CFB Top 50, #40: 2025 Navy Midshipmen

by
Bracket Yard
July 14, 2025

Sitting at number 40 in the CFB Top 50 countdown are the 2025 Navy Midshipmen, looking to build off of last year’s success.

Last year’s Midshipmen won ten games, their best season since 2019. Following several years of losing, Brian Newberry has gotten this team from Annapolis back on a winning track. Now, just because they won last year does not mean they are guaranteed to win this year, but there are several reasons to feel good about the Midshipmen entering 2025.

What makes doing a preview article easy for a service academy is that the transfer portal essentially does not touch them. The reasons for this, of course, transcend football. Several schools lost and gained dozens of players during the offseason, but not Navy. I have to respect roster stability no matter how it comes. To that end, you can expect that Navy is returning a lot of guys from last year’s successful team.

2025 Navy Midshipmen Basic Facts

Head Coach: Brian Newberry (3rd season)

2025 Conference: American Athletic Conference

2024 Record: 10-3 (6-2)

Final Resolution of Last Season: Won Armed Forces Bowl

2024 Scoring Offensive Rank: 39th (31.3)

2024 Scoring Defensive Rank: T-34th (22.2)

Navy Key Additions and Subtractions

IN – Garrison Dibble, defensive end. Three-star recruit from North Carolina.

IN – Merrick Barlow, tight end. Three-star recruit from Massachusetts.

OUT – Rayuan Lane III, safety. Drafted by Jacksonville in 6th round of 2025 Draft.

OUT – Colin Ramos, linebacker. Graduated.

Best Game on the Schedule in 2025

November 8 at Notre Dame. Could be two good teams meeting up in South Bend this year. The last time Navy won was in 2016, and the last time Navy won in Indiana was 2009, but hope always springs eternal in the preseason. If Navy rides into this game with a strong record, it could be a true test of how good they actually are.

2025 Navy Midshipmen: Outlook

This is a really, really experienced team. I could have gotten away with putting them higher than 40. Senior quarterback Blake Horvath is going to lead the team again, and he’s got a team of upperclassmen around him in the backfield, out in the flat, and in front of him on the offensive line. This is especially important in terms of the run game – it’s Navy, after all, and controlling time of possession with a strong run game is critical to their success. With an experienced offensive line, it should serve them well.

Let’s not downplay Navy’s defense, however. They lost Rayuan Lane to the draft earlier this year, but they still return a number of key players from 2024. This includes Luke Pirris and Landon Robinson.

The way Navy’s schedule is structured, do not be surprised at all if they blast off to a fast start. There is a realistic chance that they will go into the Air Force game at 4-0. When all is said and done, another eight to 10-win season seems like an agreeable outcome.