Another Level: Navy Rolls to 7–0 With 397 Rushing Yards
Navy leaned on a relentless ground game and timely takeaways to put away FAU, 42-32, before a crowd of 32,175 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The score tightened late, but the Mids controlled the day, moving to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in the American Athletic Conference—another data point that this group can win without leaning on the same three faces every week.
Quarterback Blake Horvath piled up touchdowns but had some sloppy moments with stalled red-zone trips. Brandon Chatman delivered a breakout, chunk-play afternoon, while change-of-pace QB Braxton Woodson slipped in for a snipe of a score on a short field. FAU added three late touchdowns in the fourth quarter and missed a pair of two-point tries, making the final look closer than it felt.
### How It Happened
FAU struck first on a 43-yard shot, but Navy answered with Horvath’s 7-yard keeper. After a strip sack set up a short field, Woodson scored on a 16-yard touchdown run to give the Mids a 14-10 lead after one quarter. Horvath then capped an 11-play, 75-yard march to push the lead to 21-13 at the half.
The Mids controlled the third quarter without scoring, then broke it open in the fourth. Chatman ripped off a 36-yard run to the 1-yard line, setting up Alex Tecza’s touchdown plunge. Horvath added 19- and 31-yard scoring sprints—one coming right after a Coleman Cauley interception.
FAU’s late flurry trimmed the margin, but Navy’s defense and ground control had already framed the game.
### Ground Game Carries the Day
Navy rushed for 397 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 7.1 yards per carry. Horvath ran for 174 yards and four scores, punishing on keepers even as a few drives sputtered. Chatman was outstanding, stacking explosive gains (141 rushing yards at 14.1 yards per carry) and adding receiving yards in key moments. Tecza chipped in with 55 rushing yards and a 1-yard touchdown, while Woodson’s surprise 16-yard keeper came right after the defense set the table.
FAU threw for 381 yards but managed only 69 yards on the ground.
### Defense and Takeaways
Adam Klenk’s first-quarter strip sack set up Woodson’s touchdown. Cauley delivered a late third-quarter forced fumble and a fourth-quarter interception—part of three takeaways that Navy converted into 21 points. The Mids also recorded three sacks and held FAU to just 2.7 yards per rush, winning the situational downs until FAU’s late scramble.
### By the Numbers
– **Final Score:** Navy 42, FAU 32
– **Score by Quarter:** Navy 14-10-0-21, FAU 10-3-0-19
– **Rushing:** Navy 56 carries, 397 yards, 6 TD; FAU 26 carries, 69 yards, 0 TD
– **Blake Horvath:** 21 rushes, 174 yards, 4 TD; 8-of-12 passing, 83 yards
– **Brandon Chatman:** 10 rushes, 141 yards; 5 receptions, 43 yards
– **Alex Tecza:** 16 rushes, 55 yards, 1 TD
– **Braxton Woodson:** 16-yard TD run
– **Takeaways:** 3 (2 fumbles, 1 interception) → 21 points off turnovers
– **Possession:** Navy 33:14
– **Third Downs:** Navy 6-of-11
– **Fourth Downs:** Navy 2-of-5
– **Attendance:** 32,175
– **FAU Passing:** 34-of-55, 381 yards, 4 TD
– **Navy Punts:** 0
### What It Means
This felt like a statement about depth and development. Even with some uneven red-zone execution and a couple of empty fourth-down trips, Navy dictated the style, spread the workload beyond its usual core, and closed it out with defense and the running game.
At 7-0 overall and 5-0 in league play, this team is tracking toward something special.
### What’s Next
Navy visits North Texas on November 1, heads to Notre Dame on November 8, and returns for the final home game on November 15 against USF—when new Athletic Director Michael Kelly will face his former school.
This story will be updated with comments from Head Coach Brian Newberry and players following the postgame press conference. A separate post with more photos from on-field photographer Glenn Miller is coming soon.
https://www.eyeonannapolis.net/2025/10/another-level-navy-rolls-to-7-0-with-397-rushing-yards/
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