The Navy Midshipmen are currently sitting on top of the AAC with a 9-2 record, but they are not ranked in the Top 25 entering Week 14. This means that entering the College Football Playoffs as one of the top teams in college football may be difficult, but they still have a chance, especially if they win the AAC, as conference champions usually get a good chance of getting in, regardless of ranking.
Brian Newberry still has a good chance to make it to the CFP, but Tulane must lose against the struggling Charlotte 49ers and also win against their eternal rivals, the Army Black Knights. Should Tulane win and they lose, Tulane would be going to the CFP, and should both teams win, it should go to Tulane, as Tulane is currently ranked higher than Navy.
Yes, Navy sits on top of the AAC standings, but that is with the AAC, not the College Football Playoff Rankings, which are the ones that decide which team would go. The Midshipmen are on a three-team race to get to the top of the conference with Tulane and North Texas, and as of the moment, it could be anybody’s ballgame as all three teams are hungry not just for a conference title, but also a spot at the College Football Playoffs.
All three teams are relying on making it to the American Conference Championship Game, and should both North Texas and Tulane lose their respective next games, Navy would hold home field advantage for the conference championship game and have a shot at entering the CFP. However, the team can do nothing but just wait and hope for both their rivals to lose their respective final games of the season.
This is a tight conference which could go down the wire, though Navy still has a chance.
Brian Newberry Talks About Important Rivalry Game vs. Army
Simply put, Navy must not just win against Army, but they also need the two other teams to lose. Newberry knows the pressure and believes his players can deal with it.
“This can be a very emotional game, and you have got to be careful that you almost don’t have to get them on for this game. You almost have to pull them back a little bit. You know, execution is more important than emotion in this game. We’ve got to be even keel. We’ve got to take it one play at a time and understand there’s going to be some ups and downs in the course of the game. There’s gonna be some adversity, and you’ve got to look at that, and you’ve got to move on to the next play”
That is easier said than done, as Army is heading into the rivalry game with an 11-1 record and has won its last two matchups against Navy. Still, the Midshipmen must win this one to keep their playoff hopes alive.
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