Three Talking Points as Notre Dame Hammers Navy

Notre Dame Fighting Irish trounced Navy Shipmen 51-14 in a surprisingly one-sided clash at the MetLife Stadium on Saturday.

Read on as we analyse the clash between the American college football rivals and bring you three key takeaways from the game.

Riley Leonard Shows his Impressive Growth

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard produced a clinical display that showed why he was a coveted transfer from Duke.

The 22-year-old completed 13 of 21 passes for 178 yards with two touchdown throws and a rushing touchdown. His brilliance on the day could not simply be measured by statistics.

Leonard's composure and poise translated to the whole team, and his decision-making was spot on. His game IQ, which has been developing throughout the season, stood out.

Leonard read Navy's shaky defence and dissected them with crucial plays, including one perfectly timed 37-yard touchdown pass to Beaux Collins that put Notre Dame out of reach.

The South Carolina-born athlete was tipped by online bookmakers to deliver a touchdown pass, and punters in the Republic of Ireland jumped on the bandwagon.

The Fighting Irish have a massive fanbase on the Emerald Isle and sports bettors there were in clover after Leonard produced a stellar performance.

The best betting sites in Ireland were inundated with wagers on Notre Dame, and Leonard’s smart decisions had them laughing all the way to the bank.

He will now hope to lead this team to a play-off spot while showcasing the high ceiling that comes with his skill set. His running ability and passing make him a double-edged threat.

Uncharacteristic Mistakes Plague Navy

Navy came into this clash with a pristine record and looked to remain unbeaten, but they consistently dropped the ball.

They committed six turnovers and five fumbles, which Notre Dame capitalised on to secure 28 points. This was the first time since 2002 that Navy had conceded that many turnovers in a game.

Navy coach Brian Newberry was fuming with his side's performance, lamenting the turnovers that damaged their offensive rhythm and put their defence under immense pressure.

Their inability to control the ball turned what was supposed to be a competitive spectacle into a shockingly one-sided demolition.

Newberry noted, "Sometimes you want something so bad you play outside yourself," capturing the essence of a team that was clearly shaken by the moment.

They never managed to threaten the Irish, apart from a couple of busts on runs by Blake Horvath. The 51 points they shipped is the most they have allowed this season.

Navy's defence could not handle the size, speed and talent of the Irish, who forced them to play arguably their worst game in years.

They will be desperate to bounce back with a win over the Rice Owls at the Rice Stadium next week, but they must fix these jitters or risk another humiliating loss.

Blake Horvath’s Missed Opportunities

No one endured a worse outing than Navy quarterback Horvath, who came into this game tipped to run the show but struggled to make the impact expected of him.

He had suffered a thumb injury that put his appearance into doubt and this affected his play as his ability to execute was compromised.

Horvath was having a remarkable season that put him in the same conversation as NFL first-round draft picks such as Jayden Daniels, CJ Stroud, Mac Jones, Joe Burrow and Kyle Murray.

However, he failed to live up to expectations against Notre Dame. Horvath still managed to rush for 129 yards and a touchdown, but his passing radar malfunctioned.

He completed only seven of 13 attempts for 88 yards, with two giveaways in particular drawing frustration. Horvath also fumbled twice to hand Notre Dame scoring opportunities.

Horvath dropped what should have been a touchdown pass in the end zone during a trick play, missing a glaring opportunity that summed up the Midshipmen's error-prone display.

His mistakes affected his confidence and reflected the entire Navy offensive display, which struggled to maintain its typical efficiency.

The question on everyone's mind is whether he'll be able to spring back from this poor performance or if these mistakes will impact his game as the season progresses.