Navy Football

The only moment missing in Navy's loss last week to Ohio State was the fairytale ending.  The game had everything a college football fan desires in a underdog victory story except one important detail:  the victory. 

Navy's charge began in the fourth quarter and included big plays, punishing runs and increasing suspense. It was only an errant pass from quarterback Ricky Dobbs on a pivotal two-point conversion attempt that kept Navy from spoiling Ohio State's national championship aspirations. The game rendered national attention for the Midshipmen in their losing effort, but for the wrong reasons.

Many "experts" faulted Ohio State for looking past Navy to their second-week matchup against USC, and neglected to give Navy the credit for running the ball all over the Buckeyes. In the end, the win went to OSU and Navy went home with some satisfaction in taking it to a national powerhouse.

The loss is obviously still fresh in the Midshipmen's minds. Maybe too fresh. In an interview Monday with the Annapolis Capital, Coach Ken Niumatalolo remarked, "We have to get ready for Louisiana Tech. They are a good football team that won a bowl game last year. If we start looking through the rear-view mirror it’s going to be a long year."

The Naval Academy has a history of showing up in big games, but must take care in not looking past the lesser foes. With that said, Louisiana Tech will not roll over easily.  he Bulldogs gave Auburn all they could handle for the better part of three quarters, until Auburn finally put the game out of reach with a few big plays.

Coach Niumatalolo voiced concerns about the Midshipmen's first home game, and the visiting squad. "They are a very good football team," Coach Niumatalolo observed. "They are big and fast and they have very good skill kids. Their kick returner scares me. They have a good running back and quarterback. We are both the same in that we lost our first game. I’m sure they are going to want to get a win just like we do."

Despite his flattering remarks, Niumatalolo may be salivating at his offense's chances in the running game. La. Tech gave up over 300 yards on the ground to Auburn, a statistical category Navy has dominated in Division I football for the last six years. 

The triple option attack gave Ohio State fits, and should be an issue for the Bulldogs at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Saturday.  An effective and punishing ground game, coupled with unexpected shots taken downfield by Dobbs, should give Navy the edge against La. Tech.

Niumatalolo left no doubt that he would mentally prepare his players for their next game after an emotional letdown at the Horseshoe. "Last week is in the past," Navy's second-year coach noted. "We have to correct the errors we made."

An impressive showing against OSU could mean Navy is continuing to improve as a program.  However, as Niumatalolo noted, nostalgia and regret could haunt his team for an entire season.  A win at home this weekend could go a long way towards helping the team to forget. 

Kickoff is less than 48 hours away.

To gain some perspective and insight, I talked to the good folks at The Birddog about the Navy squad appearing in Ohio Stadium on Saturday. They let us know the players we need to watch and gave us some additional information on the Commander-in-Chief Trophy holder for the last six years.

Where does this year’s Navy team rank in the last five years?

Defensively, it’s probably going to be the best. A few of these guys will be starting for their third straight year. They came on strong in 2008, with back-to-back shutouts to end the regular season. Offensively, nobody knows. On one hand, not having to juggle three quarterbacks like last season is a plus. On the other hand, they lost a lot of proven performers to graduation. I think most people are confident in the offense’s ability, but it’s one of those things you don’t really know until they play actual games.

Give us the positions of strength/weakness?

Strength—Linebacker, without a doubt. They’re all seniors, they’ve all played a ton, and they all have ability. Ross Pospisil was the team’s leading tackler a year ago. Clint Sovie was moved from inside to outside LB to take advantage of his speed; he’ll be the team’s main pass rusher.

Weakness—I don’t know if I’d call it a weakness quite yet, but some last-minute shuffling on the offensive line depth chart isn’t exactly good for the nerves.

Best/worst-case scenario for this season?

The goal of every Navy football team is to 1) win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, and 2) get to a bowl game. Anything above and beyond that is gravy; anything less is a disappointment. With Navy’s schedule and a lot of unproven talent on offense, it’s going to be a challenge.

Who is Navy’s best player?

