2007 Navy Vs. Notre Dame Football Game - Leading Into The Game

Leading Into The Game

The Navy–Notre Dame football rivalry is the longest running college football series between two teams not in the same conference. The 2007 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team began the season with a 33–3 loss to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. It was the most lopsided loss Notre Dame had ever suffered in a season-opening game. Notre Dame then lost to Penn State, Michigan (tying Notre Dame's worst-ever loss at 38–0), Michigan State, and Purdue It was the first time in school history for Notre Dame to open the season with five losses. Notre Dame's worst opening prior to 2007 was 0–3.

The Fighting Irish snapped their losing streak with a win at UCLA but then lost to Boston College and USC to fall to 1–7. With only four regular season games remaining, Notre Dame was assured of a losing season and they were out of contention for a bowl game.

The 2007 Navy Midshipmen football team was off to a better start. They had achieved victories against Temple, Duke, Air Force, and Pittsburgh. Losses against Rutgers, Ball State, Wake Forest, and Delaware put them 4–4 on the season. With four games remaining in the season, Navy needed to win at least two in order to be invited to a bowl game. The Poinsettia Bowl and Navy had arranged for Navy to play in that bowl if they reached six wins.

Both teams play NCAA Division I FBS football as independent teams, unaffiliated with any conference. The game was televised nationally by NBC, which has the exclusive TV broadcast rights to Notre Dame home games.