The Navy Midshipmen outlasted the Air Force Falcons 34-31 on Saturday afternoon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The victory, witnessed by a sellout crowd of 37,517 under sunny skies, propelled Navy to a perfect 5-0 record and gave the Midshipmen an early stranglehold on the 2025 Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy race.
Quarterback Blake Horvath orchestrated a masterful performance, amassing a career-high 469 total yards and four touchdowns to lead Navy’s explosive offense. Horvath completed 20 of 26 passes for 339 yards and three scores, while adding 130 rushing yards on 17 carries, including a 59-yard scamper for a third-quarter touchdown. All three of his aerial strikes found senior slotback Eli Heidenreich, who erupted for a Navy single-game record 243 receiving yards on eight catches, including touchdown receptions of 19, 80, and 60 yards. Heidenreich’s haul not only eclipsed the previous program mark of 179 yards set in 1967 but also elevated him to Navy’s all-time leader in receiving touchdowns with 14.
The game unfolded as a back-and-forth slugfest, with the teams combining for 977 total yards – a far cry from the grind-it-out battles typical of this historic rivalry. Navy struck first with a 39-yard field goal by Nathan Kirkwood at the 11:22 mark of the opening quarter, capping a seven-play, 54-yard drive. Air Force answered swiftly, as quarterback Liam Szarka – who finished with 364 total yards and four touchdowns – burst for a 61-yard gain en route to a 7-yard scoring run, putting the Falcons up 7-3.
The second quarter saw the tempo accelerate. Air Force’s Jacob Medina knotted the score at 10-10 with a 24-yard field goal after a nine-play, 87-yard march. Navy responded with a four-play, 53-yard lightning strike, as Horvath connected with Heidenreich for a 19-yard touchdown. Moments later, on a two-play, 81-yard bomb, Heidenreich hauled in an 80-yard touchdown just before halftime, sending the Midshipmen into the locker room with a 17-10 edge.
Air Force refused to fade in the third. Szarka capped a nine-play, 70-yard drive with a 1-yard sneak to pull within 17-17, aided by a clever fourth-and-2 trick play where fullback Kemper Hodges flipped a 37-yard pass to tight end Bruin Fleischmann. Navy countered with Horvath’s 59-yard dash on an eight-play, 97-yard possession, restoring a 24-17 lead. The Falcons tied it again at 24-24 early in the fourth on Fleischmann’s 18-yard touchdown reception after an 11-play, 75-yard grind.
The final frame delivered pure drama. Heidenreich’s 60-yard score on a four-play, 71-yard drive pushed Navy ahead 31-24. Szarka answered with a 53-yard strike to Jonah Dawson, leveling the score at 31-31 with 10:59 left. Undeterred, Horvath methodically drove Navy 62 yards in 11 plays, setting up Kirkwood’s go-ahead 34-yard field goal at the 6:47 mark.
Navy’s defense, which had struggled against the Falcons’ triple-option attack all afternoon, rose to the occasion in the closing minutes. On Air Force’s ensuing drive, Szarka fumbled a pitch near midfield, and the Midshipmen recovered to seal the win. Linebacker Luke Pirris paced the unit with 12 tackles, while defensive lineman Landon Robinson notched 1.5 sacks.
For Air Force, now 1-4 overall and 0-3 in the Mountain West, Szarka’s heroics – 152 rushing yards and two scores to go with 212 passing yards and two more TDs – offered bright spots in a frustrating defeat. Fleischmann’s breakout game included six catches for 166 yards and a touchdown, surpassing his previous career total in a single afternoon.
This clash marked only the third time in the 62-game series history that both teams topped 30 points, underscoring the evolution of these option-heavy offenses under modern dual-threat quarterbacks. Navy’s efficiency on third downs (5-of-11) and red-zone trips contrasted with Air Force’s three ties, but the Midshipmen’s ability to force two turnovers proved the difference.
With the trophy on the line against Army later this season, Navy’s unbeaten streak – now at eight games – positions them as frontrunners in a rivalry that transcends the gridiron. As Horvath and Heidenreich continue to rewrite the record books, the Mids are sailing full steam ahead.
Mick Lite is a versatile entrepreneur, photographer, and blogger with a huge passion for Music, Sports, Movies, Food, and Gaming. He has worked as an official scorer, social media manager, and photographer for various college, semi pro, and pro sports teams, including the River City Rascals, St. Louis Attack, Missouri Monsters, St. Charles Chill, SLU Billikens, Gateway Steam, St. Louis Riversharks, and Gateway Grizzlies. Served 12 years in the USN/USAF/USN.