DE Jabaree Tuani. He was the ECAC Rookie of the Year last year, and led the team in tackles for loss as a freshman. It’s very unusual for any lineman to play much as a freshman at the Naval Academy; the first year at the school tends to lead to tired legs and weight loss. As good as Tuani was last year, it’s exciting to think of how good he can be without plebe burdens weighing him down.

Nate Frazier’s loss is huge for the Midshipmen but Navy still returns the other key defensive lineman, including Jabaree Tuani. Can the line, and defense overall, absorb the loss of Frazier?

I think so. Chase Burge, the nose guard stepping in for Frazier, had played well enough in practice that the coaches had already planned on giving him more playing time anyway. That doesn’t mean that losing Nate doesn’t hurt; Nate is a special kind of player that we don’t usually see at the Naval Academy. But it probably means the defensive line just goes from being elite (by Navy standards) to really, really good.

Navy played three quarterbacks last season, but two have now departed leaving junior Ricky Dobbs to run the show. At times last season, he looked like Navy’s best QB. Is the position in better hands now that he is not sharing the job?

The best quarterback that Navy has ever had when it comes to mastery of this offense was Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada…When he was healthy. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for most of last year. Ricky Dobbs isn’t at that level yet, and probably never will be. But he has improved, and is probably the best passer Navy has had in at least 15 years. There’s plenty to work with there. Having some stability at the position for a change can only help matters.

The hiring of Coach Niumatalolo seemed to provide continuity for one of the hottest programs in the country. Does the Navy fan base feel confident Niumatalolo can maintain the momentum the program was experiencing under Paul Johnson?

I can’t speak for Navy fans in general, but if they aren’t confident in Coach Niumat, then they aren’t paying attention. He seemed to be a little uncomfortable being the face of the program at first, but man has that changed. I’m not sure you’ll find a more open and candid coach in the country, including Paul Johnson. I think he’s comfortable with being so open because he’s just that confident in what he’s doing. He has every reason to be; he was here for the last seven years. He knows what it took to build this program, as do his assistants, many of whom raised a few eyebrows by choosing to stay in Annapolis rather than follow Paul Johnson to Georgia Tech.

The straw that stirs the service academy football drink is recruiting. Service academies have such a limited pool of players to recruit from that it’s crucial to consistently beat out your two biggest rivals if you want to be competitive. Coach Niumatalolo and the Navy staff were able to win most of the head-to-head recruiting battles with Air Force and Army last year, which bodes well for a first-year coach.

Ohio State does not play the return game in this series until 2014. Are Navy fans disappointed with the delay?

Again, I can’t really speak for all Navy fans, but I haven’t given it a second thought.

Navy has 51 wins over the last six seasons, the fourth most of any non-BCS conference program. Are the last six years the best extended run for Navy since the late 50's and early 60's?

George Welsh had a particularly good stretch from 1978-1981, but the longer Navy maintains their current run of success, the harder it gets to disagree with that opinion.

Finally, the schedule is front loaded for Navy with road trips to Ohio State and Pittsburgh sandwiching a home game versus Louisiana Tech. How will Navy’s start affect the team and will they make another bowl game this season?

Don’t sleep on Louisiana Tech, either. They were a bowl team last season, one of eight on Navy’s schedule. It might not be a schedule that will make anyone in the Big Ten sit up and take notice, but for a service academy it’s extremely challenging. The Mids started 1-2 last year before rebounding with back-to-back wins over Rutgers and #16 Wake Forest. It’s going to be a tall order not to have to repeat that scenario. The back half of the schedule really isn’t any easier, with Wake Forest, Notre Dame, and a trip out to Hawaii, which is always difficult.

Navy is playing 13 games this season, which means they’ll need seven wins to qualify for the Texas Bowl. They can do it, but there really isn’t any margin for error. The Mids will probably have to win a few games they won’t be favored in.

This is how cheesy sports movies are made.  A classic David vs. Goliath story of a team defying all odds to emerge victorious in a hostile environment. 

You can count on someone in the stadium starting a slow clap, with tens of thousands slowly joining in.  The cacophony grows until the underestimated underdog marches off the field, hands held high, hoisting their tough-love coach in the air.  Freeze frame, and fade to black and white to a soundtrack by Hans Zimmer. 

