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By John Feinstein
September 26 at 1:58 PM
Navy lost a heartbreaking game Saturday to SMU, 31-30 in overtime, when the Mustangs successfully went for a two-point conversion after scoring to make the score 30-29 in the first extra period.
But, as Coach Ken Niumatalolo pointed out afterward, the two-point conversion didn’t really decide the game: three turnovers by his team and a 50-yard touchdown pass called back by a chop block decided it. The case can also be made that quarterback Malcolm Perry having to come out with a concussion was the difference.
Regardless, the loss dropped the Midshipmen to 2-2 on the season and 1-1 in the American Athletic Conference. They have a much-needed bye this week and then play, in order: at Air Force, Temple, Houston, Notre Dame in San Diego, Cincinnati and at UCF.
That’s quite a gantlet; not a lock win in the bunch. This is the danger of giving up independence to join what has become a very solid conference. In 2014, Navy’s last season as an independent, the schedule included Texas State, Western Kentucky, VMI, San Jose State, Georgia Southern and South Alabama. The Mids went 5-1 in those games.
This year’s schedule includes Lehigh in the role of VMI. Tulsa’s not very good and Tulane’s a disappointment but neither game can be considered a lock. Life in a conference contains far less flexibility and very few breathers.
In January 2012, when Navy announced it would be joining the Big East to play football beginning in 2015, I wrote a column saying I thought the move was a mistake.
Among other things, I pointed out Army’s disastrous foray into Conference USA and that an independent schedule had been an important part of Navy’s success under Paul Johnson and Niumatalolo. I also made the rather simplistic point that I didn’t understand why Navy would mess with success. At that time, the Midshipmen had the Commander-in-Chiefs Trophy seven times in nine seasons, beaten Army 10 straight times and gone to a bowl game eight times in nine years.
Perspective | For Navy football, the cost of joining the AAC might only now becoming due
September 26 at 1:58 PM
Navy lost a heartbreaking game Saturday to SMU, 31-30 in overtime, when the Mustangs successfully went for a two-point conversion after scoring to make the score 30-29 in the first extra period.
But, as Coach Ken Niumatalolo pointed out afterward, the two-point conversion didn’t really decide the game: three turnovers by his team and a 50-yard touchdown pass called back by a chop block decided it. The case can also be made that quarterback Malcolm Perry having to come out with a concussion was the difference.
Regardless, the loss dropped the Midshipmen to 2-2 on the season and 1-1 in the American Athletic Conference. They have a much-needed bye this week and then play, in order: at Air Force, Temple, Houston, Notre Dame in San Diego, Cincinnati and at UCF.
That’s quite a gantlet; not a lock win in the bunch. This is the danger of giving up independence to join what has become a very solid conference. In 2014, Navy’s last season as an independent, the schedule included Texas State, Western Kentucky, VMI, San Jose State, Georgia Southern and South Alabama. The Mids went 5-1 in those games.
This year’s schedule includes Lehigh in the role of VMI. Tulsa’s not very good and Tulane’s a disappointment but neither game can be considered a lock. Life in a conference contains far less flexibility and very few breathers.
In January 2012, when Navy announced it would be joining the Big East to play football beginning in 2015, I wrote a column saying I thought the move was a mistake.
Among other things, I pointed out Army’s disastrous foray into Conference USA and that an independent schedule had been an important part of Navy’s success under Paul Johnson and Niumatalolo. I also made the rather simplistic point that I didn’t understand why Navy would mess with success. At that time, the Midshipmen had the Commander-in-Chiefs Trophy seven times in nine seasons, beaten Army 10 straight times and gone to a bowl game eight times in nine years.
Perspective | For Navy football, the cost of joining the AAC might only now becoming due
