Notre Dame football will have its hands full with Navy in Week 12

Motivation for victory

The Navy Midshipmen enter the game at No. 21 in the AP Poll and No. 23 in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Irish find themselves at No. 16 in both sets of rankings. The Midshipmen are 7-1 with their lone loss coming against Memphis in a Friday night away game early in the season.

Notre Dame, on the other hand, is 7-2. Their two losses came at the hands of Georgia and Michigan. Because of Notre Dame’s two losses, their chances at the College Football Playoff are essentially zero. At this point, they are simply hoping to make a case to play in a New Year’s Six bowl game.

Navy is essentially playing for the same, and they too don’t control their own destiny. Because of the loss to Memphis, the Midshipmen will need to win out the rest of their conference games and need Memphis to lose in order to play for the American Athletic Conference Championship. If Memphis doesn’t lose, Navy won’t have a shot at the AAC, and therefore a chance to play in a New Year’s Six bowl.

Even if Navy wins their next four games, putting them at 11-1, there isn’t a path for it to play in a New Year’s Six bowl, because it will not have won its conference.