Our story starts on the banks of the Severn River, with a practice field overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.  There, in the stifling summer humidity and unforgiving sun, undersized athletes from all over the country meet to sweat on the field of friendly strife.  Walk-ons and recruited stars from small high schools find themselves on the same field, working to earn a starting roster spot.

A weathered, tanned coach stalks the sidelines and stops to occasionally correct a young man’s form or stance.  A lone whistle hangs from his neck, a clipboard clenched in his palm and a visor on his head to the midday sun out of his squinting eyes.  Only one day is on his mind, a day in the not-too-distant future where his boys will need to summon every ounce of strength, training, and heart to defeat their foe. 

The nation is behind this team, yet they are doubted on every level.  They are too small, too weak, too slow, too inexperienced.  They will surely be out-matched, out-coached, out-hustled, out-played and eventually, out-scored.  The team’s mere presence on the field come gameday will be laughable.  It will be said that they don’t belong there.

Perhaps the match was set for national exposure, for money, or as a warm-up for the champs.  Whatever the reason, the game is on the schedule and after sixty minutes, a winner will be decided.  Pregame odds appear insurmountable, and the victory is practically pre-registered in the “win” column for the champs.

More than likely, the game will be a typical beat-down of a lesser foe by a national powerhouse.  It will be Michael Jordan vs. Everybody Else, Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France, Tiger Woods vs. the field or Wayne Gretzky vs. any goalie.  SportsCenter will air thirty seconds of highlights, only to project the predicted winner in early-season glory.

However, what if our story is an instant classic?  What if, like in every Disney movie, the underdog emerges victorious and the average Joes upset the superstars?  Instantly the outcome will gain national attention and will be mentioned in the same breath as Appalachian State/Michigan or the Miracle on Ice.

Such is the opportunity that lies before the Midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy as they take the field against Ohio State on Saturday.  The matchup is laughable to college football experts, and only a fool would put money on Navy to pull off the impossible.  Ohio State has clearly scheduled the game as an early-season exhibition that will count toward their win total. 

The only place hope resides is on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy.  The student body is not delusional; they are realists who understand the task their team faces.  However, if anyone believes an upset of titanic proportions can occur, it’s the Midshipmen.  After all, only two years ago they accomplished what was then considered impossible by beating Notre Dame after 43 straight losses.  The motto then remains their motto today:  “I believe that we will win.”  

So put your money on Ohio State.  Expect a double digit victory by the Buckeyes.  But don't be surprised when the boys in blue and gold call on the ghosts of Roger Staubach and Rip Miller to pull off the greatest upset this season in college football.

Every summer, I make do with the monotony and the boring, college football-less Saturdays by doing my best to scout all 120 FBS teams. Plus, as a gambling man and a rabid college football fan, I like to know what I’m talking about.

In this 12-part feature, I’ll break down each conference, including the independents, ranking the teams in order of how good I perceive them to be heading into the season. It will be complete with last year's win-loss record, and my predictions for each team's 2009 win-loss record.

Feel free to comment on what a splendid job you think I’ve done and how my analysis and forecast is dead-on. Or you can disagree; whatever.


Part 4: The no-conference conference.

3. Army Black Knights

Last Year: 3-9

My 2009 Prediction: Coming Soon

New head coach Rich Ellerson has become the third coach in the last four years at Army, probably because they’ve won a mere nine games in the last three years combined. In fact, Army hasn’t had a winning season since 1996.

Ellerson comes over from a Cal Poly team that was a few missed extra points away from upsetting Wisconsin last season in an overtime scare.

This season, 12 starters return, but there still must be a depth problem, considering the 6’10” 283-pound Ali Villanueva, who started 12 games at left tackle last year, is now a starting WR.

Ellerson brings the triple option offense similar to Navy, but with a lot more passing. The new offensive scheme could take a while to implement properly, especially with no clear-cut starter at quarterback. Right now, it looks like returning starter Chip Bowden will be the guy under center, but he only threw for 282 yards, two touchdowns,\ and three interceptions last year.

The defense is undersized, but it will make up for that with speed, toughness, and by going 100 mph all the time. Army may get aggressive on defense, however, and the Black Knights will be exploited by teams with the ability of throwing the ball down field in one-on-one matches against the cornerbacks.

