Anchors aweigh, my boys!

Author: Mary Lane

My grandfather graduated from the Naval Academy so I am unabashedly biased for Navy in Saturday's Navy vs. Notre Dame game in South Bend, Ind. I thought about not publishing this at all, fearing a Sports Illustrated cover-like jinx, but since this is on the inside of the sports section, I feel the Midshipmen are safe, at least from any damage on my part.

The rivalry started in 1927, making it the longest continuous intersectional series in college football. During World War II, Navy sent sailors to supplement the depleted enrollment at Notre Dame and keep the university from closing. In gratitude, ND vowed to keep the annual rivalry going indefinitely and, as Navy Information Director Scott Strasemeier told me in an interview, "Notre Dame will forever be indebted to Navy."

The term 'rivalry' has taken on a bitterly ironic edge in the past, as Navy has not beaten ND since their 35-14 victory in 1963 when the Midshipmen were led by junior quarterback Roger Staubach. With the Fighting Irish's 43-year winning streak currently constituting the longest in the Bowl Championship Subdivision (formerly 1-A), the "rivalry" has devolved into more of a losing tradition for the Midshipmen. As Navy's Head Coach Paul Johnson put it in 2004, "I don't know if I would call it a rivalry, because you have to win once in a while for it to be a rivalry. But it has been a pretty good series."

Navy has come close to beating ND in the past decade, with close calls in 1997 (21-17), 1999 (28-24), 2002 (30-23) and 2003 (27-24). The most infamous of these is the 1999 game, when Navy forced ND into a 4th and 2 situation with 1 minute 37 seconds left on the clock. After a completed pass from quarterback Jarious Jackson that appeared to be short by two to three feet, the referees gave ND a first down and, with 36 seconds, current Dallas Cowboys running-back Julius Jones caught the fateful winning pass.

Although 20 of the past 79 games have been shutout losses, Midshipmen fans have reason to believe that they might break the streak this year. With a 41-29 record overall including a 4-4 mark this season, Johnson has done a stellar job of making Navy a winner since arriving in Annapolis in 2002. Navy has replaced Air Force as the strongest team within the armed forces, with no losses to Air Force or Army since 2002's 48-7 loss to The Falcons.

Despite few wins against higher-tier teams and a favoritism towards the wishbone attack, a run-based offense which wouldn't work in bigger conferences, with bigger, faster defenders, Navy should watch its back lest another team try and steal Johnson.

The Fighting Irish, on the other hand, have been abysmal this year, with a 1-7 win-loss record that rivals that of my love life. Their run defense is particularly pathetic, which is good for Navy's always-solid ground attack. The temporary status of this years' Limping Irish adds a now-or-never pressure to Saturday's game. Tyrone Willingham, who was replaced as ND's head coach in 2005 by Charlie Weis, was a horrible recruiter during his last two years in South Bend, resulting in a 2007 roster made up primarily of sophomores and freshmen in offensive positions. Former ND and current Cleveland Browns Quarterback Brady Quinn's graduation this past spring and a lack of decent running backs or receivers have also contributed to this year's losses.

Opportunity is knocking, Midshipmen. You serve your country, now serve your fans. Here's to wishing you a happy voyage home.