Kan Dail
The Navy Midshipmen will face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the opening game of the 2024 NCAA Football season. The face-off will happen in Ireland. It will be the third time Notre Dame will go head-to-head with the Navy.
The Navy-Notre Dame rivalry in College Football is known to be the longest uninterrupted intersectional rivalry in the history of College Football. That’s why you must look forward to the opening of the upcoming NCAAF season.
Let’s discuss more about what you need to know about this upcoming match, starting from the odds, what to expect, and many more.
The Odds
The odds are a very important thing to look at when betting on any sport, including NCAA Football. College Football odds are presented in three ways: the NCAAF spreads, totals, and moneyline. Reading the odds can be intimidating at first. But when you understand it, you’ll realize how easy it is.
The odds are important in betting for NCAA Football. It’s because it represents the oddsmaker’s opinion about the specific game. It also shows how much a bettor must wager to win a specific amount. Therefore, you must check out the odds for the Navy vs. Notre Dame match this August 27, 2024.
In the very first game of the season, the odds of the two teams facing each other are:
Navy Midshipmen
Spread: +20
Total: over 50.5
Moneyline: +800
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Spread: -20
Total: under 50.5
Moneyline: -1400
Given the odds provided, it’s clear that Notre Dame is favored to win the match, and the Navy is the underdog.
What To Expect
Notre Dame is predicted to win against the Navy, like with their two previous games in Ireland. Not only that Notre Dame has beaten the Navy twice before in the same country, but it’s also worth considering that the Irish are the favorite to win this game.
The Irish also welcome the return of the full-time coaching staff. That’s why there’s no doubt that the Irish will have a good defense this season. Sam Hartman’s also expected to play with the Irish in the opening as he transferred from West Forest to the Notre Dame.
Meanwhile, fans should expect the return of the Navy’s veteran quarterback, Tai Lavatai. He suffered from a torn ACL last season, so he missed the last four games of his team. It was also one of the reasons why the Navy’s performance declined in the later part of the season.
In addition to the comeback of Lavatai, the Navy also got a new offensive coordinator, Grant Chestnut, which means that the team will undoubtedly spice things up a little this upcoming season. And you will first witness that at the opening game.
Getting To Know Each Team
Knowing each team will help you know who will dominate on August 27. Below, let’s go through each team and know their capabilities to win the upcoming match.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish is considered one of the best programs in College Football. Undeniably, the Irish are a more experienced Football team of this era. From the coaching staff to the players, you know they already have enough experience to perform better this season.
You might already know that Sam Hartman is one of the most experienced quarterback in college football today. That’s why he is one of the primary reasons Notre Dame is considered one of the best.
What the Irish must focus on improving this year is their defense. The team’s defense last season was lacking, which caused it to draw some criticism. But an improvement isn’t impossible for the team as they still show the potential for an improved defense as the season ended last year.
Navy Midshipmen
It’s easy to assume that the Navy is a bad football team, looking back to last season. But if you look closely at their games, you’ll notice they only poorly performed because they were at the wrong end of many close games.
It was mentioned earlier that one of the reasons why they had a poor performance last season is because of the absence of their senior quarterback, Tai Lavatai.
As long as he stays healthy, the Midshipmen can turn the tables in their favor. Lavatai is one of the best quarterbacks in college football. He’s familiar with the scheme, making it easy to make effective decisions that will benefit the team.
With the comeback of the Navy’s veteran quarterback, the team could increase their chance of winning the game against Notre Dame.
Team Record
Finally, let’s go through the team record from then and now:
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have participated in NCAA Football for 117 seasons. They started participating from 1899 up to the present. They have a total record of 882 wins, 320 losses, and 33 ties.
The Irish have taken home a total of 13 National Championships throughout their participation in college football. Aside from that, the team also received bragging rights by getting 41 bowl records.
With Notre Dame’s record, it’s unsurprising that the team is considered one of the best this season. It also proved that the Irish deserve to be named the favorite to win the game versus the Navy. It’s due to how huge the difference between the two teams when it comes to their record.
Navy Midshipmen
The Navy Midshipmen team has been around since 1891 up to the present and played for 130 seasons. The team has a record of 700 wins, 574 losses, and 52 ties. They are also proud to have won 24 bowls since they started playing in college football.
Unfortunately, the Midshipmen only won one National Championship, and it was way back in 1926. But despite the poor National Championship record of the Navy, it’s still not wise to assume that they won’t have a chance to defeat Notre Dame. Who knows, they could even win their second National Championship this season.
Bottomline
The Navy vs. Notre Dame opening match is a very anticipated game for the upcoming season of NCAA Football. Not only because it’s the kickoff game but also because of the famous rivalry between these two teams that have been a part of College Football history.
If you are looking for an event to bet on, consider the Navy vs. Notre Dame matchup, and you’ll be rewarded with a thrilling experience.