Although the schedule is as easy as it could get for most other programs, Army still doesn’t look to have all the pieces together to break its streak of losing seasons. It does, however, have what might be the perfect fit for a head coach, and the program looks to be headed in the right direction.

Expect improvements this year, and a much better season next year.

2. Navy Midshipmen

Last Year: 8-5

My 2009 Prediction: 9-4

Paul Johnson, now the head coach at Georgia Tech, brought the triple option offense to Navy back in 2002. And after his first season, his Navy team lead the nation in rushing four of the next five seasons.

Last year, new head coach Ken Niumatalolo took over, and the Midshipmen didn’t miss a beat, once again leading the nation in rushing for the fourth straight season. Last year's defense played unexpectedly well, considering it was supposed to be the weakness of the team.

But this year, the defense needs to be the strength now that the three-headed monster of quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada and running backs Shaun White and Eric Kettani, who ran the triple option so well last year, are gone. The defense certainly has some key components in place with linebackers Clint Sovie and Ross Pospisil, who combined for 166 tackles last year.

While you may not recognize the new names at running back, Navy does a good job of putting the right personnel in place to run the offense. Quarterback Ricky Dobbs, who filled in nicely last year when Kaipo-Noa was injured, will take over under center. This Navy team seems to be a much more balanced team than in the past, but it will continue to run the triple option that can give even the best of teams fits.

While there are some tough games on the schedule, including Ohio State, Pitt, Wake Forest, and Notre Dame, the rest of the games are very winnable. Navy is well-prepared to earn its seventh straight bowl appearance.

1. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Last Year: 7-6

My 2009 Prediction: 9-3

After a few down seasons, this is the year Notre Dame gets back to being a national powerhouse and coach Charlie Weis’ seat cools down.

This should also be quarterback Jimmy Clausen’s breakout season, although if he hadn’t thrown 17 interceptions last season, his 25 touchdowns and 3,172 passing yards would have looked that much better. Clausen won’t have as many mistakes in his junior season, and with a star playmaker in wide receiver Golden Tate, the passing game could be electric.

One weakness might be the lack of a solid No. 1 running back, but three running backs from last year that each have at least 90 carries are all back. The offensive line that gave up a league-worst 58 sacks in 2007 improved to just 22 sacks allowed last year, and it should be even more improved this season.

It remains to be seen if running back Armando Allen can step up and provide the desperately-needed spark to the ground game, but Clausen will be better if the offensive line can control the line and pave the way.

Defensively, the team looks very solid and experienced. With a talented secondary, the linebackers can afford to be more aggressive and put pressure in the backfield.

Although Notre Dame plays a very difficult schedule, it has the pieces in place to finish the season in the top 10 and to play in a bowl game come January.

The 2009 season begins September 5, with one of the headliners being an interesting matchup: Ohio State vs Navy in Columbus, Ohio.

But for myself, this matchup means more than just a game. This is a game that has truly a special meaning.

Me a student at one school, my older brother, Lt. Matthew Bielik, USN stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, a 2004 graduate of the latter institution.

I have grown a place in my heart for Navy football—I'd consider them to be almost my second favorite team—and I have grown fondness for a team that no one should ever boo at.

A team made up of kids who will defend our country in the years to come; a team that plays with so much heart every week.

And I for one am very excited to see the two teams I root for going up against each other.

Though one team is more athletic and more talented than the other, the other is brought together by a special bond: duty to country.

And not to mention that they play some pretty good football in Annapolis also.

Though because of their school's limitations—Navy does not have high-caliber athletes—they run the triple option offense very effectively.

Very rarely do you see a team outrun the Midshipmen in a season. Their game is predicated on precision and football IQ.

Truly, 11 guys playing as one; a band of brothers who will fight together on the football field and on the battlefield one day.

For these young men, the game of football means more than just a fat paycheck years down the road. Because of required service commitments, Midshipmen football players are very rarely NFL prospects.

These men join the Academy to serve America, but they still hold a special place in their hearts for football.

On September 5th, these men will play a football game in Columbus against one of college football's elite programs, and will more than likely create many fond memories they will carry with them wherever duty and military commitment takes them.

