Notre Dame Football: 3 keys to victory vs. Navy in Week 12

With Notre Dame football and Navy meeting as ranked opponents for the first time in decades, here’s what the Irish will have to do to pull out a win.

Recruiting is difficult enough in the realm of college football, but doing so with strict requirements and limitations makes recruiting top talent virtually impossible for the nation’s top military academies. Therefore, head coach Ken Niumatalolo and his Navy squad should be commended for making their way up to No. 23 in the nation.

In fact, the midshipmen are one win away from passing their long-standing rival Notre Dame in the CFP rankings. A win this weekend would undoubtedly be one of the most significant in recent Navy football history, providing the Midshipmen with plenty of motivation as they head to Notre Dame Stadium.

With that in mind, what do the Irish have to play for? Albeit narrow, there’s still a path to a New Year’s Six bowl, but a loss would diminish those hopes and send the Irish on their way to a less than desirable bowl appearance. With so much still riding on each and every game this season, here’s a few keys to victory for the Irish as they look for their fourth-straight win over Navy.