Navy Remains Undefeated and Cruises Past Charlotte, 51-17

Annapolis, MD — The Navy Midshipmen remained undefeated with a commanding 51-17 victory over Charlotte on Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, with the defense leading the way in a game full of big plays. Navy set the tone early, thanks to three first-quarter touchdowns from Alex Tecza and an opportunistic defense that scored twice and set up four other scores.

Brian Newberry

Navy head coach Brian Newberry was proud of his team’s all-around performance, especially the defensive effort: "I was really proud of the way we played on the defense side of football today. We were super opportunistic. Scored twice, and we set up four other scores. The first quarter was really wild."

Navy came out of the gates quickly, capitalizing on both sides of the ball. On Navy’s opening drive, quarterback Blake Horvath found running back Alex Tecza for a 46-yard touchdown pass to put the Midshipmen ahead just two minutes into the game. It was the first of three touchdowns Tecza would score in a dominant first quarter.

After forcing a Charlotte punt, Navy struck again, with Tecza rumbling into the end zone on a 12-yard carry to cap a five-play, 50-yard drive. Minutes later, linebacker Kyle Jacob grabbed his first career interception, setting Navy up deep in Charlotte territory. Tecza capitalized on the turnover with a 2-yard touchdown run, making it 21-0 before the game was barely 10 minutes old.

Jacob wasn’t finished, as he recovered a fumble on Charlotte’s next possession, once again giving Navy prime field position. The Midshipmen added a 22-yard field goal from Nathan Kirkwood to end the quarter with a 24-0 lead.

The Navy field goal was the first time this season that the Midshipmen did not score a touchdown when entering the red zone.  The Mids were 20 for 20 going into the drive.

The second quarter saw more fireworks from Navy’s defense. After Cody Howard’s 11-yard touchdown reception made it 31-0, cornerback Dashaun Peele intercepted Charlotte quarterback Max Brown and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown. Peele’s interception return was the first of two on the day, setting a Navy record for the most interception touchdowns in a single game.

Dashaun Peele

"The first pick that Dashaun had, we were in zero blitz. He had eyes on the quarterback where they should be," Newberry said. "He read the play and jumped the route. And then the second one was a great play and just a fantastic return."

Charlotte finally got on the board with a 39-yard field goal by Stephen Rusnak, followed by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Brown to O'Mega Blake just before halftime, but Navy still held a commanding 38-10 lead at the break.

Charlotte attempted to mount a comeback early in the third quarter, but Navy’s defense held strong. After Horvath connected with Brandon Chatman for a 19-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 44-10, Charlotte responded with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Duane Thomas Jr., cutting the deficit to 44-17.

Just when Charlotte appeared to gain some momentum, Peele struck again. Late in the third quarter, Peele picked off Brown for the second time, returning the interception 84 yards for a touchdown. It was Peele’s second interception return for a score, setting a Navy single-game record for most pick-sixes.

With the game well in hand, Navy’s defense continued to frustrate Charlotte in the final quarter, holding the 49ers scoreless. Charlotte drove deep into Navy territory late in the game, but the Midshipmen defense held firm, forcing a turnover on downs to end the threat.

For Navy, the win not only secured bowl eligibility but also continued their perfect season. "I’m so proud of these guys," said Newberry. "Hadn't won six games around here since 2019, and that makes us bowl eligible, which is huge. It’s a great reward for our players. And you know, we're not satisfied with that, obviously, but it's good to get to that sixth win, and first time we're 6-0 since 1979."

Navy will host Notre Dame next Saturday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  The kickoff is at Noon and will be televised on ABC. Charlotte travels to Memphis.