And all 105,000+ fans that come to the game should understand that even though they are the adversaries for three hours on the football field, they are what makes our country special.

As for the game itself, Navy football is, as mentioned, about the triple option, brought back to the game by current Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson.

Johnson installed the option game into Navy's playbook and it has been a staple of the program for most of this decade.

Currently, Ken Niumatalolo, Johnson's successor, hopes to continue the program's recent run of success which has featured six straight bowl appearances, all of them eight-win seasons.

Leading rushers TB Shun White and FB Eric Kettani have departed along with talented pitchman Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada at QB.

Eight of nine Navy offensive plays are running plays, but they have tremendous versatility and an unselfish corps of runners ready to make big plays.

This offense works to slow down the game and take time off of the clock keeping the defense fresh. When it doesn't work, the D is in for a long day.

As is the case with the Midshipmen, expect to see alot of different people run the football, as in 2008 when Navy fans saw seven different runners score a TD on the ground.

So unlike most teams where you see one feature back, don't be surprised with who gets the ball.

Ohio State brings a mostly young defense in the back seven, but a front four of talented athletes is expected to cause havoc in the Navy backfield.

Offensively, the Buckeyes have the horses led by Terrelle Pryor to pose numerous challenges for the Midshipmen defense.

Nonetheless, one thing about Navy is that they will play a very intense and spirited game. That's something that every opponent must prepare for.

With USC looming in the background, some would expect the Buckeyes to look past Navy. That would be a big mistake.

No doubt spirited football will be on display from both sidelines, Ohio State with something to prove, the Midshipmen exhibiting their full love of the game.

In the end, Ohio State's athletes will be the difference, but one has to admire the desire of these young men, who will trade their football gear for combat gear in a short time.

They are truly winners at life, as they are the leaders of tomorrow.

Prediction: Ohio State 35 - Navy 17

The Navy game is the first game in the coveted Commander-in-Chief between the service academies, and Navy has defeated the Air Force six straight times, as well as winning the Commander-in-Chief each of the past six years as well.

As everyone knows, the Midshipmen run a triple option offense, which makes them a very dangerous team when they play schools with better athletes.

The Navy does not have the same players as their ACC and Big East neighbors, but with misdirection plays, and running a unique offense allows the Navy to counter against better athletes for a more level playing field.

Head coach Ken Niumatalolo, entering his second year season, looks to build on the success of the former coach (currently at Georgia Tech) and also upon his first year at the Navy.

The offense has, what seems, interchangeable parts, with new Cadets graduating and new ones taking over their place. The biggest question this year is on quarterbacks, because the Navy lost its top two quarterbacks and is being replaced by QB/RB Ricky Dobbs. Below is the leading returning state leaders:

Passing	Com%	YPG	TD	INT
Ricky Dobbs	56.3	53	1	1
Rushing	Carries	Yards	Yards Per Carry	TD
Cory Finnerty	8	71	8.9	1
Ricky Dobbs	106	498	4.7	8
Bobby Doyle	16	169	10.6	1
Receiving	Catches	Yards	Yards Per Catch	TD
Mario Washington	3	56	18.7	0
Mike Schupp	1	14	14	0

These returning numbers are quite low and the mighty Phil Steele created a chart in order of teams with the most offense returning. The Navy returns only 23.2 percent of their offense for the 2009 year, which ranks 118 out of 120.

That also correlates with how experienced this team on offense is in 2009 and is in the bottom ten percent of that category as well. The quarterback position at the Navy is one that needs to be lead by a smart individual who also has speed, like a running back, and they need to throw a little bit. Dobbs is the choice because he has the experience at quarterback and running back as he played both last year.

The running game did lose an overwhelming majority of their offense, and with Dobbs moving to quarterback, the leading returning rusher at running back is Bobby Doyle. Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada was a three year starter for Navy and while experience is gold at the quarterback position, back in 2005 when the Navy had a first time starting quarterback in Lamar Owens and won eight games.

With Dobbs at the helm, the Navy should not worry too much, because this Navy team has had six winning seasons and knows how to win games. The running game will be joined by a few new comers with slot back Marcus Curry and Alex Teich at fullback.

