For the Navy Midshipmen, it’s hard to be upset with the way their football team played in 2025. The Naval Academy finished with an 11-2 overall record while finishing 7-1 in the conference. Yet even more impressive, they hoisted the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy once again after a nail-biter 17-16 finish in the Army-Navy game. Yet the 2026 schedule for the Navy football team could see things play out a bit differently.
The 2026 season is one of change for the Midshipmen. Braxton Woodson replaces Blake Horvath at quarterback. The team also lost their defensive coordinator, slotback Eli Heidenreich, defensive lineman Landon Robinson, running back Alex Tezca, slotback Brandon Chatman, among others, from last season. It’s a lot of loss for a program that doesn’t have the ability to utilize the transfer portal.
However, there’s a lot to like about the way head coach Brian Newberry has coached this program. They’ve exceeded expectations without getting the advantage of regular university programs. Yet, that hasn’t stopped the Midshipmen from making their mark. So for a program where the standard is the standard, 2026 offers interesting opportunity for Navy.
Navy Football: 2026 Game-By-Game Schedule Predictions
September 5: vs. Towson Tigers
Like many FBS programs, Navy starts their season against an inferior FCS opponent. That’s not a slight against Towson. However, there’s little debate that the Midshipmen should take care of the Tigers in this contest.
A lot of new faces are in pivotal roles for Navy this year. So, some growing pains are expected in this game. Yet, it won’t be enough to cost the Midshipmen a victory in front of their home crowd.
Prediction: Win (1-0)
September 12: at Florida Atlantic
Historically, Navy is 3-0 against Florida Atlantic. However, there’s a couple reasons why this could be a trap game for the Midshipmen.
The FAU Owls have a lot of continuity on their team. That includes the coaching staff, their star quarterback, and the most productive receiver in the American Conference last year. The offense is a big play waiting to happen, and they did see some success last year despite losing by 10 points in Annapolis. And, there’s a good chance that this game is a high-scoring affair. That plays right into the hands of FAU head coach Zach Kittley and company. Whether or not Navy can replicate their offensive production remains to be seen. Because of that, I think the Midshipmen get caught slipping and take their first loss of the season in Florida.
Prediction: Loss (1-1)
September 25: at UAB Blazers
The Blazers have a new head coach and good vibes throughout the program. Unfortunately, they’re going to catch Navy looking to make a statement against their conference opponent. There’s just not enough firepower for UAB to compete with the Midshipmen. Even at home, UAB is facing an uphill battle against an established opponent.
Prediction: Win (2-1)
October 3: at Air Force Falcons
The 2026 schedule for the Navy football team sees their three-game road trip end in Colorado Springs against the Falcons. And, this is going to be an incredibly difficult test for the Midshipmen.
Coach Newberry is 2-1 against Air Force since being named the head coach in 2023. However, the Falcons sport a 34-24 edge on Navy overall. This could truly be the game that determines the fate of the season for the Midshipmen. And to be honest, I’d call this a 50-50 matchup because of how intense the academy matchups can be.
Troy Calhoun of Air Force is a fantastic head coach. However, the program has started to stumble in their last couple of years. That ferocity may help the Falcons in this game, as will the threat of a three-game losing streak. Yet, for now, I’m giving the edge to Navy in this game.
Prediction: Win (3-1)
October 10: vs. Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Tulsa is a program with a lot of like. They have great continuity, an innovative head coach, and a budding football team. However, on paper they have an incredibly tough schedule. And, that includes this game against Navy.
At this point in the year, the Midshipmen should be rolling with Woodson under center. Playing in Annapolis may give Navy the edge they need to pull off the victory against a rising program in Tulsa.
Prediction: Win (4-1)
October 17: at UTSA Roadrunners
The Alamodome is one of the hardest places to play. And on paper, UTSA is a program to be reckoned with. They have a good head coach, their quarterback returns for another season, and they ancillary parts are excellent. However, we have seen UTSA struggle against military academies.
The Roadrunners are currently 1-5 against the Army Black Knights. Most recently, UTSA lost in the Alamodome against Army just last year. While Navy hasn’t played UTSA yet, if UTSA expects to prepare for them the same way they did against the Black Knights, they will be in for a rough day.
Like some of the other contests in their 2026 season, this football game is a true toss up for Navy. The Midshipmen could easily lose this game just as much as they could win it. Yet for now, I’m expecting Navy to pull out a slim victory in the dome.
