Notre Dame has beaten Navy in 82 of their 96 meetings going back to 1927. It has won the last six games by an average of 23.5 points. It reflects college football Darwinian theory that the strongest survive.

The last time Notre Dame and Navy played, it was late August 2023 and the game was held in Ireland. Notre Dame partied, posting a 42-3 win for its sixth straight victory in the long series.

For some – mostly Notre Dame fans – it’s a little weird to truly call the series a rivalry, because of the lopsided record that the Irish hold over the Midshipmen: 82-13-1. The game is still played every year largely because of its symbolism and the history between the two schools.