Game Notes
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Time and date: Friday, January 2 at 4:30 p.m. ET
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Place: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium—Memphis, Tennessee
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Full time series: The series is tied, 3-3.
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Last meeting: Cincinnati 20, Navy 10 — November 5, 2022
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Current winning streak: Cincinnati, 3 (2018-22)
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Navy’s last bowl: 2024 Armed Forces Bowl, 21-20 win over Oklahoma State
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Cincinnati’s final bowl: 2022 Fenway Bowl, lost to Louisville 24-7
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2024 Liberty Bowl matchup: Arkansas 39, Texas Tech 26
Set the scene
Old rivals from Conference USA meet again at Conference USA venues. The Midshipmen (10-2, 7-1 American) and Cincinnati Bearcats (7-5, 5-4 Big 12) reunite in Memphis to end their seasons in one of the few bowl games after the New Year.
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Navy can complete its third 11-win season in program history, putting 2025 on par with 2015 and 2019. The Midshipmen, currently ranked No. 22 in the AP poll, can solidify their fourth late-season ranking since the start of the Super Bowl.
Cincinnati Bowl becomes a Big 12 program for the first time. The Bearcats are looking for their first bowl win since 2019 after losing their first three games of the 2020s. Cincinnati has won three straight against Navy and can keep that streak alive with a rise in Memphis.
Navy midshipman prospects
Brian Newberry built a machine at Navy, posting back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time ever. The Midshipmen have been strong this year, producing the FBS’s best rushing attack at 289 yards per game.
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There’s plenty of program-defining talent on offense, most notably three seniors who are playing their final college games. One of those was quarterback Blake Horvath, who ranked 18th nationally in rushing (76 yards from first place on the quarterback charts) and completed his historic run as Navy’s starter. In addition to having one of the best passing seasons in Midshipman history, Horvat has rushed for more than 100 yards in seven of his last nine starts — always showing dominance despite adjustments on defense.
Another star ending his tenure at Navy is running back Alex Tecza. Tezza was the hero in November, racking up over 100 yards against South Florida and Memphis and catching the game-winning 2-point play in a win over Temple. If he can run for 178 yards, he will reach 1,000 yards for the first time in his career.
Tecza is a Pittsburgh native, as is Eli Heidenreich. Heidenreich is Navy’s all-time leading receiver, often finding space deep downfield and lighting up defenses. He’s averaging 19.1 yards per catch and already has Navy’s best single-season receiving yards with 877, and he’ll be looking to build on those numbers during his final time in uniform.
Navy ranks 35th in scoring offense and has won a series of shootouts this year, scoring 30 or more points in four of six games. The defense relaxed more than expected, especially in a passing game where opponents averaged 241 yards. However, the defense also features first-team AP All-American defensive tackle Landon Robinson. Robinson, the first player since 1975 to be named an Associated Press All-American, dominated the season with his athleticism, tallying 6.5 sacks and 58 tackles.
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Other standouts on the defense include linebackers Mark-Anthony Parker and Luke Pieris, who combined for 168 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss.
Cincinnati Bearcats Outlook
Cincinnati took control of its own destiny in the Big 12 Tournament on the morning of Nov. 14, but the Bearcats came up short at the end of the game after a stellar 7-1 start and a dull 0-4 finish. Unpopular results are nothing new for Cincinnati, who ended 2024 losing five straight games and ending 2023 losing eight of nine straight games.
The good news for the Bearcats is they can hit the reset button and redefine 2025 by overtaking Navy in the Liberty Bowl. It’s going to be an extremely tough battle for head coach Scott Satterfield and his teammates, especially considering the lack of personnel available on Friday.
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The transfer portal opened on January 2, and six starters have declared interest in entering the portal, including quarterback Brendan Sosby and four defensive backs (DB coach Eddie Hicks is headed to Arkansas). So, Friday was mostly about the mindset of the Bearcats’ next guy. Cincinnati is most proud of a complete offensive line. The team tied with Army for the fewest sacks with seven, and left guard Evan Tengesdahl was named to the Associated Press All-American team and is worth watching.
Tengesdahl and the unit will hold off new starting quarterback Brady Lichtenberg, who is preparing for his first collegiate start in his fifth year on campus (a member of the 2021 CFP team). Lichtenberg has thrown the ball 45 times over the years, including six in 2025, and he hopes to make the most of this golden opportunity to cap off his college days.
With running back Evan Pryor out, redshirt sophomore Manny Covey and true freshman Zion Johnson are new faces to watch in the running game. The Bearcats’ four running backs, including Covey and Johnson, are averaging over 5.8 yards per carry behind this O-line, which bodes well for Memphis. Also making a presence on the offense is deep threat target Cyrus Allen, whose 12 touchdowns lead all Big 12 receivers.
Defensive tackle Dontay Corleone is another glaring hole on the depth chart, as he opted out of the season to prepare for the NFL Draft. Outside linebacker Jake Goldie is another draft prospect on this team, but he’s expected to have 105 tackles and 3.5 sacks in his best season to date. Overall, Cincinnati’s defense ranks 100th in yards allowed per game, but the Bearcats’ most glaring issue is their inability to force turnovers — allowing just two passes all season.
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Service academies tend to perform well in bowl games. Navy won six of seven games. Army won seven of eight games. Air Force has won five straight. The lengthy preparations can take up to a month, which is usually a good sign for these projects, and it shows in these games. The Midshipmen had already beaten American League talent like South Florida and Memphis during November before winning an exciting Army game.
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Cincinnati went in the opposite direction, losing four straight, and the Bearcats also knocked off Brendan Sosby, Dontae Corleone and several other key pieces. Cincinnati’s main strength will be the run game through the offensive line, but the Bearcats have struggled on defense recently and Navy’s option offense could be a nightmare matchup. The Midshipmen won easily and reached 11 wins for the third time ever.
Prediction: Navy 35, Cincinnati 13