TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
The Navy Midshipmen host the UAB Blazers as both squads open conference play in the American. The Midshipmen walloped the VMI Keydets in Week 1, 52-7. UAB held on to defeat the Alabama State Hornets 52-42.
Navy and UAB will be the first in-conference meeting for the American in 2025. Navy is the heavy favorite to win, a 3 TD favorite in some places. I don’t know if there is a coach in the FBS whose seat is hotter than UAB head coach Trent Dilfer. He needs this win to cool off that seat.
Offense: The three-headed monster of QB Blake Horvath, RB Alex Tecza and SB Eli Heidenreich accounted for 44.7 percent of the Navy offensive production against VMI. This despite playing only the first half of the game.
Defense: Senior DT Landon Robinson led the defense with 2 sacks. Robinson came into the season on the watchlist for the Nagurski, Outland, Bednarik and Lombardi Trophies.
Offense: QB Jalen Kitna threw for 247 yards and 2 TDs last week. Kitna’s top two targets were WRs Corri Milliner Iverson Hooks. Milliner finished with 5 catches for 98 yards and 1 TD. Hooks led in catches with 7 for 73 yards and 1 TD.
Defense: LB Devin Hightower tied for second on the team with 6 tackles and he also recovered a fumble last week. Safety Sirad Bryant led the Blazers in tackles with 8.
UAB’s defense struggled in stopping Alabama State in Week 1. The offense they’ll be facing against Navy is considerably better. UAB needs this game to become a shootout to have any chance of winning.
Keep an eye on Navy’s backup QB, Braxton Woodson, who rushed for 180 yards and 2 TDs against VMI. If Navy pulls away early, head coach Brian Newberry could put Woodson in to get a fair number of snaps in the 2nd half. I expect Navy to cover the spread in this game, winning 41-10.
TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
Week 1 of the Group of 5 games saw the team predicted to get the G-5 College Football Playoff spot lose big. The USF Bulls crushed the Boise State Broncos 34-7 on Thursday night. Now, the G-5 playoff spot is up for grabs, more so than most believed prior to the Week 1 games. While […]
TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
It’s year two for Around the Group of 5, where I take 1 game from each of the G-5 conferences and give some analysis. While the Power 4 conferences get most of the attention, there are some excellent programs in the G-5 conferences. The G-5 conferences are the American Conference (American), Conference USA (CUSA), the […]
TJ Chapman
Lead Columnist, Editor
Heading into year two in offensive coordinator Drew Cronic’s “Millennial” Wing-T, the Navy Midshipmen are looking to build on 2024’s 10-3 season. Navy is riding the wave of momentum, having won its final three games, including an upset of rival Army in the 125th Army-Navy game. When you think of the Navy offense, the first […]
