Navy Cruises Past Cincinnati in Liberty Bowl

On the last day of bowl season, apart from the College Football Playoff, we were all hopeful we’d see good, close games. Largely, that wasn’t the case. In a rainy Liberty Bowl from Memphis, Navy looked comfortable in the wet conditions, as they took care of a short-handed Cincinnati team.

A Liberty Bowl Blowout

Navy’s Rushing Attack Stays Dominant

For the Midshipmen, they stuck to the game plan, as we all assumed they would. Given the conditions, it was even less surprising. They came into this one leading the nation in rushing yards. Against Cincinnati, while they didn’t reach their average, they did manage to put up 241 yards on the ground.

Sticking further to the script, those 241 yards were spread out between eight players. Among those eight, three ran for at least 50 yards. This includes quarterback Blake Horvath carrying the ball 16 times for 53 yards and a touchdown.

Along with Horvath having success on the ground, running back Alex Tecza led the way with 80 yards rushing and a touchdown. Receiver Eli Heidenreich also got in on the action, rushing for 62 yards. For Heidenreich, he did his part receiving as well, as he brought in five passes for 64 yards and another touchdown receiving.

Cincinnati’s Short-Handed Offense Struggles

The Bearcats came into this one likely knowing they were going to be shorthanded. Quarterback Brendan Sorsby ultimately decided to sit out of the Liberty Bowl, as he announced he had entered the transfer portal. That left Cincinnati with senior Brady Lichtenberg taking over quarterback duties. Despite being a senior, Lichtenberg came into this one only having attempted 45 career passes. With the wet conditions and his inexperience, to no one’s real surprise, he struggled a bit. Despite completing 10 of his 15 throws, many were for short gains, as he only threw for 78 yards. He also had a touchdown and an interception to go along with it.

If there was a bright spot in this one for the Bearcats, it was their rushing attack. They managed to put up 142 yards rushing, with Manny Covey and Samaj Jones combining for 135 of those. With both Jones and Covey being underclassmen, they showed promise as Cincinnati now starts looking towards the 2026 season.

The “Middle Eight” Blows Liberty Bowl Open

If you ask many coaches, the “middle eight” is one of the most important time periods of a football game. That is, the last four minutes of the first half, and the first four minutes of the second half. The Liberty Bowl proved to be no different.

Tied at seven, Navy used an 11-play, 80-yard drive to end the first half and take a 14-7 lead into the break. The drive was capped off by a 30-yard touchdown pass from Horvath to Luke Hutchison. Then, to open the second half, they put together an eight-play, 75-yard drive to balloon the lead to 21-7. Against a service academy, trailing by 14 in the second half is a huge hill to climb. Due to the rushing attack, the game gets shortened, limiting possessions to allow for a comeback.

To that point, the Midshipmen used a nearly eight-minute drive spanning the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth, to once again increase the lead to 28-7. The Bearcats scored on their next possession, cutting it to 28-13. But a late interception that was returned for a touchdown ended any hope for a comeback.

With the 35-13 win, Navy ended the year at 11-2. It’s their first 11-win season since 2019, and only the third time they’ve reached that feat in their history. They’ll look to ride that momentum into next season.

For Cincinnati, they finish the season at 7-6. But having lost five straight to end the year, they’ll now look to regroup heading into 2026.