Iskoe: Irish should beat Navy
Based on his passing ability, Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada will remind no one of Roger Staubach. But the two might be linked in history after Saturday.
Kaheaku-Enhada has a realistic chance to be the first quarterback since Staubach in 1963 to lead the Midshipmen to a victory over Notre Dame.
The Irish, suffering through a pitiful season at 1-7, can make a minor turnaround or experience more major embarrassments with stretch-run games against Navy, Air Force, Duke and Stanford.
“This seemingly is the worst Notre Dame team in the past half-century,” handicapper Andy Iskoe (thelogicalapproach.com) said.
The Irish are 3-point home favorites over the Midshipmen, and while most fans will be pulling for an upset, Iskoe said Notre Dame is a good bet to extend its 43-game winning streak against Navy, which is the longest against one opponent in NCAA history.
Sophomore quarterback Evan Sharpley will start for the Irish, who rank last in the nation in total offense at 188 yards per game.
The Midshipmen, 4-4 straight up and 2-5 against the spread, rush for 343 yards per game, best in the nation. Kaheaku-Enhada runs their triple-option attack, and backup Jarod Bryant sometimes replaces him because Bryant is the better passer.
Bryant took over for Kaheaku-Enhada last week, when Navy lost 59-52 at home to Delaware.
“Clearly, the statistics overwhelmingly favor Navy, but there remains a huge gap in overall talent, and Notre Dame did have last week off,” Iskoe said.
“It would be an embarrassment to lose to a team you’ve owned for over 40 years, and Navy is not as good as it was last season when the Irish won, 38-14.”
Iskoe pointed out that Notre Dame’s eight previous opponents, with a combined 49-19 record, are all bowl bound.
“It’s not an excuse, but it does tell you the Irish have faced some pretty good competition,” said Iskoe, projecting a 31-17 Notre Dame win. “Navy has been torched by some average teams.”
Iskoe offers another play for Saturday (home team in CAPS):
• Troy (+16) over GEORGIA: Since moving up to Division I, which is now called the Football Bowl Subdivision, the Trojans are 1-7 straight up but 6-2 against the spread facing Southeastern Conference opponents. This is a flat spot for the Bulldogs off their huge victory over Florida and with Auburn on deck. It’s a game that means more to Troy than it does to Georgia, and we’re not asking the Trojans to win, we’re asking them to be competitive.
Troy, 6-2 straight up and against the spread this season, has scoring potential with senior quarterback Omar Haugabook ranking ninth in the nation in total offense.
Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2907.