Navy overcame a double-digit deficit to tie the game at 10 with 10:50 to play, but service academy rival Air Force responded with a 71-yard drive that ended with the game-winning, 22-yard field goal from kicker Matthew Dapore.
Navy went three-and-out on the ensuing series, sealing a 13-10 road loss to the Falcons on Oct. 1.
The Midshipmen (1-3) had knotted the score on a 5-yard touchdown run by quarterback Tai Lavatai. Lavatia looked to pass, then burst up the middle himself for the score. Navy drove 59 yards on 10 plays in four minutes and 20 seconds.
Here are five takeaways from the loss:
1. The Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy will not be returning to Annapolis.
Navy’s quest for the coveted award got off to the same start a year ago — with an early loss to the Falcons. The three academies, however, split with their rivals. The Midshipmen lost to Air Force but beat Army. Air Force defeated Navy but later fell to Army. Having won it the previous year, Army retained the trophy. Another three-way tie is now the best Navy can hope for.
The Midshipmen have won the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy 16 times, including 11 of the past 19 years, but not since 2019. Navy has not defeated the Falcons since that season.
The game also pitted two of the winningest active FBS coaches against one another for the 15th time. Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun now owns an 8-7 edge in head-to-head meetings with Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo.
2. Air Force has been an offensive juggernaut this season, but Navy rose to the challenge defensively.
Air Force came into the contest averaging 37.8 points and 412.3 rushing yards per contest, the latter of which was the nation’s best mark.
Navy held the Falcons to less than half of their season average in both categories, allowing just 13 points and 200 yards on the ground.
Air Force, which averaged 486.8 yards of offense, managed just 356. It had a third-down success rate of .526, but Navy held the Falcons to 3-of-11.
After falling behind 10-0 a bit more than 10 minutes into the game, Navy did not surrender another point until the game-winning field goal with less than five minutes to play.
Safety Rayuan Lane led the Mids with nine tackles.
3. A triple-option offense needs its quarterback to be more of a running threat, but Lavatai is proving to be an efficient pocket passer.
Lavatai may not be the skilled open-field runner recent star quarterbacks Malcolm Perry or Keenan Reynolds were, but the junior has proven himself this season in the passing game.
Lavatai completed 11 of 20 pass attempts for 129 yards and a 109.2 passer rating. On the ground, he carried the ball 12 times for 34 yards, an average of less than 3 yards per attempt.
He set up his own touchdown run with a beautiful touch pass to Mark Walker to the 5-yard line with 11:54 remaining.
A week ago during Navy’s first win of the season, a 23-20 double-overtime victory at East Carolina, Lavatai went 7-of-10 for 152 yards and a touchdown.
4. Navy dug itself into a hole it nearly overcame with a series of first-quarter errors.
A blown coverage by Navy’s defense allowed for a far-too-easy score for the Falcons on the game’s third play from scrimmage. The Midshipmen bit on a play-action, allowing wide receiver David Cormier to slip behind the defense and haul in a 67-yard catch and run from quarterback Haaziq Daniels.
Facing a third-and-1 on the ensuing possession, Navy was flagged for a false start. One play later, the Midshipmen were stopped short on fourth-and-2, turning the ball over on downs.
Air Force made the Midshipmen pay, covering 52 yards on nine plays to set up Dapore’s first field goal of the game — a 23-yarder with 4:17 left in the opening quarter that brought the score to 10-0.
5. Navy returns to conference play for its next five games.
After consecutive games on the road, the Midshipmen return to Annapolis next weekend to host Tulsa.
The Midshipmen’s next five games come against American Athletic Conference foes. Navy has a 1-1 mark in the league. Its next nonconference game comes against Notre Dame on Nov. 12 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Navy Athletics