CSJ’s FBS G5 Week 11 Game of the Week and Fearless Predictions

On By Kent Schmidt

#8 NAVY (5-3, 3-3 American) vs. #10 SMU (6-3, 3-2)

When Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017 | 3:30 pm (ET)
Location Annapolis, Md. | Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Television CBS Sports Network

Navy enters play in fourth place in the West Division, 1/2 game behind SMU for third and 1 game behind Houston for second. Navy still have a shot at finishing in a tie for first place, but would need wins over SMU and Houston, an SMU win over Memphis and a Memphis loss to East Carolina on the final weekend. The Mids would lose out in a head-to-head tie with Memphis, but a four-way tie with Memphis, SMU and Houston is too convoluted to break at this point. An SMU win on Saturday would set up a showdown for a share of first place next weekend when it plays at Memphis.

SMU and Navy are meeting for the 19th time, with the Midshipmen holding the 11-7 advantage. Navy has won the last seven meetings, and SMU’s last win in Annapolis came in 1998 with a 24-11 defeat of the Midshipmen.

Navy comes into Saturday’s game having lost three straight after opening the season 5-0. Its three losses have come to American Athletic Conference opponents, most recently a 34-26 loss at Temple.

SMU lost last week to UCF at home but won its prior two games.

Will Worth accounted for four touchdowns in last year’s match-up between these two teas that saw the Midshipmen beat SMU 75-31.

Jordan Wyatt posted a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown against UCF, giving him an SMU-record five career defensive touchdowns and tying him for the most among active FBS players. His four interception return touchdowns are tied for the program record.

The FBS high for receptions in a game this season is 17, with SMU receiver Trey Quinn posting two of three of those performances. He also leads the nation with 10.0 catches per game and is 5th in receiving yards (921) and 6th in receiving ypg (102.3).

Navy’s starting quarterback for Saturday’s game remains in question as season-long starter Zach Abey is still nursing a shoulder injury.

Abey hurt his left (non-throwing) shoulder midway through the fourth quarter of Thursday night’s game against Temple. He was exposed while throwing a pass and absorbed a hard hit from Temple linebacker Shaun Bradley.

If Abey’s shoulder injury does not heal sufficiently enough over the course of the week, backup Garret Lewis would presumably elevate to the top of the depth chart. Lewis played the last quarter and a half against Central Florida after Abey suffered a concussion and directed Navy’s last two possessions at Temple after the starter was again sidelined.

The triple option attack of Navy will be the true test to prepare for for SMU in just a week.

The SMU and Navy Athletic Departments created the Gansz Trophy in 2009, a travelling trophy to honorthe late coaching legend Frank Gansz. Navy is 5-0 in
Gansz Trophy games since the trophy was created.

Coach’s Press Conferences

SMU’s Chad Morris

Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo and other coaches
With the home field, I feel even though the Navy signal caller up in the air that the Midshipmen will find a way in its last home game of the season.
Navy 31 SMU 24

Here are my other Top 25 picks for the week.

#1 UCF vs. Connecticut
#2 Boise State at #16 Colorado State
#3 USF Bye
#4 Memphis Bye
#5 Toledo at #15 Ohio
#6 San Diego State Bye
#7 Houston Bye
#8 Navy vs. #10 SMU
#9 Fresno State at Hawai’i
#11 Northern Illinois vs. Ball State
#12 Florida Atlantic at Louisiana Tech
#13 Army vs. Duke
#14 Arkansas State at South Alabama
#17 Wyoming at #23 Air Force
#18 Western Michigan vs. Kent State
#19 Marshall vs. Western Kentucky
#20 Troy at Coastal Carolina
#21 Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan
#22 Utah State Bye
#24 Temple at Cincinnati
#25 Appalachian State vs. Georgia Southern
Post Views: 996