Just because they are new does not mean they will not put up the typical Navy rushing numbers, which, by the way, if one does not know, is a lot. Now while the passing game is not used too often in the Navy arsenal, it is a potent weapon.

Most teams concentrate on the option which sucks in the safeties, and then Navy will throw the deep ball over the top. If Ricky Dobbs is able to perform the over the top pass, and run the offense with new backs then the Navy offense should be its typical self. The Navy defense is putting most of its speed players on that side of the ball in order to counter the offense.

The 2009 Navy defense depth chart lists five positions as co-starters, now this could be a good thing with both players are too good to make a decision during the spring. Or, it could be that neither player has separated themselves to nail down the starting position.

The 2008 defense was middle of the pack nationally by allowing 346 per game, but that number could increase because the 2009 schedule is a little bit more tougher then the 2008 version. Turnover margin is what makes Navy stand out, 2008 the Midshipmen were plus 15 in the turnover margin and out gained opponents on average 1.15 per game.

While the offense maybe inexperienced the defense is loaded with upper class-man, and in the post-spring three deep only eight of thirty-four are Sophomores.

The defense should be just as good as last year with more experienced team, and all opponents including their season opener against Ohio State should be careful of the Midshipmen.

He’s 6'1", 240 lbs., and runs a 40-yard dash in the mid 4.5s. He ran for nearly 1,000 yards for the nation’s best rushing offense a year ago, averaging over five yards per carry. He can bench press close to 400 pounds and power clean an equally impressive 395 pounds. A 32-inch vertical leap only rounds out his impressive physical numbers.

Wake Forest linebacker and potential top 10 draft choice Aaron Curry called him one of the best fullbacks or running backs he’s ever played against, while NFLDraftScout.com lists him as their eighth-best fullback prospect in all of college football.

He’s Navy’s Eric Kettani, and last night he joined Brian Sakowski and Adam Nettina on the In The Bleachers Podcast.

Aside from talking about his impressive Senior Bowl performance and possible NFL future, Eric spoke to us about his career at Navy, the NFL scouting process, and who impressed him the most at the Senior Bowl. We here at In The Bleachers want to thank Eric for his time and wish him the best in both his future military and potential pro football career.

To listen to the episode, you can download it here or subscribe as laid out below.

Remember, if you want the podcast you must subscribe to the Feedburner, but if you want to subscribe to the blog, please use the RSS feed. This is for iTunes to be able to archive the shows. You can also search for “In The Bleachers” on iTunes and subscribe to the podcast that way.

Enjoy this week’s episode of In The Bleachers, and if you have any questions or comments to the show, please email them to inthebleachers AT gmail DOT com.

Last year the Detroit Lions selected Army linebacker Caleb Campbell late in the 2008 NFL Draft, and there was a lot of debate when the United States Government decided to add a new rule that allowed military academy grads to go straight to the NFL and delay their service.

With the Army’s alternative-service-option policy created in 2005, Campbell would have been allowed to play football while completing his military service as a recruiter and then in the reserves, but then on July 8 the military revised that rule, which forced Campbell to join his West Point classmates and delay his NFL Dream.

This year, a year after Campbell, there is another service academy member who could be facing the same issue come Draft Day 2009. Navy fullback Eric Kettani is scheduled to join us on an In The Bleachers Podcast in the near future and is fresh off a solid Senior Bowl experience, where he scored a touchdown and had a good week at practice.

The real struggle for Kettani might not be to get drafted, or even signed as a free agent if he isn’t drafted, but whether the new administration reverses the decision by the old one, which would allow Kettani to leap right into the NFL without any wait.

Scouts are saying that Kettani has the tools, and it was evident in his workout, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds. He also boasts a 32-inch vertical leap and is able to bench press 395 pounds and clean 335.

Even with all of that, NFL teams might be shying away from him unless there is a clear path that he will be able to play and participate in NFL Camps after the draft.

I am all for letting athletes in the Service Academies postpone their Service to their country in order to try their luck with the NFL or other professional sport. It is good publicity for the Service Academies and might attract other athletes who would not have considered going to Army, Navy, or the Air Force.

