End of a 93-year run: Irish are off schedule

But Mids’ series with Notre Dame not over

For decades, the Navy-Notre Dame series has been touted as the “longest continuous intersectional rivalry” in college football, but that 93-year run will come to an end this fall.

The Capital reported early Thursday morning the NavyNotre Dame game would not be played this season, and the news became official when the Atlantic Coast Conference revealed its 2020 schedule, which did not include a NavyNotre Dame matchup over

Labor Day weekend.

Notre Dame was forced to make a decision about the Navy game after the ACC announced changes to its basic schedule format July 29. That plan called for member schools to play 10 conference contests plus one nonconference game. A mandate was included that nonconference matchups must be held within the state of the member school.

“When Notre Dame joined the ACC as, technically, a full member for this season, that one issue became the sticking point,” Navy athletic director Gladchuk told The Capital

Thursday afternoon.

To comply, Notre Dame elected to play Western Michigan at home on Sept. 19 as its lone nonconference opponent. That meant the Navy game, scheduled to be held either Saturday or Sunday of Labor Day weekend in Annapolis, had to be scrapped.

Gladchuk acknowledged he and Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick discussed the idea of Navy going to Indiana to play at Notre Dame Stadium this season, but he said they both agreed playing a third straight season there “didn’t make sense.”

“Chet had briefed me there was a possibility we might lose the game, so it wasn’t out of left field,” Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “It was a real downer because it’s a big game for our program and we love playing against them.”

Just a few hours later Thursday, Navy replaced Notre Dame on the schedule with BYU. The game will take place on Labor Day at 8 p.m. and air on national television on ESPN.

It would have been a monumental event as Navy has never hosted Notre Dame in Annapolis in the history of the series. The Fighting Irish and Midshipmen have met every year since 1927.

The future of the series, however, is not in doubt.

Navy and Notre Dame swiftly reaffirmed their mutual commitment to continue the historic series, and at noon on Thursday Navy issued a press release that included news that the two schools had agreed to extend the series contract to 2032.

For now, the Midshipmen are content with an 11-game schedule after their nonconference contest against Lafayette on Sept. 12 was canceled. However, Gladchuk is not opposed to picking up an opponent to fulfill a contract with CBS Sports Television that calls for broadcasting five Navy home games.