Navy Midshipmen Football Builds Historic Season on This Ridiculous Stat

The Navy Midshipmen are happy to point out that this one statistic helped them build a team that accomplished what few have in program history.

Dec 14, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen head coach Brian Newberry stands on the field before the game against the Army Black Knights at Commanders Field. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Navy Midshipmen football team is one to watch among Group of 5 schools next year. With quarterback Blake Horvath set to return, that along puts the Middies in the conversation for a College Football Playoff berth.

By winning 10 games in 2024, this team joined the Navy teams from 1905 (10-1-1), 2004 (10-2), 2009 (10-4), 2015 (11-2) and 2019 (11-2) as ones that won at least 10 games in a season. It’s rare air for the program, especially in the modern college landscape.

Perhaps just as important to Navy was Commander-In-Chief's Trophy, which is presented annually to the winner of the football competition among the three service academies.

Looking ahead to 2025, though, if the Midshipmen can build on this one statistic, it could be a truly historic season for them.

Any coach, including Navy’s Brian Newberry, will tell you that turnovers are key to winning a football game. Win that battle and any team has a good chance to win.

The Midshipmen had one of the best turnover margins in the country last season, as they were tied at No. 13 in FBS with a .77 margin per game. That equated to a +10 turnover margin for the season, as Navy coughed up the ball 10 times and created 20 turnovers.

But what the Midshipmen did off those turnovers was incredible, and it had a direct correlation on winning and losing.

Navy won 10 games a season ago. In those games, the Midshipmen outscored their opponents 104-7 in points off turnovers.

Navy lost three games a season ago. In those games, the Midshipmen were outscored 48-0 in points off turnovers.

It doesn’t get any starker than that when it comes to football. When Navy dominated in the turnover games and scored points off those mistakes, it won. When the Midshipmen didn’t, they lost.

As Navy rebuilds its defense next season, it must keep that in mind. The Midshipmen are losing players like safety Rayuan Lane, who just played in the Senior Bowl, and cornerback DaShaun Peele, who returned two interceptions for a touchdown in the same game last year.

Horvath must protect the football. But turnover creation must be at the heart of what Navy does next season.  

The Midshipmen’s full schedule for 2025 is not out yet but they will open the season at home atr Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium against VMI on Aug. 30.

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