But whether the administration decides to postpone his commitment or not, just make a decision and make it quick. This young man does not need to go through the emotional roller coaster that Caleb Campbell went through last season.

This postseason, B/R college football writers are teaming up to preview every bowl game. Be sure to check them all out!

Wake Forest Demon Deacons (7-5) vs. Navy (8-4)

Saturday, Dec. 20, 2008 11:00 AM ET

RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.

Spread: -3

How they got here...

Navy got here; well, because they're the Naval Academy. This is the inaugural EagleBank Bowl and being that the game is held in our nation's capital, the organizers were more than happy to invite the Independent Midshipmen team. 

Wake Forest finished a dismal third (three-way tie) in the ACC Atlantic Division, getting the early bowl bid.

Statistically speaking...

This is a much-anticipated (if you live in Winston-Salem) rematch of a game played in late September in which Navy handed the Deacons their first loss of the season. Wake Forest had high hopes of success in a shallow ACC conference this year, but proved that they can't hold water either. 

Navy has been playing good football against bad teams. Their most impressive win was against this Wake Forest team and they were handed losses at the hands of Notre Dame and Duke. However, they have been playing defense well, having not been scored on since the Notre Dame game on Nov. 15.

Wake Forest wins if...

...quarterback Riley Skinner throws to the right team. In their previous game, Skinner threw four interceptions. Besides that, he was 26/40 for 270 yards and a touchdown. 

The WF defense also needs to contain Navy's wishbone offense, and not give up the yards on the ground that they did back in September.

Navy wins if...

...they run, run, run. The Midshipmen led college football with 298.3 rushing yards per game. Running back Eric Kettani racked up 175 yards against Wake Forest in the first meeting.

B/R Expert Picks...

Trey Bradley: Wake Forest

Lisa Horne: Navy

Mitch: Wake Forest

Brian Scott: Wake Forest

David Wunderlich: Navy

Justin Goar:  Navy

GeorgiaDawg: Wake Forest

Michael Cline: Wake Forest

While I've enjoyed having a week to look at match ups and getting a chance to write about some other things besides just analyzing games and making picks, I'm ready for some college football action again.

My favorite thing I got to write about was the Coach of the Year Award, while it's something I was asked to write about several months ago by the award's sponsor, Liberty Mutual, it's something that I really wanted to wait until the finalists were announced before I wrote about and endorsed anyone, I also wanted to see how the season played out.

The main reasons I enjoyed it is an award the fans get to vote for and so much money gets given to charities and scholarship funds, and really that's what it's all about.

I am starting to see trickles of entries for the free bowl picking contest though to be honest I haven't looked at any of your picks. As things have grown I'm expecting this to be the biggest contest of the season. On a similar note, I have a good deal of Jordan's bowl picks and I will start posting some of them over the next couple of days.

Of course in order to get all of the free picks and to be eligible for the free picking contest  at The College Football Place, you need to sign up for the free newsletter which should take about 20 seconds total. If you have signed up and haven't received your entry form, make sure you have verified your subscription, while it isn't something I like, apparently it's the law as this is how our government thinks it is protecting us from spammers.

I will be using the same expanded format I use in the newsletter for all of my bowl picks and analysis so this will give those who haven't signed up a taste of what to expect, for the rest of you, this is what you have come to expect from us on a weekly basis.

Let's get this started with the first game of the College Football Bowl Season.

EagleBank Bowl   RFK Stadium Washington, D.C.

Wake Forest (7-5) Vs. Navy (8-4)

December 20, 2008  11 am EST  Current Line: Navy +3

Overview:

These two teams met on September 27, 2008 in a game where Wake Forest was a 17 point favorite and lost to Navy outright by a score of 24-17. In that game Wake QB Riley Skinner threw four interceptions, more than half of his season total of seven.

Navy finished the season strong winning four of their last five games while Wake Forest ended the year going 3-4 in their last seven games. Wake played a considerably tougher schedule as Navy's ranked 97th in the country this year.

While rematches aren't what Bowl Committees and bowl teams usually have in mind, this makes for a fairly decent game between two efficient teams.

See Mitch's College Football Bowl Pick against the spread