Annapolis, Md. — If there were any lingering doubts about Blake Horvath’s Heisman potential, the Navy quarterback may have silenced them Saturday afternoon. Horvath delivered a spectacular performance, rushing for 174 yards and four touchdowns as the undefeated Midshipmen powered past Florida Atlantic 42–32 to remain unbeaten at 7–0.
The game didn’t start smoothly for Navy. After winning the toss and deferring, the Midshipmen watched Florida Atlantic strike first with a 75-yard opening drive capped by a 43-yard touchdown pass to grab a quick 7–0 lead.
From that point on, however, it was all Navy — led by Horvath’s command and the explosive running of senior slot back Brandon Chatman. Both players rushed for over 140 yards, igniting an offense that controlled the tempo for most of the afternoon.
Navy responded with 14 unanswered points, taking the lead behind Horvath’s 7-yard touchdown run and a 16-yard score from backup quarterback Braxton Woodson. The Owls managed a 30-yard field goal to close the gap, but Horvath struck again late in the half with another 7-yard touchdown scamper to extend the lead to 21–10. FAU added one more field goal before halftime to make it 21–13 at the break.
The Owls threatened early in the third quarter, but Navy’s defense — particularly junior linebacker Coleman Cauley — made the defining play of the game. Cauley stripped the ball and recovered it himself, halting a promising FAU drive and swinging the momentum back to the Midshipmen.
Navy capitalized immediately, scoring 14 straight points to stretch the lead to 35–13 and effectively seal the win. Chatman’s physical running kept the chains moving, while Horvath’s decision-making and power runs kept FAU’s defense guessing all afternoon.
By game’s end, Horvath had compiled 174 rushing yards on 21 carries with four touchdowns, while Chatman added 141 yards on the ground.
With South Florida losing and Tulane idle, Navy now holds a two-game cushion atop the American Athletic Conference standings — and a growing national profile.
Two takeaways were clear from this performance: the Midshipmen deserve a spot in the Top 25, and Blake Horvath belongs in every Heisman conversation.
FAU heads into a bye week, while Navy looks to stay perfect when it travels to North Texas next Saturday.