Prediction: Win (5-1)
October 24: vs. North Texas Mean Green
North Texas faces a lot of change entering the 2026 season. There’s a new coaching staff, and nearly every top performer from last year is gone. Just on paper, this would be a hard match for the Mean Green to win, even on a neutral field.
Yet, this game is in Annapolis, and there’s little reason to believe that the Midshipmen won’t roll through their opponent with ease. This may be one of the more one-sided matches in their slate.
Prediction: Win (6-1)
October 31: vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (in Foxboro, Massachusetts)
A Halloween matchup against Notre Dame in Foxboro should be an exciting event. It’s an excellent recruiting tool for the academy, and should bring a lot of focus considering where this game sits on the slate.
However, this has also been a fairly one-sided affair in its history. Currently, Notre Dame holds an 84-13-1 record against the Midshipmen.
Last season, a great Navy team lost by a pretty wide margin (though that was without Blake Horvath). One would love to see an upset occur here, but being realistic is important, too. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see how the Midshipmen come out on top in this game.
Prediction: Loss (6-2)
November 7: vs. Temple Owls
Believe it or not, but the Temple Owls are going to be a dangerous opponent for Navy – and anyone else – in 2026. KC Keeler is no slouch as a head coach, and he’s brought in some great talent into the program. Not to mention, the Owls have one of the best tight ends in the country in Peter Clarke.
I expect this game to be a slugfest between the two programs. Right now, I have a slight edge going to Navy because of their style of play. Last year, Temple really struggled against Army while playing at West Point, losing in a low-scoring affair. Taking on a more explosive Navy offense could spell real trouble for the Owls if they haven’t adjusted properly.
Prediction: Win (7-2)
November 21: vs. Memphis Tigers
Despite having a new head coach and some changes on the roster, Memphis should be a true competitor in the American conference this year.
If this contest was at Memphis, there’s a decent chance the Midshipmen come up short. Even in Annapolis, I’m not sure how confident I am in picking a victory for either party. However, history has been on the side of the Naval Academy in recent years, and I’m not interested in bucking that trend quite yet.
Prediction: Win (8-2)
November 28: at Charlotte 49ers
At this point, Charlotte needs to prove it can be more than a doormat in the American. It’s the second year under their current head coach, and there needs to be some progress. With that said, they face a brutal schedule, and a tough Navy team to end the year. It’s unlikely the 49ers are playing for bowl eligibility in this contest. And, even if they were, I’m not entirely sure it would make a difference right now. Respectfully, Navy is just better everywhere at the moment, and should win this game easily.
Prediction: Win (9-2)
December 12: Army-Navy Game
The culmination of the 2026 Navy football schedule ends in the annual Army-Navy game. Last year’s event was truly a spectacle. The Midshipmen pulled off an incredible one-point victory over Army off the heroics of Eli Heidenreich. The atmosphere in this game is always electric. And honestly, it just means more than most games throughout the college football slate. Yet, this may be where Navy stumbles.
I was in the Army postgame press conference after their second-consecutive loss to Navy. The room was somber, yet stoic, with disappointment that was palpable. Coach Monken felt like he truly let his program, and the academy, down in that game. And with the way it happened, it’s hard for him not to feel those emotions. With that in mind, there’s a strong belief that the Black Knights come into this game with vengeance.
I expect this game to be an incredible slugfest. Yet, there’s reason to believe Army is able to pull it out based on the continuity of their current starting core and that experience. Coupled with the massive losses the Midshipmen have to overcome entering 2026, and that could spell a rough time for Navy. It’s hard to pick against the current defenders of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. Yet with nothing to lose, I believe Army could pull out all the stops to secure a victory.
Prediction: Loss (9-3)
Final Thoughts
For another year, Brian Newberry and the Navy Midshipmen should have a good season from a statistical standpoint. There’s been a lot of change within the program. However, there’s big belief in the coaching staff and the next men up to keep momentum for the team’s winning ways.
Some may view the loss in the Army-Navy game as a slight. However, it’s far from it. The two military academies are extremely competitive against each other and it’s the loss of last year (and how it occurred) that may give Army the edge this year. Yet, the Naval Academy should still find plenty of success during the season and in their conference. And, there’s reason to believe they could play a part in the American Conference Championship this season despite their personnel and coaching losses.
All in all, the 2026 season should be a favorable one to the Midshipmen and their fanbase.
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