The entire Navy sideline emptied onto the field as Temple quarterback E.J. Warner’s desperation pass attempt landed in the hands of backup cornerback Dashaun Peele in the end zone.
The interception secured a 27-20 overtime win for the Midshipmen against the visiting Owls Oct. 29 on Senior Day at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.
Backup quarterback Xavier Arline, who replaced Tai Lavatai late in the first quarter when the starter suffered a severe knee injury, bolted 23 yards to the end zone on the second play of overtime for the game-winning touchdown.
“It was a good call. We called it a couple times earlier to the other side,” Arline said. “We got a couple gashes on it and I give Coach a lot of credit for coming back to it in that situation.”
Navy turned the ball over on downs with two and half minutes remaining in regulation and the Owls promptly drove 66 yards to set up the game-tying, 22-yard field goal from Camden Price with 1:08 remaining. Warner completed a 40-yard pass to Amad Anderson Jr. to the 5-yard line, but the Midshipmen buckled down defensively to hold Temple to a field goal and force overtime.
“Just proud of our kids and happy for our seniors — hard-fought win,” head coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “I’m just proud of our guys, just fighting in that kind of situation. It shows the resolve, the grit, and the type of young men that we have.”
The same duo connected for a 20-yard touchdown earlier in the fourth quarter to trim Navy’s lead to three, 20-17. Anderson did not maintain control of the ball as he fell to the ground, though the call on the field stood following an official review.
Navy began the second half at its own 5-yard line following a poor decision by sophomore slotback Maquel Haywood not to field the kickoff and allowing the ball to land at the 1-yard line. Three plays later, Arline attempted an ill-advised pitch that missed its mark and was recovered by Temple linebacker Layton Jordan for a touchdown.
“You couldn’t start the second half any worse,” Niumatalolo said. “Those normally can be super deflating, but to the resolve of our men, they kept going, kept playing.”
Navy reclaimed a 10-point lead late in the third quarter on a 16-yard touchdown run by sophomore fullback Anton Hall. The Midshipmen went 56 yards on 12 plays following a Temple turnover on downs.
Navy led 13-0 after one quarter and 13-3 at the half behind a nifty, 15-yard touchdown run by sophomore fullback Daba Fofana and a pair of Daniel Davies field goals.
Here are five takeaways from Navy’s dramatic overtime victory:
1. This wasn’t so much a defensive showdown as it was just bad offensive football from both teams.
The final score does not reflect the struggles both offenses endured.
Navy managed to win the game without completing a single pass. On the flip side, Temple’s run game was virtually nonexistent, as the visitors gained only 20 yards rushing. The Owls achieved their initial first down nearly four minutes into the second quarter.
Lavatai and Arline each went 0-for-1 on the day. Eight Midshipmen combined for 224 yards on the ground, led by Fofana’s 63 on 24 attempts and 54 yards by Arline on 16 carries.
Warner — the true freshman son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner — completed 24 of 48 attempts for 268 yards with one touchdown and a pair of interceptions.
2. Defensive coordinator Brian Newberry dialed up the blitz before and during Navy’s late-game stands.
Navy sacked Warner four times for a total loss of 30 yards. Temple entered having allowed as many sacks all season.
Pressure came from inside and out, and sacks were delivered by members of each level of the defense. Defensive lineman Jacob Busic, linebacker Tyler Fletcher, striker John Marshall and Peele, coming from the corner, all dropped Warner once. He was hit seven times on the game.
The Midshipmen recorded eight tackles for loss, totaling 52 yards.
Colin Ramos led Navy with 11 tackles. Marshall followed with 11, including 2.5 for loss, and five pass breakups. No Navy player has had as many pass breakups in a single game since at least 2000 and only one player nationally has had more in a game this season.
Elias Larry recorded Navy’s other interception before leaving the game with an injury to be replaced by Peele, who had not seen game action since Week 2.
“I’m not going to lie, I was a little bit nervous since I haven’t played since the Memphis game,” Peele said. “But I know what I can do and my team can do. My guys trusted me and I trusted them. We just went out and finished the game off.”
3. Navy should have been up by much more at halftime but it failed to capitalize on its advantageous field position.
The Midshipmen started four first-half possessions in Temple territory, yet only scored 13 points prior to intermission.
When the defense forced a three-and-out and punt to start the game, Navy’s offense settled for a field goal after beginning at the Temple 48. Elias’ interception late in the fourth quarter game the offense the ball 24 yards from the end zone, but the Midshipmen kicked another field goal after gaining just 6 yards.
When Owls punter Mackenzie Morgan kicked the ball into his teammates back for a punt of 1 yard, Navy began at the Temple 39. This time, the Midshipmen turned it over on downs four plays later.
“We squandered some opportunities there,” Niumatalolo said. “We’re going to have to do better that way. We definitely squandered some missed points.”
Navy’s lone first-half touchdown followed a muffed punt that the Midshipmen recovered at the 17-yard line.
4. It’s Arline’s time with Lavatai out for the season.
Without specifying Lavatai’s injury, Niumatalolo said it looks like Navy will be without its starting quarterback the rest of the season.
“It doesn’t look good,” Niumatalolo said. “I hate it for that kid. He’s been awesome — a wonderful young man who’s worked hard at getting better. I just hate it for him and his family. Unfortunately, that’s part of sports.”
Arline, a junior, has played in 18 career games and made starts in each of the past two seasons. Prior to replacing Arline against Temple, had had completed 11 of 34 career attempts for 169 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He had run the ball 152 times for 490 yards and three scores.
5. Navy sent its seniors out with a much-deserved win on an exceptionally early Senior Day.
Niumatalolo often says the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Navy worse than it did other college football programs. The shutdown led to an exodus of players to other schools.
That’s why it meant so much to win for the ones who stayed during their last game on their home field.
“Our class has been through the ringer with COVID and everything else,” Marshall said. “I feel like adversity reveals character and this whole group of seniors took adversity and didn’t shy away from it. The people who stayed, Coach Niumatalolo talks about all the time, are resilient, tough dudes. At the end of the day, I want to play with those resilient tough dudes and then I want to serve with those same dudes.”
Navy is the only FBS team without a home game in November. The Midshipmen have two neutral site games remaining — in two weeks against Notre Dame at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium and the finale against Army in Philadelphia.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Navy Athletics