When was the last time Navy beat Notre Dame? Closer look at Fighting Irish's Week 9 matchup

The No. 12 Notre Dame Fighting Irish under coach Marcus Freeman will clash against the undefeated No. 24 Navy Midshipmen in Week 9 of college football action. The teams meet in an annual rivalry game dating back to 1927 and spanning the World War 2 years when the Midshipmen used their facilities to keep the Fighting Irish from going under.

Last season, the Fighting Irish blew out the Midshipmen 42-3 in Week Zero of college football, leading the series 82-13-1. The Fighting Irish won the last six games between them, with Navy last beating them 28-27 in 2016.

During his weekly news conference, Navy coach Brian Newberry highlighted the game's enormity.

“It’s a great opportunity for our team and our program,” Newberry said. “These are the kind of games you want to play in. It’s a great thing about coming to school here at Navy, is you get to play a team like Notre Dame every year: a big game on the national stage like that. That’s what you want.”

Notre Dame versus Navy has taken on new significance

The annual Notre Dame Fighting Irish versus Navy Midshipmen game has always been a historical rivalry, and the former once held a unique record in the matchup, winning 43 straight games between the pair (1964-2006).

But for the first time in 45 years, Navy is 6-0 while Notre Dame cannot afford a slip-up after losing to the Northern Illinois Huskies in Week 2 following a promising start to the season.

During his weekly news conference, Fighting Irish coach Marcus Freeman mentioned his enthusiasm at playing in the annual rivalry game with a lot at stake rather than the usual ceremonial meeting between the sides.

“I love it,” said Freeman. “We’re looking forward to a great challenge. To play a 6-0 team, as the head coach you’d much rather do that than play a team that’s 0-6, because it doesn’t take much to motivate your guys.

“Especially defensively, we have to find a way to get red zone stops versus this team. They’re obviously good on both sides of the ball. Offensively, it’s having a great plan and making sure we finish with touchdowns and not field goals."

The annual Notre Dame-Navy game will continue through 2032 after the sides signed a 12-year agreement to continue the tradition that will surpass a century in three years.