Navy Falls At Notre Dame in Top-25 Matchup

11.16.19

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Chase Claypool caught four touchdown passes to match a school record and No. 16 Notre Dame shut down Navy's triple-option in a 52-20 win against the 21st-ranked Midshipmen on Saturday.

Ian Book completed 14 of 20 passes for 284 yards and five touchdowns before exiting midway through the third quarter and the Irish (8-2, No. 16 CFP) up 45-3.

Claypool caught seven passes for 117 yards with scoring receptions of 7, 47 and 3 yards from Book to give the Irish a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. Book threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Braden Lenzy later in the quarter as Notre Dame took a 38-3 halftime lead and then hit Claypool with a 20-yard scoring pass on their final play of the game together. Claypool's TD matched Maurice Stovall, who caught four TD passes against BYU in 2005.

The loss ended a five-game winning streak for the Midshipmen (7-2, No. 23 CFP), who entered leading the nation in rushing with 357.9 yards per game. But the Irish defense forced three first-half fumbles by Navy's shifty quarterback Malcolm Perry, who rushed 25 times for 117 yards before behind replaced in the third quarter by freshman Perry Olsen, who had a 43-yard TD pass to Mychal Cooper and a 2-yard TD run.
Irish defensive end Khalid Kareem forced two fumbles and linebacker Drew White had 10 tackles. Notre Dame turned four fumble recoveries into 24 points.

Perry was averaging 130.2 rushing yards entering the game. He managed a 46-yard run late in the first half that set up a Bijan Nichols' 27-yard field goal, but for the most part was contained. Meanwhile, the Midshipmen's defense, allowing just 310.6 yards a game, allowed 300 at halftime by the Irish and 415 for the game.

After throwing incomplete on his second attempt, Book completed 10 passes in a row. He also added 31 yards on five carries.

Navy returns to AAC play and entertains No. 20 SMU Saturday. Notre Dame closes out the home schedule Saturday against Boston College.