensive scheme. The Navy faithful are undoubtedly holding their collective breath as they await updates on the third-year play-caller’s availability for this weekend’s contest.
Navy will need to be at full strength to counter yet another major challenge in this historic season: USF’s explosive offense. Dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown has been the driving force for the Bulls, completing 168 of 260 passes for 2,203 yards and 19 touchdowns, while adding 705 rushing yards and nine scores on the ground. One of his favorite targets is junior wide receiver Keshaun Singleton, who has hauled in 33 passes for 573 yards and five touchdowns. Running backs Sam Franklin and Nykahi Davenport have been equally important in establishing the Bulls’ ground game. Franklin has 374 yards and four touchdowns on 55 carries, while Davenport has contributed 397 yards and five touchdowns on 56 attempts.
The Road Ahead
As the season enters its final stretch, the service academies face crucial matchups that could determine bowl eligibility and postseason positioning. Army will enjoy a well-earned bye week before returning to Michie Stadium on November 22nd for an AAC showdown against Tulsa. Air Force heads east to face Independent UConn in a nonconference road test as the Falcons look to build late-season momentum. Navy, now 7-2 overall, will aim to regroup quickly as it returns to Annapolis for a high-stakes conference clash against nationally ranked USF. With postseason implications on the line, all three academies are preparing for a defining close to the 2025 campaign.
